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Care centers have access to an engagement, retention, and leadership building platform for free through a grant for Align’s Employee Engagement Solution. The current grant window closes on Nov. 23. Previous messages indicated that subsequent grant cycles would open over the next two years; however, applications cycles will be limited and will likely end in early 2022. If you plan to apply in future application cycles, please plan accordingly. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) frequently cites the following in assisted living surveys: “The licensee failed to ensure a side rail was assessed for appropriateness and safety.”

This week, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that MDH-licensed providers, including home care, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes, will not transition back to fingerprint-based background studies until Jan. 5, 2022. Until the transition occurs, these providers will continue to submit emergency studies, as we have been doing throughout the pandemic.

Featuring Dr. Alyson VanAhn from Associated Clinic of Psychology

These days, we have better knowledge and skills about managing big problems that seemed unimaginable before COVID. However, many of us are at the point now when even hearing the word "resilience" has become tiresome. 

Alongside our members, LeadingAge Minnesota is working to answer questions regarding both the OSHA and CMS Vaccine and Testing Emergency Temporary Standards. We have shared answers each day as quickly as possible, but we would like to summarize some of the frequently asked questions we are getting from members across the state.

When OSHA’s Nov. 5 COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (the “Vaccine ETS”) indicates that it does not apply to workplaces that are subject to the requirements of a broader COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (the “Healthcare ETS”) that OHSA released in June 2021.

The Associated Press has reported that a coalition of 10 states sued the federal government on Nov. 10 to block the CMS COVID-19 vaccine requirement for health care workers. The CMS rule remains in full effect, and the filing of this suit has no impact unless and until the court issues a ruling. We will follow this breaking story closely, but long-term care providers should continue working to implement the CMS vaccine rules.

Looking to recruit staff, build the pipeline, or increase engagement with students? The most effective way to reach University of Minnesota (U of M) students and alumni is through a no-charge job, internship, and volunteer database called Handshake.

The Senate Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee met on Wednesday, Nov. 10 to discuss the recently-released rules surrounding the federal vaccine mandate for long-term care workers and the broader workforce emergency occurring in the long-term care sector.

State and federal regulators have added clarifying information to the conversation about how vaccine rules will be implemented and enforced in long-term care settings.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) completed work on the Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) and published information about the ETS this morning. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today released the long-awaited rule requiring COVID-19 vaccination of staff working in a wide-range of Medicare and Medicaid-certified provider types.

SAINT PAUL, MN (Nov. 4, 2021) - Vaccination is a critical part of combatting COVID-19. Alongside health care providers and public health officials, we have strongly encouraged vaccination through education, counseling, public information campaigns and monetary incentives. Despite widespread efforts to improve vaccination rates, many people, including health care workers in long-term care settings, remain unvaccinated. Our greatest hope is that this mandate may be the nudge they need to get the shot. We know that there are strongly held feelings about vaccination, and we are deeply concerned that in the midst of a record level worker shortages, some of our devoted caregivers may leave careers in our field rather than be vaccinated.

LeadingAge Minnesota nursing home members interested in utilizing the CMS Five Star Report to improve the quality of their services and their ratings will want to attend a free webinar on Thursday, Nov. 18 from 11 a.m. – noon.

As we approach the new year, we invite all members to get involved in LeadingAge Minnesota committees in 2022. We are tackling the challenges you face on numerous fronts, and we need you to help shape the critical work ahead.

The Minnesota Health Care Loan Forgiveness program cycle opens Nov. 1 and is accepting applications through Jan. 17, 2022. The Loan Forgiveness program is available for various health care professionals serving in high-need areas, including nurses in nursing homes, assisted living, and home care settings. Please join the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) team for a webinar to learn more about this program on Wednesday, Dec. 8 from 9-10 a.m. Register here.

Care centers have access to an engagement, retention, and leadership building platform for free through a grant for Align’s Employee Engagement Solution. A new grant window opened on Sept. 22 and closes on Nov. 23. Subsequent cycles will open over the next two years.

Do you want to bring more joy to your workplace? One way to start is the way you begin meetings.

This week, LeadingAge sent all care center members updated Five Star Analysis reports reflecting data through the second quarter of this year for staffing and MDS measures and through the first quarter of this year for claims-based measures.

As members are acutely aware, Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) citations for nursing homes have increased significantly compared to prior years, and 2021 is proving to be no exception.

For care centers participating in the Medicaid program, the annual cost report for the year ended Sept. 30, 2021 is due Feb. 1, 2022 under the current statute.

Due to “exceptional circumstances” attributed to the pandemic and staffing shortages, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is offering a grace period for submitting the cost report and associated schedules of 150 days. The grace period makes the effective due date of the cost report July 1, 2022. The cost report instructions are currently posted on the DHS nursing facility portal; the actual cost report form and other schedules will be posted later.

For the next six months, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is trying a new process when care centers change their number of beds.

After a four-week delay, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is proceeding with the transition from emergency background studies back to studies with fingerprints and photographs. 

In a meeting with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) this week, staff from the Environmental Health Division provided information on early findings regarding the food code during assisted living surveys. Most findings are in basic food handling safety measures.

The Institute & Expo returns to RiverCentre in Saint Paul February 9-11, 2022, and virtually Feb. 22-24.

The 2022 Institute will be a blended conference model, with three days of education, events, and exhibits in person at RiverCentre, and additional educational sessions offered virtually later in the month.

Are you using the CMS 5-Star Report to your best advantage? Receiving a better-than-average 5-star rating has never been more important to nursing homes. These ratings are increasingly used by consumers, regulators, insurers, and other payers and provider networks to select which facilities they will consider having relationships with.

Care centers have access to an engagement, retention, and leadership building platform for free through a grant for Align’s Employee Engagement Solution. A new grant window opened on Sept. 22 and closes on Nov. 23. Subsequent cycles will open over the next two years.

To help raise awareness of sexual assault, an issue that can be difficult to address, the State Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Committee has developed a set of materials that you can use to train on this serious topic.

Looking for a way to grow caregivers within your organization or help staff advance in their career path? Northwest Technical College is offering an online course to advance the specialty of caregivers in aging services. The Gerontology and Aging Care program is a two-semester online course that is appropriate for any staff member. Caregivers, culinary staff, housekeeping, administration, and other team members can benefit from specializing in gerontology.

Argentum officially kicked off its latest awareness campaign directed at policymakers in the Biden Administration and Congress. The theme of this campaign is "Don’t Leave Assisted Living Behind, Again," underscoring the continued disparities in relief and support that has been made available to senior living and the need to rectify it moving forward, including with the Phase 4 PRF payments.