Small Assisted Living Licensure Work Group
The 2026 Minnesota legislative session passed Chapter 121, Article 2, section 8, which requires the Commissioner of Health to convene a workgroup to develop a new licensing category that is applicable to assisted living facilities (ALFs) with a licensed resident capacity of five or fewer.
Charge
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) created the Small Assisted Living Licensure Workgroup to develop a new licensing category for small ALFs. This new license must account for health and safety requirements and the practical realities of operating small ALFs that predominantly serve individuals receiving customized living services under the federally approved definitions for brain injury, community access for disability inclusion, and elderly waiver plans. MDH is required to develop draft legislative language for this new license category and submit the legislation to the legislature by Jan. 1, 2028.
Goals
- Bring together a representation of those interested in Small Assisted Living provider licensure.
- To provide input to MDH to inform proposed small assisted living provider
licensing requirements. - Understand where there is alignment and where there are differences of
opinion. - Support the development of relationships across providers, advocates and others.
