New Notice Requirement for Assisted Living

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Bobbie Guidry

Assisted living providers, effective Aug. 1, need to add specific language to any notice that is issued to a resident or their legal or designated representative due to a requirement in the Minnesota Statute 144G or the Assisted Living Rule 4659 that is required to include information regarding the Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care and the Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.

The new requirement is an amendment to 144G.90 and is part of the policy bill passed during the 2021-22 legislative session. Notices must include the following language:

"You may contact the Ombudsman for Long-Term Care for questions about your rights as an assisted living facility resident and to request advocacy services. As an assisted living facility resident, you may contact the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities to request advocacy regarding your rights, concerns, or questions on issues relating to services for mental health, developmental disabilities, or chemical dependency."

The change comes as a result of action in the 2022 legislation session. The Health and Human Services policy bill contained several minor changes to the assisted living laws. For more information, contact Bobbie Guidry. In the upcoming days, LeadingAge Minnesota will release a comprehensive list of all the changes resulting from the 2022 legislative session in the annual Legislative Report.