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Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Office of Inspector General

Division of Health Care

Inspector General Announcement

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Secretary Steven Stack, M.D., is happy to announce that Tricia Steward has been appointed the agency’s Inspector General. 

Tricia served as Acting Inspector General from June 2024 until her appointment as Inspector General in June 2025. 

Tricia retired from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) in 2008, having served as a surveyor and program manager overseeing surveys of long-term care facilities, Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), and all levels of Acute and Continuing Care (ACC) facilities. She went on to have a 13-year career as a Federal Contract Surveyor, conducting surveys of State Veteran Home (SVH) nursing facilities, Veteran Administration Community Care Medical Centers, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Certified Facilities across the nation.

The CHFS OIG is the regulatory and licensing agency for all health care, day care and long-term care facilities and child adoption/child-placing agencies in the commonwealth. The OIG is also responsible for the Kentucky Certificate of Need (CON) process for health care facilities, health services, and major medical equipment. OIG programs are responsible for the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud, abuse, waste, mismanagement and misconduct by the Cabinet’s clients, employees, medical providers, vendors, contractors and subcontractors. The office also conducts special investigations into matters related to the Cabinet or its programs as requested by the Cabinet secretary, commissioners or office heads.

REGISTRATION STILL OPEN!

2025 Minimum Data Set Training

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General, Division of Health Care, along with Myers & Stauffer LC, will host a state-sponsored training to provide CNF care staff and state surveyors with an in-depth overview of the MDS Resident Assessment Instrument.

This training will offer CEUs for nurses and administrators, and will be provided in two separate, day-long in-person training events:



Basic Training for Beginners

Monday, September 15, 2025

Register in TRAIN - 1130914

MDS Coordinator Update Training - Beginners & Advanced

Monday September 22, 2025

Register in TRAIN - 1130931

(Note that you will need an individual TRAIN account to register online)

University of Louisville – Shelby Campus

University Center

450 N Whittington Pkwy

Louisville, KY 40222

Please contact Darlene.Cox@ky.gov with any questions!

Best Practices for Prescribing Atypical Antipsychotics: Clinical

Guidance and Considerations

Elizabeth Royalty PharmD, Reyna VanGilder PhD PharmD, Fatima Ali PharmD, Muhammad Babar MD MBA MSc

In our previous newsletter article comparing the side effect profiles of second-generation antipsychotics, we highlighted the updates to guidance on psychotropic medication. Terms previously defined by F758 were incorporated in F605. While there is awareness that psychotropics like antipsychotics should not be used unnecessarily for sedating properties for convenience, there is sometimes a clinical need for off-label use to prevent patient harm to self or harm to others. Nonpharmacological interventions should be first attempted, but KMPI acknowledges that the use of antipsychotic agents may sometimes be warranted. The purpose of this newsletter is to review best practices when prescribing atypical antipsychotics.

Clinical Considerations Before Prescribing Psychotropic Medication

• Seek informed consent.
• Use nonpharmacological approaches to minimize the need for drug therapy, when possible.
• Evaluate the underlying etiology of the behavior or symptom, including possible side effects of the current drug regimen.
• Use a patient-centered approach to selecting drug therapy, including risks and benefits, clinical condition(s), age, and treatment goals.

Click HERE to continue reading.

CMS/CMP-Funded State-Sponsored Training Programs

Free for All CMS-Certified Kentucky SNFs and CNFs

We are pleased to announce the launch of three CMS/CMP-funded training programs available exclusively to all CMS-certified Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and Certified Nursing Facilities (CNFs) in Kentucky. These programs are fully funded through the Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment Program and are offered in partnership with:

• LeadingAge Kentucky
• Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities (KAHCF)
• Kentucky Office of Inspector General (OIG)

These trainings are designed to enhance staff development, improve resident care, and support workforce retention—all at no cost to your facility.

 Bluegrass Activities Director Leadership Academy

This program offers the LeadingAge Kentucky Activity Director Certification course to one (1) staff member per CNF, per year for three years. Online and in-person training options are available, with limited seating available for in-person training.



Click here to sign up

Sustaining Care: State-Sponsored Recruitment & Retention Training for CNFs

This online training program focuses on equipping nursing home administrators and HR professionals with effective strategies for attracting and retaining skilled staff. Access to the program is available to one (1) staff member per CNF, per year for three years.

Click here to sign up

 Building Expertise: State-Sponsored Wound Care Certification for CNFs

CNFs can enroll up to four (4) direct care staff (CNA/LPN) each year, for three years, in the Wound Care Education Institute’s online Skin & Wound Care Certification course at no charge.

Click here to sign up

COMING SOON!

Leadership in Nursing: State-Sponsored Nurse Mentorship Training

The Leadership in Nursing project aims to enhance workforce stability in certified nursing facilities by providing mentors for new nursing staff to enhance confidence, improve clinical skills and emotional support, and achieve faster onboarding, retention, and job satisfaction, better patient outcomes, and cultural integration. Training will be provided via online. Sign-up information coming soon!

Take 5 minutes today to complete your sign-ups and ensure your team benefits from this important initiative.

If you have any questions or need assistance, we’re here to help.

Free Training for Nursing Facility Staff

The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) was established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It provides mental health and substance use training, customized technical assistance and resources to certified Medicare and Medicaid nursing facility staff who care for residents with a variety of behavioral health conditions at absolutely no cost.

Check out resources today!

www.nursinghomebehavioralhealth.org

Division of Health Care Contact Information

Central Office

Carrie Storms, Director

Kevin Byrd, Assistant Director

Marissia Izlar, Assistant Director

Andrea Willhite, Assistant Director

275 E. Main St., 5E-A Frankfort, KY 40621

Phone: 502-564-7963

Fax: 502-564-6546

Western Enforcement Branch

Terri Gipson, Regional Program Manager

Samuel Ellsworth, Human Services Program Branch Manager

901 B South Main Street, Hopkinsville, KY 42240

Phone: 270-889-6052

Fax: 270-889-6089

Northern Enforcement Branch

Chuck Ballou, Regional Program Manager

Carmen Ferguson, Human Services Program Branch Manager

L & N Building 10-W, 908 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203

Phone: 502-595-4958

Fax: 502-595-4540

Southern Enforcement Branch

Phyllis Monhollen, Regional Program Manager

Casey Shelley, Human Services Program Branch Manager

116 Commerce Ave., London, KY 40744

Phone: 606-330-2030

Fax: 606-330-2054

Eastern Enforcement Branch

Gae Vanlandingham, Regional Program Manager

Will Hendrickson, Human Services Program Branch Manager

455 Park Place, Suite 120A, Lexington, KY 40511

Phone: 859-246-2301

Fax: 859-246-2307

Kentucky's Top 10 Citations

for Nursing Homes

Health Care

Life Safety Code

Emergency Preparedness

Informal Appeal of Survey Findings

Every Long Term Care provider has the right to both an informal and formal appeal process following receipt of a completed Form CMS-2567. There are two informal appeal processes: Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) and Independent IDR (IIDR).

Interested in Serving on an IDR Panel?

Kentucky requires one member of the IDR panel to be "a person currently engaged in the provision of Long Term Care services who has no affiliation with the provider disputing a deficiency." Typically, a Long Term Care Administrator is on each IDR panel. There is no payment or travel reimbursement for an Administrator serving on a panel. Administrators will be rotated. If a Long Term Care Administrator is interested in serving on a panel, a confidentiality statement must be signed prior to the participation in the first IDR panel.

Please complete the Confidentiality Agreement and submit via email, fax, or mail to:

All certified nursing facilities are required to sign up for ePOC. Please be diligent about keeping your account and password up to date. All correspondence is handled in the ePOC system, including the plan of correction. Furthermore, if there is a change in administrator, it is incumbent upon the facility to update the system.

Click here for the CMS security rules.

If your facility is not yet signed up, see the Account Setup instructions.

Not sure if your facility has any ePOC accounts, or have other questions? E-mail ePOC.Support@ky.gov or contact Zakary Carter, ASPEN Coordinator, at Zakary.Carter@ky.gov.



Have you notified your residents?

Click the link below for the contact list for various agencies:

REQUIRED Agency Contact Information for Residents of LTC Facilities

Which Branch is Serving You? 

To provide the highest level of service, the Division of Health Care operates through four regional offices. Knowing the appropriate Branch to contact with questions and concerns will ensure you receive maximum service in minimum time. Review links below for detailed information.

Regional Map

Contact Information

CMS Survey and Certification memoranda, guidance, clarifications and instructions to State Survey Agencies and CMS Regional Offices.

Policy and Memos 

Transfer/Discharge Hearing Appeals

Please submit your requests for transfer/discharge hearing appeals to Secretary Eric C. Friedlander, Cabinet for Health and Family Services, by emailing:

ITD.APP@ky.gov  

LTC Facility Self-Reported

Incidents & Complaints

Email addresses were established for communications regarding LTC Facility Self-Reported Incidents and for use by residents and the general public to report possible violations of regulatory requirements. Click Here for the email addresses and additional contact information. 

Quality, Safety & Education Portal

CMS's QSEP provides the full curriculum of surveyor training and guidance on health care facility regulations. All training is available on-demand on a top-notch self-service portal. 24/7 access means you have the freedom to learn what you want, where you want, when you want.



Employment Opportunities 

To search and apply for positions within the Office of Inspector General, please visit the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet's web page by clicking below.

Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Office of Inspector General

Division of Health Care 

DHC Leadership Team:

Tricia Steward

Inspector General

Carrie Storms

Director

Kevin Byrd

Assistant Director

Marissia Izlar

Assistant Director

Andrea Willhite

Assistant Director

The Office of Inspector General is the regulatory and licensing agency for all health care, day care, and long-term care facilities and child adoption/child-placing agencies in the commonwealth.

If you would like more information, please visit our website. 

If you have an idea for a future article, please contact Melissa Richard.

Commonwealth of Kentucky | Office of Inspector General | 275 East Main St. 5E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621