August 13, 2026 ACTION Newsletter

August 13, 2026 | Volume 41, Edition 31

TOP STORIES THIS WEEK

Safety alert—Adult portable bed rails recalled

Audience: All providers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a recall for adult portable bed rails due to serious safety hazards, including entrapment and risk of death by asphyxiation. read more

Are your assisted living residents being relocated under dubious circumstances?

Audience: All members

Care Providers of Minnesota was recently alerted by a member assisted living facility regarding unauthorized actors soliciting and then moving the assisted living residents to smaller residential settings. read more

Workforce Connections—Building a stronger long-term care workforce together

Audience: All members

Care Providers of Minnesota has received a second round of grant funding to continue Workforce Connections—our initiative to strengthen Minnesota's long-term care workforce and build career pathways for immigrant and first-generation employees. read more

Upcoming webinar—Fire Safety and Evacuation: Best Practices for Assisted Living Providers from AHCA/NCAL

Audience: All members

On September 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM, the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) will host a free webinar for AHCA/NCAL members, “Fire Safety and Evacuation: Best Practices for Assisted Living Providers.” read more

Comments requested by DHS on amendment, including CADI rate cuts

Audience: Housing & homecare providers

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking public comments on the proposed state plan amendments to the Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternative Care (CAC), Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI), and Developmental Disabilities (DD) waiver plans. Comments are due no later than 4 PM., Friday, September 4, 2026. read more

QUALITY

2026 Q3 Top-Line report available

Audience: NF providers

Your Top-Line is a LTC Trend Tracker℠ publication that includes metrics and graphics outlining skilled nursing center's progress on Five-Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program, and other necessary data to help skilled nursing centers achieve their desired goals. read more

Silver Quality Award—Thinking about “Approach”

Audience: All members

As you consider applying (or reapplying) to be recognized at the Silver level, one of the important aspects is to have “systematic” and “effective” processes in place in response to each of the criteria questions. read more

LEGISLATIVE/ADVOCACY

Laws that passed in 2026—Small assisted living facilities colocation and study

Audience: All members

Before issuing a provisional license for an assisted living facility with six or fewer residents, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) must consider local factors including population, land use, community services, and the number/size of existing facilities in the area. read more

2026 primary results—Federal offices

Audience: All members

Tuesday's primary election provided clarity on which candidates will appear on the federal portion of the upcoming general election ballot for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party and the Republican Party (R). read more

2026 primary results—State offices

Audience: All members

The Republican primary was far more competitive, with several prominent candidates vying for the nomination. Kendall Qualls and Brian Nicholson entered the race as the Republican Party's endorsed candidates, though the endorsement process itself was notable and generated significant discussion during the campaign. read more

Candidate access under Minnesota law

Audience: All members

With campaign season firmly underway, now is an ideal time for operators to review their policies governing candidate access and door-to-door campaigning within their facilities. read more

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES & EVENTS

Audience: All members

The Minnesota Healthcare Engineers Association (MHCEA) has opened registration for its annual Fall Conference to be held October 5–7, 2026, at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. read more

Minnesota Board of Social Workers educational opportunities

Audience: SNF/ NF providers

These education sessions will provide information on the supervision requirements for different license types, including the number of hours needed, who can be a supervisor, and what, when, and how of documentation. read more

FOUNDATION

Call for nominations—2027 Board of Directors

Audience: All members

Nominations are still open for the 2027 Care Providers of Minnesota Board of Directors! We invite you to nominate yourself or another qualified member to serve on the Board. read more

NATIONAL

Payroll-Based Journal data due by August 14

Audience: NF providers

Providers are advised to submit their data early and consult the staffing reports to confirm the accuracy and completeness of their submissions. If any errors are identified, they must be corrected before the final submission deadline. read more

STATE

Provider feedback on MDH surveys and investigations—July 2026 results

Audience: All providers

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) continues to encourage providers to complete its voluntary feedback questionnaire following every licensure survey or complaint investigation. read more

Case Mix Review update for Minnesota nursing facilities

Audience: NF providers

The newsletter covers a variety of topics and is intended for Long-Term Care Facility Administrators, Directors of Nursing, Minimum Data Set (MDS) Coordinators, and staff who work with the MDS. read more

Enrollment processing delays continue for MSHO and SNBC

Audience: All members

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), continues to experience significant delays in processing enrollments for Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) and Integrated Special Needs Basic Care (SNBC) due to the UCare health plan changes announced in December 2025. read more

REGULATORY

Assisted living survey tip—Why medication refrigerator logs are your best defense

Audience: Assisted living providers

Medication refrigerator temperature logs are more than a daily task—they help demonstrate that medications are being stored according to manufacturer recommendations and that your facility has a process to identify and respond to temperature concerns. read more

Metro Health and Medical Preparedness Coalition upcoming training

Audience: All members

The Metro Health and Medical Preparedness Coalition recently held its quarterly long-term care provider meeting. Topics covered included an overview of several upcoming training opportunities available to providers. read more

Infection prevention resources and training available

Audience: SNF/ NF providers

Infection prevention and control remain one of the most heavily scrutinized areas of long-term care regulation—and one of the most common sources of survey deficiencies. read more

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