Customized Living Quality Improvement grant program

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation: Two sites in Ramsey County

$220,000 for increasing access to personal fitness options; establishing a “pop-up shop” to meet residents’ basic needs; upgrading technology to support AI-assisted clinical notes; and transitioning to smartphones to improve communication and care delivery.

Esslings Homes Plus – DBA Scenic Hills Alternative Care: Four sites in Ramsey County

$165,714 for reimagining the mental health program through a comprehensive training model; transitioning to DirectCourse in partnership with the University of Minnesota; integrating mental health training into the hiring process; and providing person-centered goal setting with ongoing individualized and group interventions.

Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Minnesota: One site in Morrison County

$29,109 for upgrading the call light and alarm systems at Clare Residence to improve resident safety and responsiveness.

Rakhma, Inc: Three sites in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties

$100,057 for installing dementia-friendly internal gates and smoke doors; upgrading laundry facilities and adding a new sidewalk; providing virtual reality headsets and a Cycling Without Age trishaw; expanding volunteer programming; and creating a therapeutic walking path, and veranda to support resident engagement and well-being.

Silver Maple Residence, Inc.: Two sites in Crow Wing County

$103,630 for purchasing a wheelchair-accessible shuttle van to provide residents with transportation to group activities and increase access to social engagement.

The Lodges Company: Five sites in Dakota, Hennepin, and Scott Counties

$193,720 for replacing the call light system to enable faster response times and creating a dedicated community engagement space to strengthen resident connection and engagement.

Vitality Living of Long Prairie: One site in Todd County

$99,340 for improving dining and kitchen infrastructure; replacing the call light system to improve responsiveness; and replacing carpet and securing the courtyard with fencing to create a safer, more accessible community space for waiver participants.

Vitality Living of New York Mills: One site in Otter Tail County

$88,430 for updating the windows and exterior doors and replacing flooring to enhance safety, comfort, and resident wellness.

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation: Two sites in Ramsey County

$250,000 for enhancing mental health support for residents and staff through Behavioral Health Consultant training and consultation; connecting residents who need ongoing, higher levels of care with onsite mental health specialists; integrating specialist care through onsite workshops that reduce barriers and strengthen collaboration; and expanding prosocial programming to alleviate loneliness.

Esslings Homes Plus - DBA Scenic Hills Alternative Care: Eight sites in Ramsey and Washington Counties

$249,304 for developing evidence-based practices and interventions that strengthen residents’ sense of belonging and mental health; providing accessible, comprehensive mental health services from a licensed professional; equipping staff with targeted training and professional development; and developing a new tool to measure sense of belonging and mental wellness.

FarmBrook Operations, LLC (FKA: Due North): Two sites in Cass County

$573,484 for creating an indoor “Nature Sanctuary” and four-season community room with large windows and a remodeled kitchen to increase opportunities for social connection, conversation, meaningful activities, and engagement; and updating the fire suppression system to maintain code compliance.

Rakhma, Inc: Three sites in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties

$249,898 for constructing an accessible patio with shaded areas, durable furniture, and a walkway to encourage residents to explore the grounds, gardens, and backyard amenities; purchasing a 12+2 passenger ADA-compliant bus; implementing a Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) project to identify and implement optimal solutions for enriching activities; renovating the dining area to create a more inviting and accessible environment; and optimizing medication administration practices through improved staff knowledge and early symptom recognition.

RM Management: Three sites in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties

$250,000 for adding Memory Care Coordinators (MCCs) at three locations; implementing technology to efficiently track and analyze engagement in the Meaningful Experiences Program; and securing or developing a system to document and analyze individualized behavioral strategies.

The Lodges Company: Five sites in Dakota, Hennepin and Scott Counties

$245,732 for hiring a Community Engagement Specialist and developing client engagement programs; purchasing handicap-accessible vans; and improving outdoor social spaces to reduce social isolation and enhance residents’ overall well-being.

Customized Living Quality Improvement grants

DHS awarded 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 on 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 providing enhanced activity offerings aimed at increasing resident safety.

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.

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.