Civil Monetary Penalty (CMP) Initiative

Medicaid-certified nursing facilities are eligible to receive up to $3,000 in CMP funds, to be used for Communicative Technology devices that allow or enhance communication between residents and their families/loved ones and/or medical providers.

Qualified Minnesota nursing facilities (that have not already received funding) should follow the instructions below and submit an application as soon as possible. Please note: this grant opportunity may be revoked at any time due to the end of the Public Health Emergency.

For the COVID-19 Communicative Technology Grants, read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (PDF) document and the Minnesota-Specific Addendum (PDF) and submit a completed application form via email to DHS.

Applications will be reviewed to verify they are complete and that the request falls within the parameters established by the CMS. Applicants will be notified of the decision via email with further instructions.

For technical assistance with your application or questions regarding this funding opportunity or the MN CMP Program, please contact the MN CMP Program Administrator via email.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided revised guidance for the COVID-19 In-Person Visitation Aid Grants.  

Two separate grant opportunities now exist (for facilities that have not already received funding for these specific purposes). 

With State approval, Medicaid-certified nursing facilities are eligible to receive up to $3,000 (for each project) in CMP funds, for projects related to:

• the purchase of tents, clear dividers (e.g. Plexiglas) and other aids to facilitate outdoor visitation with residents, and
• the purchase of portable fans and portable room air cleaners or air purifiers (that have a rating of at least HEPA H13, H14 or higher). This grant is intended to enable or facilitate in-person visits to nursing facility residents, while reducing the chances of COVID transmission. 

Qualified Minnesota nursing facilities that are interested in participating in this grant opportunity are asked to follow the instructions and submit a completed application as soon as possible. Please note: due to the end of the public health emergency, this grant opportunity may be revoked by the federal government at any time.

For the COVID-19 In-Person Visitation Grants, read the Minnesota-Specific Instructions (PDF) and submit a completed CMP COVID-19 In-Person Visitation Aid Application (PDF) via email to DHS.

Applications will be reviewed to verify they are complete and that the request falls within the parameters established by the CMS. Applicants will be notified of the decision via email with further instructions.

For technical assistance with your application or questions regarding this funding opportunity or the MN CMP Program, please contact the Minnesota CMP Program Administrator via email.

Bingocize® is an evidence-based program that strategically combines the game of Bingo, exercise and health education. Trained facilitators lead group participants in playing Bingocize®, with each session combining the game with range-of-motion, balance and strength exercises. The program includes facilitator training and all the Bingocize® materials needed to facilitate the program. Facilities that are interested in this program should complete and submit a Bingocize® Project application. This project falls under the Culture Change/Direct Improvements to Quality-of-Life category.

Cycling Without Age (CWA)® is a program that provides bicycle rickshaw (Trishaw) rides to facility residents, enabling them to enjoy a unique form of outdoor recreation that reconnects residents to the greater community and the world outside the nursing facility. Facilities that are interested in this program should complete and submit a CWA® Project application. This project falls under the Culture Change/Direct Improvements to Quality-of-Life category.

HCI-CARES is an interactive training system that provides facilities the ability to train and certify facility staff in the CARES Dementia 5-Step Method, Safety Topics and Dementia-Related Behaviors certification programs. In addition, one staff member per project year will be trained as a CARES® Dementia Specialist™ (CDS). All training modules are online and can be easily accessed. Facilities that are interested in this program should complete and submit a HCI-CARES® Project application. This project falls under the Direct Improvements to Quality-of-Care category.

LifeBio uses reminiscence therapy to document and share resident’s life stories. Utilizing these stories helps to humanize residents, provide connections between residents and family, staff and caregivers. In addition, the resident-specific information can be used as a basis for care-related decision-making and resident preferences. Facilities that are interested in this program should complete and submit a LifeBio Project application. This project falls under the Culture Change/Direct Improvements to Quality-of-Life category.

CMP funds may be used to develop and disseminate consumer information that is directly useful to nursing home residents and their families in becoming knowledgeable about their rights, nursing home care processes and other useful resident information. Examples of materials; flyers, brochures, booklets, etc. Examples of topics include but are not limited to; use of psychotropic medications, facility requirements, resident rights, discharge processes, advance planning, etc. The goal of these materials is to help consumers understand the risks associated with treatments and processes, raise awareness of their rights, and generally understand the processes and procedures that impact them and their care. Facilities are limited to funding of $ 5,000 (maximum per facility).

CMP funds may be used by not-for-profit resident advocacy organizations to assist in the development of new independent family councils, assist resident and family councils in effective advocacy on their family members’ behalf, and to develop new materials and training sessions for resident and family councils on state implementation of new federal or state legislation. Facilities are limited to funding of $5,000 (maximum per facility).

The Minnesota CMP Initiative accepts CMP proposals from interested nursing facilities throughout the year. Interested Minnesota Medicaid-certified nursing facilities may submit a “concept paper” to first gauge interest in and discuss a proposal or may submit a draft application form and budget document (see Resources section below).

For technical assistance or questions or to submit a concept paper or project application/budget, please email the Minnesota CMP Program Administrator.

The Minnesota CMP Initiative accepts CMP proposals from interested (non-nursing home) entities throughout the year. Interested parties may submit a "concept paper" (to first gauge interest in and discuss a proposal) or may submit a draft application form and budget document (see Resources section below).

Please note: Applicant organizations that are not nursing facilities must submit a Letter of Commitment (see Resources section below) from each individual participating nursing facility. Full CMP applications without Letters of Commitment will not be accepted. Nursing home corporate offices can submit one letter (on behalf of their own participating facilities), containing all the required information (see Resources section below).

For technical assistance or questions, or to submit a concept paper or project application/budget, please email the Minnesota CMP Program Administrator.

In an effort to address the problem of controlled substance diversion in nursing homes, this project developed materials and training that can be used to assist facility staff by helping increase awareness, assess facility processes, create systems to decrease risk, create individual plans for intervention implementation, and measure outcomes.

• Drug Diversion Toolkit (http://www.apiariconsulting.com/mn-drug-diversion) 
• Drug Diversion Prevention Pathway (DOC)
• Prevention Pathway Training Webinar Series (7 You Tube videos)
  o MN Drug Diversion Prevention Pathway-Introduction (7:48)
  o Five Actions Leaders Can Take to Decrease Drug Diversion Risk (10:31)
  o Drug Diversion Prevention: All Staff Education (10:55)
  o Accurate Controlled Substance Counts (9:50)
  o Physical Plant Security Assessment (5:18)
  o Leadership Guidance for Detecting and Responding to Suspected Diversion (13:48)
  o PRN Considerations in Preventing Drug Diversion (9:28)

These materials are available for public use and may be shared/utilized without further permission, provided you give credit to the MN CMP Initiative and indicate that "The development of these materials were made possible through the use of CMP Funds." 

Cycling Without Age is an international program that began in Denmark and has since expanded worldwide. CWA offers a unique opportunity for facility residents to “connect” with the outdoors and the world outside the nursing home by engaging in Trishaw rides throughout their local communities. Through this program, facilities were able to purchase the electric Trishaws and receive training and mentoring on how to establish a CWA program in their facility, recruit volunteers, and train the staff and volunteers providing the Trishaw rides. In this first offering of this program, 23 facilities participated and provided over 1,621 Trishaw rides to facility residents. The popular Trishaw rides have been incorporated into facility’s activities programming on an ongoing basis.

The Dementia Live program offered facility staff the opportunity to get a unique “inside-out” perspective of cognitive and sensory impairment issues facing some residents. An interactive live experiential simulation program, Dementia Live helps foster empathy and improve the quality of care for residents living with dementia.

The training afforded staff participants two distinct participation levels, the basic level and advanced level. Six facilities participated in the training at the basic level, with 158 staff receiving training. A total of sixteen facilities participated at the advanced level, with a total of 325 receiving training. From the advanced level trainees, a total of 36 staff received Dementia Live Coach training.

The Java Programs projects utilize standardized peer mentoring and peer group interactions to reduce social isolation and loneliness in nursing facility residents. Originally started in Canada, this unique program uses the Java music, memory and mentoring programs, to increase resident engagement and reduce social isolation. A total of 23 facilities participated in these programs, receiving staff and volunteer training. Thousands of resident encounters with the three programs resulted in measured reductions in resident loneliness and social isolation, and increases in resident engagement scores.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in conjunction with the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry produced a video on Oral Health for Older Adults in Long-Term Care and an accompanying Oral Care Workbook (PDF) with informational tools for facility staff.

To help raise awareness of the issue, the Sexual Abuse Project developed a set of materials that can be used to train on this topic. A short 90-second trailer video clip can be viewed here. This training is designed for use in long-term care facilities and is intended to help staff protect the elderly from sexual abuse.  

The compelling videos produced for this project were professionally filmed using subject matter experts, including; health care professionals, legal authorities and law enforcement. Included are a comprehensive set of guidelines on how to look for signs of abuse, what to do if you suspect a crime has been committed, and what to do (and not do) at a crime scene. The training also details the roles and responsibilities of professionals in the investigation of a crime or suspected crime.

All Minnesota nursing homes were shipped boxes with printed participant guides for facility staff and some printed discussion guides (for resident and family councils). You may also access and print these guides, using the links below.

An instructional webinar for this training was held in 2022. A recording of this webinar is here. These materials are available for public use and may be shared/utilized without further permission, provided you give credit to the MN CMP Initiative and indicate that “the development of these materials was made possible through the use of CMP Funds.” 

These materials are available for public use and may be shared/utilized without further permission, provided you give credit to the MN CMP Initiative and indicate that “the development of these materials was made possible through the use of CMP Funds.”

Staff Training Materials

• Elder Sexual Abuse in Care Facilities: Detection, Response, and Prevention – Trailer (You Tube Video – 2 Minutes) 
• Elder Sexual Abuse in Care Facilities: Detection, Response, and Prevention - Part 1 (You Tube Video – 28 Minutes) 
• Elder Sexual Abuse in Care Facilities: Detection, Response, and Prevention - Part 2 (You Tube Video – 30 Minutes) 
• Staff Participant Guide (PDF - 28 MB) 
• Staff Quiz and Answer Key (PDF - 702KB)

Resident and Family Council Training / Awareness Materials

• Sexual Abuse: Resident and Family Council Discussion Guide Video (You Tube Video – 10 Minutes) 
• Resident and Family Council Discussion Guide (PDF - 3.73MB)

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Health Regulation Division produced a video outlining the role of the Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in the Federal Nursing Home Survey process.  This video has been translated into 5 languages other than English (Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese).

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Health Regulation Division produced a video outlining the Federal Nursing Home Survey process and role good communication plays in the process.