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    MDH licensed facilities

    Legislative changes minimize duplication of background studies

    The Department of Human Services (DHS) will no longer conduct background studies for most individuals affiliated with a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) licensed facility, if they are licensed by a health-related licensing board (HLB) and have completed a criminal background check as part of licensure. This change is the result of legislation passed during the 2022 legislative session.  

    Changes effective June 3, 2022:

    • Entities should stop submitting applications for DHS background studies on most individuals licensed by a HLB and affiliated with MDH facilities as identified in 245C.03, subdivision 5a. A list of the MDH provider types this applies to is provided below:
      • assisted living facilities
      • assisted living facilities with dementia care
      • board and lodging establishments
      • boarding care homes
      • home care agencies
      • hospitals
      • nursing homes
      • outpatient surgical centers
      • supplemental nursing service agencies. 
    • DHS will continue to conduct background studies and collect updated criminal history and maltreatment information on license applicants, owners, managerial officials, and controlling individuals who are required under section 144A.476, subdivision 1, or 144G.13, subdivision 1, to undergo a background study under chapter 245C, regardless of their licensure status. 
    • Required actions to take in NETStudy 2.0:
      • Entities that have previously submitted background studies for individuals who no longer require a background study must remove the HLB-licensed individuals from the entities' rosters in NETStudy 2.0.
      • For individuals who have a current background study and who will still require a DHS background check (license applicants, owners, managerial officials and controlling individuals) entities must update each study subject’s position on their roster records to communicate to DHS the individual’s position.
      • For more information about how to update an entity’s roster, click "Updating Rosters for Deduplication," located in the Help section of NETStudy 2.0.

    Maltreatment reviews

    DHS and each HLB shall enter into a data sharing agreement. The HLBs will provide DHS with a roster list of individuals who have a license issued by the board in active status. DHS will conduct maltreatment checks for HLB licensed individuals with an active license status. DHS will report findings of substantiated maltreatment to the appropriate licensing board. The HLB will be responsible for determining whether to impose disciplinary or corrective action.

    Instructions for health care providers

    Instructions for updating rosters for deduplication of health care background studies (PDF) shows providers how to remove study subjects from rosters, update position categories and positions, and select correct position categories when submitting background study applications. 

    Links to session law 

    This page contains an overview of the changes to background study requirements for impacted entities. These are only summaries; please reference the link to session law for the specific requirements.

    • Chapter 98, Article 1, Section 1: Changes to 144.057 stating DHS to no longer conduct background studies on certain individuals, but continue conducting background studies on license applicants, owners, managerial officials, and controlling individuals regardless of licensure status. Requires entities to remove individuals who meet the requirements of the legislation to separate those individuals from the entity’s roster in NETStudy 2.0.
    • Chapter 98, Article 1, Section 62: Changes to 245C.03 stating DHS to no longer conduct background studies on certain individuals, but continue conducting background studies on license applicants, owners, managerial officials, and controlling individuals regardless of licensure status. Requires entities to remove individuals who meet the requirements of the legislation to separate those individuals from the entity’s roster in NETStudy 2.0.
    • Chapter 98, Article 1, Section 63: Requires DHS to notify the HLB if an individual licensed by that board is responsible for substantiated maltreatment. Requires the board to determine whether to impose disciplinary or corrective action. 
    • Chapter 98, Article 1, Section 64: Removes requirement that DHS include in the substantiated maltreatment notice to the HLB whether DHS would have disqualified the individual if the individual were not regulated by the board. 
    • Chapter 98, Article 1, Section 65: Requires DHS and HLBs to enter into a data sharing agreement.
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