Customized Living Quality Improvement grant program

For detailed information, see the CL QI grant request for proposal (PDF).

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), through its Aging and Adult Services Division (AASD), seeks proposals from qualified respondents to improve overall quality of services for persons receiving customized living services. Qualified respondents must have provided customized living services to Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternatives for Community Inclusion (CADI) or Elderly Waiver (EW) program participants in calendar years 2023 and/or 2024 (i.e., between Jan. 1, 2023, and Oct. 14, 2024).

During state fiscal year (SFY) 2025-2026, DHS will award up to $2 million in grants to successful respondents. One-time grants from $25,000 to $250,000 will be available.

To be eligible for the CL QI grant, at least 75% of clients served by the agency must be waiver participants. For providers of customized living services under the BI or CADI waivers, waiver participants must reside at multiple locations each with at least six residents.

Providers serving a higher percentage of waiver participants will get preference during the decision process.

Respondents should be prepared to show how their proposal will positively affect one or more of the following domains of quality identified in a recent University of Minnesota report on quality and quality measurement in assisted living:

• Person’s quality of life
• Person and their family’s satisfaction
• Safety
• Health outcomes
• Staff
• Physical and social environment
• Service availability
• Core values and philosophy
• Care services and integration.

To review the complete report on assisted living quality measures go to the Assisted Living Report Card.

Important dates:

• Oct. 14, 2024: RFP published on the DHS grants, RFPs and RFIs website.
• Nov. 18, 2024: Deadline to submit questions about this RFP. Questions due by 4 p.m. CST. 
• Nov. 21, 2024: Answers to respondent questions posted on the RFP website.
• Dec. 13, 2024: Respondent applications must be submitted through the online application by 4 p.m. CST.

For questions or assistance with the proposal, please contact:

Minnesota Department of Human Services
Aging and Adult Services Division
Email: dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us.

All proposals must be submitted through the online application. A link to the online application is provided in the CL QI grant RFP.

Please note, the online application process will require using the provided templates. Consider logging into the application portal before the application deadline to review the templates and submission portal.

Question 1: Is this grant for existing CL providers or can agencies that are not currently providing CL but interested in starting CL services submit a proposal?
Answer 1:  The CL QI grant is available to responders who have provided customized living services to Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternatives for Disability Inclusion (CADI) or Elderly Waiver (EW) program participants within the past two calendar years (i.e., between Jan. 1, 2023, and Oct. 14, 2024).

To be eligible for this grant, your completed eligible grantee statement must demonstrate that your setting(s) meet(s) the following requirements. Applicants who do not meet these requirements will be automatically disqualified:  

• The Responder must be an enrolled provider with DHS to provide customized living services under BI, CADI or EW.
• At least 75 percent of the residents served by the provider must be waiver participants.
• For providers of customized living services under the BI or CADI waivers, the waiver participants must reside at multiple locations each with six or more residents.

Refer to Appendix A: Eligible Grantee Statement on the grant application website for more information about how eligibility will be determined for this grant program.

Question 2: If we have two customized living programs that meet the criteria for the RFP can we submit two responses or do they need to be submitted together?
Answer 2: Providers can include as many customized living sites as they want in a proposal. Providers can also submit multiple proposals for individual sites. Each proposal must clearly state which sites are included and provide the number and percentage of waiver participants served at those sites. Award amounts range from $50,000 to $250,000 per proposal, regardless of how many settings are included or how many proposals a provider submits.

Eligibility for each proposal depends on the specific sites included:

• Proposals for individual sites with less than 75% waiver participants are ineligible. However, if multiple sites are combined into one proposal and the overall percentage of waiver participants is at least 75%, that proposal may be eligible.
• To meet the 75% eligibility requirement using BI or CADI participants, proposals must include multiple settings with at least six residents each.

Question 3: Is this RFP open to both non-profit and for-profit agencies?
Answer 3: The CLQI grant is open to any facility that provides customized living services to BI, CADI or EW waiver participants that meet the eligibility criteria regardless of whether the agency is non-profit or for-profit.

Question 4: If a proposal is submitted with multiple quality improvement projects under one RFP, would DHS either approve or deny all, or would you ever approve some parts of the proposal?
Answer 4: Once an application is determined to meet the eligibility requirements, it will undergo a comprehensive review by a team of evaluators. The review team will score the application based on all the information provided within the submission.

Following this evaluation, the review team will present their final recommendations to the Department of Human Services (DHS) regarding potential funding and contract negotiations. DHS will then decide whether to fund proposed projects in full or in part, based on the review team’s recommendations.

If a proposal is selected for funding, DHS will engage in discussions with the applicant to determine whether the project will receive full or partial funding during the contract negotiation process.

Question 5: Currently, our facility has a total of 47 residents, with 35 of them participating in the EW program. This places us slightly below the 75% requirement specified for the grant eligibility. However, we currently have two additional residents working on their EW status. I would like to know if the pending status of these residents could be considered when evaluating our eligibility for the grant.
Answer 5: You must be able to show you meet the 75% threshold using one of these three methods: 

• Number of residents and waiver recipients on the RFP release date. 
• Average number of residents and waiver participates, Jan. 1, 2024, to the RFP release date.
• Average number of residents and waiver recipients, Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023. 

This information is available on Appendix A: Eligible Grantee Statement linked in the online application.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services, through its Aging and Adult Services Division, is seeking proposals from qualified responders to improve overall quality of services for persons receiving customized living services. Qualified responders must have provided customized living services to Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternatives for Community Inclusion (CADI) or Elderly Waiver (EW) program participants in calendar years 2021 and/or 2022 (i.e. between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022). 

During State Fiscal year (SFY) 2023-2024, DHS intends to award up to $2 million in grants to successful responders. One-time grants will be available ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.

To be eligible for the CL QI grant, at least 75 percent of the clients served by your agency must be waiver participants. For providers of customized living services under the BI or CADI waivers, waiver participants must reside at multiple locations each with six or more residents.

DHS will give preference to providers serving a higher percentage of waiver participants.  

Responders should be prepared to show how their proposal will positively affect one or more of the following domains of quality identified in a recent University of Minnesota (UMN) report on quality and quality measurement in assisted living:

• Person’s quality of life
• Person and their family’s satisfaction
• Safety
• Health outcomes
• Staff
• Physical and social environment
• Service availability
• Core values and philosophy
• Care services and integration

To review the complete report on assisted living quality measures visit the Assisted Living Report Card page on the DHS website.

Request for Proposals (PDF) 

Key dates: 

• September 19, 2022: DHS will publish RFP on RFP website.
• October 24, 2022: Deadline to submit questions regarding this RFP. Submit questions to dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us. Questions due by 4:00 p.m. CST. 
• October 31, 2022: DHS will post answers to responder questions to the RFP website.
• December 5, 2022: RFP submission due by 4:00 p.m. CST.

If you have questions or need assistance regarding the proposal, please contact:

Minnesota Department of Human Services 
Aging and Adult Services Division 
Email: dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us.

All proposals must be submitted via e-mail to dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us. Your proposal should include the application components outlined in the RFP. Information on each of these components and related materials (forms, worksheets, etc.) are provided in the RFP and on the Customized Living Quality Improvement grant proposal components webpage. 

Question 1: I am struggling a bit with what I see in statute vs. what I see in the Q&A on the grant. The original statutory language required a provider to serve at least 75 individuals. I don’t see that in the current statutory language, but the grant Q&A suggests that is still a requirement. 
Answer 1:  The applicant needs to be sure to work from the current RFP (pdf) and the guidance provided in the “FY 23-24 Current CL QI Grant” section of the Customized Living Quality Improvement grant program webpage.

The Q&A you are referring to is from the “FY 22-23 Previous Round of CL QI Grants” section. That information is for a previous RFP and the information does not apply to the current RFP. 

The 2020 Minnesota Legislature amended the statute that supports the grant program and added an eligibility criteria about a facility needing to serve 75 waiver participants. That provision was removed by the 2021 Minnesota Legislature. The RFP for FY 23-24 Current CL QI Grant aligns with 2021 Minnesota Statutes 256.479. 

Question 2: I want to make sure I understand the requirements clearly– there is no longer a minimum number of individuals that need to be served, only that 75% of those you serve are waiver participants – is that correct?
Answer 2: Yes. See answer 1 above.  There is no longer an eligibility criteria about serving 75 waiver participants. The applicant needs to meet the 75% waiver participant threshold which is defined in the RFP and the RFP application materials.

Question 3: I would like to apply for this grant. What should be included in my application? 
Answer 3: According to section 3.1 of the Request for Proposals (RFP) (pdf), your grant application must include the following components:

1. Executive Summary
2. Description of the Applicant Agency
3. Proportion of Waiver Participants
4. Workplan: Goals, Objectives, Activities and Implementation
5. Evaluation Plan 
6. Budget Proposal 
7. Required Statements and Forms

 For further guidance on what to include in these components, you can refer to Section 3 of the RFP, or visit the Customized Living Quality Improvement grant proposal components webpage. There, you will find a list of the proposal components you need to complete for your application. Forms for these components and detailed instructions for what to include in each are provided as well.

Once you've completed all of the components listed above, you can send them via e-mail to dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us to apply. The deadline to apply is December 5, 2022, at 4pm CST.

Question 4: I want to clarify the second part of the paragraph below that says, "waiver participants must reside at multiple locations and each with six or more residents."  Does that mean if a facility that cares for CADI or BI Waiver clients, has only one facility they do not qualify?  Am I interpreting this correctly? If not, can you please clarify? 

"To be eligible for the CL QI grant, at least 75 percent of the clients served by your agency must be waiver participants. For providers of customized living services under the BI or CADI waivers, waiver participants must reside at multiple locations each with six or more residents."

Answer 4: According to paragraph (b) of Minnesota Statute 256.479, providers of customized living services must meet the following criteria to be eligible for this grant program:

1. At least seventy five percent (75%) of the clients served by the provider must be waiver participants.
2. For providers of customized living services under BI or CADI, the waiver participants must reside at multiple locations each with six (6) or more residents.

If an applicant provides services under CADI or BI and wants to count those participants toward their total number of waiver participants served to meet the first eligibility criteria listed above, then the provider must also demonstrate that these waiver participants reside at multiple locations each with six or more residents. 

If the provider primarily serves EW participants and can meet the 75% eligibility threshold by counting their total number of EW participants alone, then they would not need to meet the second criteria to qualify, even if they also serve CADI or BI participants.

Question 5: Just to clarify, do we need to have multiple locations to qualify for the customized living quality improvement grant with CADI clients?
Answer 5: See answer 4 above. 

Question 6: A question on eligibility-I am the administrator at an assisted living facility in MN.  We have 90% plus of our residents on a waiver, although the majority are on a CADI waiver. Are we eligible to apply? The part that talks about 6 residents and multiple locations is confusing to me. Thank you for your help.
Answer 6: See answer 4 above. If you provide customized living services under EW, CADI, or BI to 90% of the clients served at your facility, you would meet the first criteria for eligibility.

Since your facility primarily serves CADI participants, you would also need to meet the second criteria for eligibility. To meet this requirement: (1) you must provide services at more than one location; (2) at least two of these locations must have waiver participants living there; and (3) these locations each must have at least 6 residents.

Question 7: Is there a minimum number of waiver participants required to be served in order to be eligible for the CL QI Grant? I see reference to a minimum number in the previous RFP questions.
Answer 7:  See answer 1 above. There is no longer an eligibility criteria about serving 75 waiver participants. 

Question 8: If equipment purchases are included in an application, is there a minimum number of bids/quotes that should be included with the budget? I see you must specify how amounts were determined.
Answer 8: The RFP does not require that responders provide the state with a minimum number of quotes for equipment purchases when applying for this grant program, only that these costs are documented in the budget and accompanying narrative.

Question 9: Is there a match required by the applicant?
Answer 9:  The RFP does not require that grant recipients share the cost of the proposed project with the state. 

Question 10: Our agency is not a Licensed Assisted Living but instead operates Exempt from Assisted Living settings. Would this have any bearing on our application for this RFP?
Answer 10: The RFP does not require that applicants be licensed as an Assisted Living facility to be eligible. However, the grant RFP states (on Page 9, Section 3.3. Required Statements and Forms, Paragraph 8): “The Responder must be an enrolled provider with DHS to provide customized living services under BI, CADI or EW.”

Question 11: We are a provider with three settings, one of which has four addresses that we operate as a campus. Are we able to submit a proposal for the campus of four addresses, and/or the two other larger settings in one proposal or would it be more appropriate to do more than one proposal by setting or by address? 

Further info: We have one setting that is 100% MA CADI waiver (#40 individuals), one that is the campus described above 100% MA CADI (#19 individuals) in four addresses (8 unit building, 4 unit building, 4 unit building, 3 unit building all served as one campus), and one setting that fluctuates between 50% or more (#44 individuals living at the setting).   

Please confirm if we submit proposals based on settings or combined settings?

Answer 11: The grant RFP states (on Page 5, Section 3.2 Detail of Proposal Components, Paragraph 2. Description of the Applicant Agency) “…include a brief history of your organization, information on the customized living setting(s) geographic area served, the address of the project site(s), and the number of total people served within each setting (if this project will span multiple sites within your organization, provide the locations, address of each site and the total number of people served at each site)” 

There is no limitation on how many or which customized living locations a provider agency can include in its proposal. There is also no limitation on how many proposals a provider agency can submit, if it wishes to submit separate proposals for individual sites. 

The provider may decide whether to submit proposals for combined settings or for individual settings based on their own circumstances. The proposal(s) should clearly identify which of the provider’s settings are included in the proposal(s), and for those settings, the number of waiver participants served and the proportion of waiver participants served as a percentage of people served in those settings.

Depending on the proportion and type of waiver participants served at each site, whether a provider submits proposals for combined settings or for individual settings may also impact their eligibility. Eligibility for each proposal will be determined based on the specific sites included in that proposal alone: 

• If a provider submits a proposal for an individual site where the proportion of waiver participants is less than 75%, this proposal would be ineligible. However, if a provider submits a proposal that combines multiple sites, and the total percentage of waiver participants across all settings included is at least 75%, this proposal would be eligible. 
• For providers that count BI or CADI participants to meet the 75% eligibility criteria, proposals must include multiple settings, each with six (6) or more residents, in order to be considered eligible. 

Question 12:  It seems as though your % of waiver clients is related to each setting, as opposed to our whole organization, and other service lines that we operate that are not waiver related such as treatment programs, targeted case management, etc… Can you confirm?
Answer 12: Yes. See answer 11 above. Eligibility for each proposal will be determined based on the specific settings included in that proposal. It is fine that your organization provides other types of services beyond customized living. Those services and services locations would simply not be included as a part of your project proposal.  

Question 13: Is there any consideration for serving less than 75 clients in a small community? (Of course more than 75 percent). A Smaller number of serving clients can apply for this funding? Below is last year's Q & A. Same eligibility? 
Q1: How did DHS come up with the “individual provider must serve ‘75’ clients in order to be eligible”? What is the rationale behind this particular number? 
A1: The requirement that a provider must serve at least 75 waiver participants to be eligible for the grants comes from Minnesota Statutes 256.479. The legislature enacted this requirement during the 2020 3rd special session. 

Answer 13: See answer 1 above. There is no longer an eligibility requirement about serving 75 waiver participants. 

Customized Living Quality Improvement grants

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is awarding over $1,820,000 to providers of Customized Living services under the Medical Assistance Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternatives to Disability Inclusion (CADI) and Elderly Waiver (EW) programs. The Customized Living Quality Improvement (CL QI) grants go to support providers that implement quality improvement efforts in their settings.

Grant funds are going to eleven organizations with sites located in the twin cities metro area and throughout greater Minnesota.

Awardees:

Accessible Space, Inc.: Three sites in Hennepin and Itasca Counties
$113,266.90 for developing a nursing supervision program for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) that aims to increase confidence and competence in their work.

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation: Two sites in Ramsey County
$112,407 for improving resident safety through the installation of a safety call light system and other emergency care equipment, implementing care coordination services to improve resident health outcomes, optimizing service delivery through communications technology upgrades and providing activities to promote the quality of resident-family social connections. 

BridgeWater at Mankato: Two sites in Blue Earth County
$120,750 for hiring a “meaningful engagement coordinator” to organize an enhanced offering of resident activities and improving resident quality of life through upgrades to dining services equipment and physical plant space.

Cassia: Three sites in Hennepin County
$90,909 for connecting residents to resources and mental health support through hiring a resident care coordinator.

Cerenity Senior Care – Humboldt: Ramsey County
$232,167.38 for connecting residents to resources through providing social worker and van driver services, improving resident quality of life through kitchen equipment upgrades and enhanced dining services, and increasing resident safety through elevator infrastructure upgrades.

Dellwood Gardens: Ramsey County
$250,000 for enhancing quality of life through developing memory care-specific, person-centered, and therapeutic life enrichment programming and connecting residents to the outdoors through building a secured outdoor patio space.

Due North Living LLC: Two sites in Cass County
$191,974.72 for hiring an activity coordinator to provide an enhanced offering of resident activities and creating indoor and outdoor nature sanctuaries and sensory and life stations to improve quality of life.

Restart, Inc.: Three sites in Hennepin County
$161,882 for hiring a Life Enrichment Coordinator who specializes in serving older adults with brain injury and other disabilities and providing an enhanced offering of activities to improve service outcomes.

RM Management: Three sites in Anoka and Ramsey Counties
$216,460 for providing an enhanced offering of resident activities, increasing safety through physical plant changes, establishing a person-centered training program for staff, and creating opportunities to strengthen resident-family social connections.

The Homestead at Coon Rapids: Anoka County
$193,326.50 for increasing resident safety and environmental quality though the installation of personal heating and cooling units in memory care residences.

Touchstone Mental Health: Three sites in Hennepin County
$137,109.72 for training staff in best-practices to improve quality of service delivery, implementing a person-centered continuous quality improvement system to increase capacity for long-term quality improvement, and for providing enhanced activity offerings aimed at increasing resident safety.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services, through its Aging and Adult Services Division, is seeking proposals from qualified responders to improve overall quality of services for persons receiving customized living services. Qualified responders must have provided customized living services to Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternatives for Community Inclusion (CADI) or Elderly Waiver (EW) program participants in calendar year 2020 (i.e. between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020). 

During State Fiscal year (SFY) 2022-2023, DHS intends to award approximately $1 million in grants to successful responders. One-time grants will be available ranging from $20,000 to $200,000.

To be eligible, a provider must meet both of the following criteria:

1. The provider must serve at least 75 waiver participants, and 
2. At least 75 percent of the participants served by the provider must be waiver participants.

For providers of customized living services under the BI or CADI waivers, the required 75 waiver participants must reside at multiple locations each with six or more residents.

DHS will give preference to providers serving a higher percentage of waiver participants.  

Responders should be prepared to show how their proposal will positively affect one or more of the following domains of quality identified in a recent University of Minnesota (UMN) report on quality and quality measurement in assisted living:

• Person’s quality of life 
• Person and their family’s satisfaction 
• Safety 
• Health outcomes 
• Staff 
• Physical and social environment 
• Service availability 
• Core values and philosophy 
• Care services and integration

To review the complete report on assisted living quality measures visit the Assisted Living Report Card page on the DHS website

Request for Proposal (PDF)

Proposal submissions:  
All proposals must be submitted online.

Please note that the online application process will require the use of templates provided. Consider logging into the application portal in advance of the application deadline to review the templates and the submission portal.

Key dates:

Due to Special Session, State Fiscal Year 2022 (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022) grant making delays are anticipated.

February 16, 2021: DHS will publish RFP on RFP website.

March 15, 2021: Deadline to submit questions regarding this RFP. Submit questions to dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us.  

March 22, 2021: DHS will post answers to responder questions to the RFP website.

April 12, 2021: RFP submission due by 4:00 p.m. CST.

If you have questions or need assistance regarding the proposal, please contact:

Minnesota Department of Human Services  
Aging and Adult Services Division  
Email: dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us.

Responses to questions relating to the request for proposal (RFP)

Q1: How did DHS come up with the “individual provider must serve ‘75’ clients in order to be eligible”?  What is the rationale behind this particular number?
A1: The requirement that a provider must serve at least 75 waiver participants to be eligible for the grants comes from Minnesota Statutes 256.479. The legislature enacted this requirement during the 2020 3rd special session. 

Q2: We have two independent living apartments in rural Minnesota (HUD – rent based on income) for ages 62+ or those with disabilities. We need to put elevators in both apartments. Is this the grant I should apply for?
A2: Providers must be enrolled to provide customized living services under the brain injury (BI), community alternatives for disability inclusion (CADI) and elderly waivers (EW) to be considered for the grants. If a proposal meets the state policy objectives to improve the quality of services for people receiving customized living and other requirements identified in the RFP, it may be considered for the grant funds. 

Q3: Do all of the 75 waiver participants need to receive customized living services?
A3: Yes. To be eligible for the grants, a provider must serve at least 75 waiver participants who are receiving customized living services under BI, CADI or EW. As part of the application process, providers are required to complete a worksheet that identifies the number of waiver participants they serve in one or more settings. Please see the RFP for all eligibility requirements.

Q4: Is there assistance available in applying to this grant?
A4: DHS is unable to provide individualized assistance in applying for the grants. 

Q5: Our setting has a maximum capacity of 45 residents although over 75% of our residents we serve are on waivers so we are unable to meet both criteria. Is there a possibility our RFP might be considered for funding?
A5: We are required to use the criteria identified in statute and in the RFP when determining eligibility for the grants. In this case, if the provider does not serve at least 75 waiver participants, they would not be eligible for the grants. The requirements that providers must serve at least 75 waiver participants and that 75% of the participants served must be waiver participants is not limited to one setting. Providers can meet this requirement across multiple settings.

Q6: Regarding the eligibility requirements:

1. The provider must serve at least 75 waiver participants
2. At least 75% of the people served by the provider must be waiver participants. 

Our setting is MPHA building and consists of 102 units. It is a mixed use building, so we are only able to serve 65 residents under the EW/CADI program out of the 102 units.  

Our program operates under the comprehensive homecare license that also serves residents at two other settings. The total number served under this license is 148 residents and that is out of 185 eligible units which is 80% of the people served.

We are wondering if that would allow us to be eligible for this RFP and apply on behalf of the residents at our setting.
A6: The requirements that providers must serve at least 75 waiver participants and that 75% of the participants served must be waiver participants is not limited to one setting. For providers of customized living services under BI or CADI, the required 75 waiver participants must reside at multiple locations each with six or more residents.

In determining the percentage of waiver participants, providers should count only those who receive services from the provider at the setting. In this example, you are describing a mixed use building where there are some building residents who do not receive any services from the provider. Providers should not count those residents in determining the total number of people served, as part of the calculation of the percent of waiver participants served who receive customized living under an HCBS waiver.

As part of the application process, it is required that the proposal identify the number of waiver participants and the locations of all settings to be included in the grant project.

Q7: The CL QI Grant requirements state that to be eligible, a provider must meet both of the following criteria:

1. The provider must serve at least 75 waiver participants, and 
2. At least 75 percent of the participants served by the provider must be waiver participants.

In 2020 we served well over 75 waiver participants. The number of waiver participants vary day to day. As of today, our exact number of folks we serve is 124 total. 63 are waiver participants are 61 direct private pay (51% served are waiver participants).

A7: As part of the application process, providers may use any of the following methods to calculate the number of waiver participants:

• Number of residents and waiver participants as of Jan. 1, 2021 
• Average number of residents and waiver participants, July 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020
• Average number of residents and waiver participants, Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020

If a provider can demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria using one of these methods, we will consider them for the grant funds.

Customized Living Quality Improvement grants

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is awarding nearly $600,000 to providers of Customized Living services under the Medical Assistance Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternatives to Disability Inclusion (CADI) and Elderly Waiver (EW) programs. The Customized Living Quality Improvement (CL QI) grants go to support providers that implement quality improvement efforts in their settings.

Grant funds are going to four organizations with sites located in the twin cities metro area and throughout greater Minnesota.

Awardees:

Accessible Space, Inc.: Multiple sites in Hennepin, Itasca, Olmsted, Ramsey and St Louis Counties
$199,662 for developing a peer-mentoring program for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) that aims to increase confidence and competence in their work.

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation: Two sites in Ramsey County
$194,699 for upgrading technology to improve care services and integration, optimizing data to drive informed care management and introducing new social activities and supports to improve resident quality of life. 

Cerenity Senior Care – Humboldt: Ramsey County
$173,665 for connecting residents to resources through hiring social worker and van driver positions and improving resident quality of life through upgrades to electronic response systems and physical plant space.

Crest View Senior Communities: Anoka County
$5,324.60 for increasing staff knowledge and confidence by collaborating with National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Minnesota to conduct mental health trainings.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services, through its Aging and Adult Services Division (State), is seeking proposals from qualified responders to improve overall quality of life for persons receiving customized living services through the Elderly Waiver. Preference will be given to providers that serve at least 75 percent Elderly Waiver participants.

During State Fiscal Years 2020-2021 it is estimated that approximately $1 million will be available to successful responders. One time grants will be available ranging from $20,000 to $200,000.  

Responders should be prepared to show how their proposal can positively affect the following domains of quality identified in a recent University of Minnesota (UMN) report on quality and quality measurement in assisted living. More information on these domains of quality can be found in the UMN’s complete report.

• Person’s quality of life
• Person and their family’s satisfaction
• Safety
• Health outcomes
• Staff
• Physical and social environment
• Service availability
• Core values and philosophy
• Care services and integration

Request for Proposal (PDF)

Proposal submissions: 
All proposals must be submitted online.

Please note that the online application process will require the use of templates provided. Consider logging into the application portal in advance of the application deadline to review the templates and the submission portal.

Key dates: (Note - deadlines extended)

November 20, 2019 - Responders must submit questions in writing to dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us by 4:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST). 

December 2, 2019 - The State will post answers to the Responders questions 

December 9, 2019 - Proposals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. CST.

2020 to 2021 - Contract period for successful responders. Exact dates to be determined.

If you have questions or need assistance regarding the proposal, please contact:

Minnesota Department of Human Services 
Aging and Adult Services Division 
Email: dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us.

Questions and answers related to a Request for Proposal for qualified providers to improve quality of services for persons receiving customized living services through the Elderly Waiver.

Basic requirements in the request for proposal (RFP)

Q1: If we have a policy that is $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate plus an umbrella that is $3 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate, does this qualify per the RFP requirements, as this is very standard in our industry.  
A1: An umbrella policy may be used to supplement the commercial general liability policy. Please note that it is really intended to supplement the amounts, not replace the policy. DHS staff will review the insurance for compliance.

Q2: We’re wondering if these grants will be offered next year or in future years. We just learned of the RFP last week, and it’s impossible for us to put together a request in that short of time.  
A2: The legislature appropriated $500,000 per state fiscal year in an ongoing manner for this grant program. With this current RFP DHS expects to award funds for state fiscal years 2020 and 2021. DHS expects to issue another RFP in approximately 2 years for future fiscal years.

Q3: Can an organization submit one application for two sites, by combining the totals of the number of people served in that geographic area within the two sites? If the organization has a site in another geographic area, can that site be left out of the application?  
A3: The grant RFP states (on Page 7, Section B. Proposal Requirements, Paragraph 2. Description of the Applicant Agency) “…include a brief history of your organization, information on the assisted living setting(s) geographic area served, the address of the project site(s), and the number of total people served within each setting.” 

There is no limitation on how many or which customized living locations a provider agency can include in its proposal. The proposal should clearly identify which of the provider’s settings are included in the proposal, and for those settings, the number of EW participants served and the proportion of EW participants served as a percentage of people served in those settings.

Q4: We are looking at leasing a van to take our residents to appointments, shopping, and to community events. Under the budget should I put that cost under: equipment, direct project costs, or sub-contractor?  
A4: The proposal to lease a van should be tied to the policy objectives of the grant. It would be most appropriately considered as “other expenses” in the budget, since it’s not considered equipment that is being purchased.

Q5: Will the initial payment include the start-up costs for the project, or will the total costs be divided by months?   
A5: The grant RFP states (on Page 8, Section B. Proposal Requirements, Paragraph 7. Budget proposal): “Assuming successful Responders meet all requirements and responsibilities defined in the final negotiated contract, the State plans to take the following approach to payments: one initial cash advance equal to one calendar quarter, followed by quarterly cost reimbursement based on the previous quarter’s expenses as documented by invoices.”

Q6: In the narrative should we include CADI waivers as well for percentage of underserved populations?  
A6: The legislation that authorizes this grant program specifically instructs the state to give preference to providers that serve at least 75 percent Elderly Waiver participants. Therefore, please ensure that you are providing the following information specifically about Elderly Waiver participants, as outlined in the RFP (on Page 7, Section B. Proposal Requirements, Paragraph 3. Proportion of Elderly Waiver Participants): “Report the number of EW individuals served in your setting and the proportion of EW individuals as a percentage of your overall census in one or more of the following ways:

• Number and percent of EW participants on July 1, 2019 
• Average number and percentage of EW participants between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019 
• Average number and percentage of EW participants between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019” 

Responders may choose to provide additional information about people served through other programs such as the CADI waiver, but this information will not be used to calculate the responder’s score in that required section of the RFP.

Q7: The grant RFP asks for 2014 financials. Is this correct? 
A7: In the previous version of the RFP, there was an outdated requirement for earlier IRS forms. This has been changed in the current RFP to require the most recent IRS forms.

Q8: There is a numbered question missing, number 5. 
A8: In the RFP, under section B. Proposal Requirements, the numbering of the paragraphs erroneously omitted the number 5. The number of paragraphs and requirements are correct and there is no content missing in the RFP or in the online application. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Q9: When it comes to the “Targeted Organization: Economically disadvantaged small business” it asks us to submit the most recently filed 990 form. We are city owned so we don’t file this form. Do we just submit all the other information? 
A9: please refer to the information on the DHS grants and RFPs webpage, specifically the information regarding requirements for qualifying as a targeted organization.

To qualify as a targeted organization, the Responder must demonstrate that it satisfies any one of the three following categories:

1. Targeted organization. The Responder may qualify as a Targeted Organization if the Responder is a Minnesota-based organization and at least 51% owned by women, racial minority/people of color, veterans or people of disability; OR 51% operated and controlled on a day-to-day and long-term basis by staff members who are women, racial minority/people of color, veterans or people of disability.
2. Targeted organization: Economically disadvantaged small business. The Responder may qualify as proposal Targeted Organization if the Responder is a Minnesota-based business that has less than $1.5 million in annual gross revenue or sales AND is located in an Economically Disadvantaged Area in Minnesota under (a) counties or (b) Indian Reservations/Communities below: 
   a) Counties (http://www.mmd.admin.state.mn.us/lsalist.htm) 
   
   • Aitkin; Becker; Big Stone; Cass; Chippewa; Clearwater; Cottonwood
   • Douglas; Faribault; Fillmore; Grant; Hubbard; Jackson
   • Kanabec; Kittson; Koochiching; Lac Qui Parle; Lake of the Woods
   • Lincoln; Mahnomen; Marshall; Meeker; Morrison
   • Murray; Norman; Otter Tail; Pine; Pipestone
   • Pope; Red Lake; Redwood; Renville; Rock
   • Sibley; Swift; Todd; Traverse; Wadena; Watonwan
   • Yellow Medicine
   b) Indian reservations and communities
   • Bois Forte; Fond Du Lac; Grand Portage; Leech Lake
   • Lower Sioux; Mille Lacs; Prairie Island; Red Lake
   • Shakopee; Upper Sioux; White Earth
3. Qualified by Minnesota Department of Administration. The Responder may qualify as a Targeted Organization if the Responder is certified as a TG/ED business through the Minnesota Department of Administration, Materials Management Division (MMD): http://www.mmd.admin.state.mn.us/mn02001.htm.

Q10: If our application was to get accepted how would this grant be paid out? Would there be regular payments made, paid at the end or up front? 
A10: The grant RFP states (on Page 8, Section B. Proposal Requirements, Paragraph 7. Budget proposal): “Assuming successful Responders meet all requirements and responsibilities defined in the final negotiated contract, the State plans to take the following approach to payments: one initial cash advance equal to one calendar quarter, followed by quarterly cost reimbursement based on the previous quarter’s expenses as documented by invoices.”

Q11: One of our communities is in St. Paul and has a mixed population of EW and Cadi. Currently our EW is at 60% however a number of the cadi qualify for EW but did not change from Cadi when they came of age. Would this community be eligible with it being below the 75% EW participation? 
A11: Respondents can submit a proposal for the RFP if they serve any people through Elderly Waiver Customized Living. As stated in the RFP, through the proposal review process points for the “Proportion of Elderly Waiver Participants Served” will be awarded in the following way:

• 75-100 percent EW participants served = 15 points
• 50-74 percent EW participants served = 7.5
• 49 percent or below = 0 points

Please note that this is only one part of a responders' overall score.

The legislation that authorizes this grant program specifically instructs the state to give preference to providers that serve at least 75 percent Elderly Waiver participants. Therefore, please ensure that you are providing the following information specifically about Elderly Waiver participants, as outlined in the RFP (on Page 7, Section B. Proposal Requirements, Paragraph 3. Proportion of Elderly Waiver Participants): “Report the number of EW individuals served in your setting and the proportion of EW individuals as a percentage of your overall census in one or more of the following ways:

• Number and percent of EW participants on July 1, 2019
• Average number and percentage of EW participants between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019
• Average number and percentage of EW participants between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019”

Responders may choose to provide additional information about people served through other programs such as the CADI waiver, but this information will not be used to calculate the responder’s score in that required section of the RFP. Please note that this is only one part of a responders’ overall score. 

Q12: We have two communities that do meet the requirements that would benefit from this proposed Grant, would both communities be eligible for this grant? 
A12: As was stated in the response to Q11 above, respondents can submit a proposal for the RFP if they serve any people through Elderly Waiver Customized Living.

The grant RFP states (on Page 7, Section B. Proposal Requirements, Paragraph 2. Description of the Applicant Agency) “…include a brief history of your organization, information on the assisted living setting(s) geographic area served, the address of the project site(s), and the number of total people served within each setting.” 

There is no limitation on how many or which customized living locations a provider agency can include in its proposal. The proposal should clearly identify which of the provider’s settings are included in the proposal, and for those settings, the number of EW participants served and the proportion of EW participants served as a percentage of people served in those settings. 

Q13: For proposals that require contractors are we required to provide the state with quotes from several contractors to support the amount in our budget proposal? 
A13: The RFP does not require that responders provide the state with quotes from contractors or sub-contractors, only that these costs are documented in the budget.    

Q14: Are we allowed to submit more than one proposal for the same facility? 
A14:  While there is no limit to the number of proposals a responder can submit for the same setting, we would encourage responders to combine their quality improvement projects for the same setting into a single proposal.

Q15: In the proposal do we need to specify when we would anticipate the grant disbursement if chosen or will the state determine which fiscal year the facility will get the disbursement? I noted that the state has set aside $500,000 per fiscal year of the grant. 
A15: The state will determine, based on contract negotiations and timelines for disbursement of grant funds, during which fiscal year disbursements will occur. Please also refer to the answer to question 10.1 above.

Q16: Which License are we supposed to apply under? 
A16: The grant RFP states (on Page 13, Section C. Required Statements, Paragraph 8. DHS Enrolled Provider): “The Responder must be an enrolled provider with DHS to provide Elderly Waiver customized living services. The Responder must submit a statement that attests that the provider is an enrolled provider, along with the DHS provider identification number. Based on this information, DHS will internally verify that the provider is enrolled.”

Customized Living Quality Improvement grants

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is awarding nearly $1,000,000 to providers of Customized Living services under the Medical Assistance Elder Waiver program. The Customized Living Quality Improvement (CL QI) grants go to support providers that implement quality improvement efforts in settings like Assisted Living facilities.

This new grant program was funded by the Minnesota Legislature in the 2019 legislative session. Grant funds are going to 12 organizations located in the twin cities metro area and throughout greater Minnesota.

In light of the work that many of our partner providers are already doing on behalf of Minnesotans during the novel coronavirus pandemic, some grant activities may be paused or reevaluated at this time. Providers without Covid-19 in their settings may still benefit from quality improvement efforts.

Awardees:

Augustana Senior Care: 3 sites in Hennepin County 
$163,574 for improving service coordination, social supports, and activities through additional staff who will specialize in dementia-capable supports.

Cerenity Senior Care – Humboldt: Ramsey County 
$149,845 for connecting residents to resources through new positions including a service coordinator, volunteer coordinator, and driver, and purchasing an accessible van for resident outings.

Ecumen – Prairie Lodge: Hennepin County 
$88,010 for improving relationships, building community, and improving communication by providing enhanced training for staff and technology improvements.

Korean Service Center: Hennepin County 
$103,200 for improving mental and physical health through a new activity coordinator position and technology supports, dedicated staff to help manage medications, and enhanced training for staff.

Lutheran Home of the Cannon Valley: Rice County 
$84,823 for improving access and quality of services to residents through evidence-based health promotion programs, and a new service coordinator position.

Prairie Pines Community: Polk County 
$33,760 for improving quality of life of residents by creating a usable, accessible “Outdoor Oasis” space, including safe outdoor walking spaces, a shade structure, and an accessible garden.

Prairie Senior Cottages: 7 sites in Brown, Douglas, Freeborn, Isanti, Kandiyohi, McCloud, and Waseca Counties 
$90,000 for improving quality of life for residents with dementia through music therapy and fitness programming.

St Francis Health Services: 6 sites in Carlton, Dakota, Goodhue, Morrison, Renville, and Stevens Counties 
$74,199 for improving quality of life of residents by enhancing their dining experience through implementation of the “Kind Dining” initiative.

The Homestead at Coon Rapids: Anoka County 
$97,639 for improving quality of services by implementing physical plant upgrades, including electrical systems, bathing facilities, and wireless pendant system.

The Sanctuary Sites at Brooklyn Center, St Cloud and West St Paul: Dakota, Hennepin, and Stearns Counties 
$112,710 for improving safety and mental health supports for residents by implementing enhanced training for staff, including maltreatment prevention training and mental health first aid training.