Subdivision 1. Regulatory powers. (a) The Department of Health is the exclusive state agency charged with the responsibility and duty of surveying and investigating all assisted living facilities required to be licensed under this chapter. The commissioner of health shall enforce all sections of this chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter.
(b) The commissioner, upon request to the facility, must be given access to relevant information, records, incident reports, and other documents in the possession of the facility if the commissioner considers them necessary for the discharge of responsibilities. For purposes of surveys and investigations and securing information to determine compliance with licensure laws and rules, the commissioner need not present a release, waiver, or consent to the individual. The identities of residents must be kept private as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12.
Subd. 2. Surveys. The commissioner shall conduct a survey of each assisted living facility on a frequency of at least once every two years. The commissioner may conduct surveys more frequently than every two years based on the license category, the facility's compliance history, the number of residents served, or other factors as determined by the commissioner deemed necessary to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of residents and compliance with the law.
Subd. 3. Scheduling surveys. Surveys and investigations shall be conducted without advance notice to the facilities. Surveyors may contact the facility on the day of a survey to arrange for someone to be available at the survey site. The contact does not constitute advance notice. The surveyor must provide presurvey notification to the Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care.
Subd. 4. Information provided by facility. (a) The assisted living facility shall provide accurate and truthful information to the department during a survey, investigation, or other licensing activities.
(b) Upon request of a surveyor, assisted living facilities shall within a reasonable period of time provide a list of current and past residents and their legal representatives and designated representatives that includes addresses and telephone numbers and any other information requested about the services to residents.
Subd. 5. Correction orders. (a) A correction order may be issued whenever the commissioner finds upon survey or during a complaint investigation that a facility, a managerial official, an agent of the facility, or an employee of the facility is not in compliance with this chapter. The correction order shall cite the specific statute and document areas of noncompliance and the time allowed for correction.
(b) The commissioner shall mail or email copies of any correction order to the facility within 30 calendar days after the survey exit date. A copy of each correction order and copies of any documentation supplied to the commissioner shall be kept on file by the facility and public documents shall be made available for viewing by any person upon request. Copies may be kept electronically.
(c) By the correction order date, the facility must document in the facility's records any action taken to comply with the correction order. The commissioner may request a copy of this documentation and the facility's action to respond to the correction order in future surveys, upon a complaint investigation, and as otherwise needed.
Subd. 6. Follow-up surveys. The commissioner may conduct follow-up surveys to determine if the facility has corrected deficient issues and systems identified during a survey or complaint investigation. Follow-up surveys may be conducted via phone, email, fax, mail, or on-site reviews. Follow-up surveys, other than complaint investigations, shall be concluded with an exit conference and written information provided on the process for requesting a reconsideration of the survey results.
Subd. 7. Required follow-up surveys. For assisted living facilities that have Level 3 or Level 4 violations under section 144G.31, the commissioner shall conduct a follow-up survey within 90 calendar days of the survey. When conducting a follow-up survey, the surveyor shall focus on whether the previous violations have been corrected and may also address any new violations that are observed while evaluating the corrections that have been made.
Subd. 8. Notice of noncompliance. If the commissioner finds that the applicant or a facility has not corrected violations by the date specified in the correction order or conditional license resulting from a survey or complaint investigation, the commissioner shall provide a notice of noncompliance with a correction order by emailing the notice of noncompliance to the facility. The noncompliance notice must list the violations not corrected.
2019 c 60 art 1 s 35,36,47; 2022 c 98 art 1 s 32
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapter 144G — Assisted Living
Section 144G.08 — Definitions.
Section 144G.09 — Commissioner Oversight And Authority Over Assisted Living Facilities.
Section 144G.10 — Assisted Living Facility License.
Section 144G.11 — Applicability Of Other Laws.
Section 144G.12 — Application For Licensure.
Section 144G.13 — Background Studies Of License Applicants.
Section 144G.15 — Consideration Of Applications.
Section 144G.16 — Provisional License.
Section 144G.17 — License Renewal.
Section 144G.18 — Notification Of Changes In Information.
Section 144G.19 — Transfer Of License Prohibited.
Section 144G.20 — Enforcement.
Section 144G.30 — Surveys And Investigations.
Section 144G.31 — Violations And Fines.
Section 144G.32 — Reconsideration Of Correction Orders And Fines.
Section 144G.33 — Innovation Variance.
Section 144G.40 — Housing And Services.
Section 144G.401 — Payment For Services Under Disability Waivers.
Section 144G.41 — Minimum Assisted Living Facility Requirements.
Section 144G.42 — Business Operation.
Section 144G.43 — Resident Record Requirements.
Section 144G.45 — Minimum Site, Physical Environment, And Fire Safety Requirements.
Section 144G.50 — Assisted Living Contract Requirements.
Section 144G.51 — Arbitration.
Section 144G.52 — Assisted Living Contract Terminations.
Section 144G.53 — Nonrenewal Of Housing.
Section 144G.54 — Appeals Of Contract Terminations.
Section 144G.55 — Coordinated Moves.
Section 144G.56 — Transfer Of Residents Within Facility.
Section 144G.57 — Planned Closures.
Section 144G.60 — Staffing Requirements.
Section 144G.61 — Staff Competency Evaluations.
Section 144G.62 — Delegation And Supervision.
Section 144G.63 — Orientation And Annual Training Requirements.
Section 144G.64 — Training In Dementia Care Required.
Section 144G.71 — Medication Management.
Section 144G.72 — Treatment And Therapy Management Services.
Section 144G.84 — Services For Residents With Dementia.
Section 144G.90 — Required Notices.
Section 144G.91 — Assisted Living Bill Of Rights.
Section 144G.911 — Restrictions Under Home And Community-based Waivers.
Section 144G.92 — Retaliation Prohibited.
Section 144G.93 — Consumer Advocacy And Legal Services.
Section 144G.9999 — Resident Quality Of Care And Outcomes Improvement Task Force.