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Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Office of Inspector General

Division of Health Care

National Background Check Program

Notice of Fee Increase

Long Term Care providers and any other facilities who currently use the KARES/NBCP (National Background Check Program) can expect a small fee increase of $2 (increasing from $25 to $27). This increase will go into effect on July 1, 2024. Due to increasing costs from the Commonwealth’s contracted provider (IDEMIA), OIG is no longer able to absorb the additional cost of each background check. The fee increase was approved by the legislature in regulation 906 KAR 1:190 which can be accessed via our webpage (KARES Public Information - Cabinet for Health and Family Services (ky.gov)) or on the LRC website (Title 906 Chapter 1 Regulation 190 • Kentucky Administrative Regulations • Legislative Research Commission). If you have any questions, you may contact OIG’s Policy Specialist, Valerie Moore, at valeriek.moore@ky.gov.

Changing the Approach to Elder Care

Assisted Living Communities Transition

Once Assisted Living Communities transition to OIG, ALC’s will be able to offer a new approach to elder care!

To think of the lives ALC’s will be able to serve is astounding! Under the new regulations, once the provider is licensed to provide the enhanced services of basic health and/or dementia care, residents will be able to age in place with little to no disruption to their living space.

Through a three-tiered licensure structure, the provider will have the ability to choose the type of services it will provide, and the residents will have greater opportunity to age in place regarding the services offered and any limitations to those services. If it is important to a prospective resident to be able to age in place at the ALC, the resident can choose a facility that offers more health services in the event those additional services will be needed as the resident ages. An ALC is prohibited by statute from representing that it provides any service other than a service it is licensed to provide.

OIG is diligently working to welcome Assisted Living Community providers. Some of our preparation activities include:

• developing new software
• working on training materials for providers for the new software
• increasing our staffing
• partnering with other agencies to assist providers with compliance with the new regulations

Once the transition date is announced, providers will log into the new system and complete an application for licensure using their current approved certification. The payment portion of the application process will be disabled for 30 days to allow all providers to onboard. 

As providers come into compliance with the new regulations to offer basic health care and/or dementia care the provider will complete an application to request licensure for either or both categories. Note: if a provider wishes to be licensed to provide dementia care, the provider must also be licensed to provide basic health care. 

Given the uncertain timing of some of the processes, the Cabinet is still unable to give an exact rollout date, but OIG can assure you that progress is being made. As we have updated information, we will send communications to all providers.

Helpful links for ALC providers:

Long Term Care Provider Newsletter (archived August 2023 issue)

ALC FAQs (UPDATED March 2024)

Functional Need Assessment

OIG Division of Health Care website

902 KAR 20:480. Assisted living communities

KRS 194A.700-194A.729

Application to Operate an Assisted Living Community

REGISTRATION REMINDER

SNF QRP: Achieving a Full APU Webinar – Update

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a webinar to provide updated instructions to help providers understand how to achieve a full Annual Payment Update (APU) in the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP).

For more information and to register for the webinar, please visit the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Training page.

Free Training for Nursing Facility Staff

The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) was established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It provides mental health and substance use training, customized technical assistance and resources to certified Medicare and Medicaid nursing facility staff who care for residents with a variety of behavioral health conditions at absolutely no cost.

Check out resources today!

www.nursinghomebehavioralhealth.org

CMS Developed Global Public Health Emergency (PHE)

Grants Funds Still Available

CMS developed three applications to facilitate visitation and prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. These one-time grants will continue beyond the PHE to allow all certified nursing facilities access to the products. CNFs can apply for all three programs for up to a total of $9,000.

Communicative Technology: Up to $3,000 for tablets and accessories to allow residents to communicate remotely with family and friends

Visitation I: Up to $3,000 for in-person visitation aids such as outdoor shelters and clear dividers

Visitation II: Up to $3,000 for portable fans and/or room air cleaners with HEPA filters (H-13, -14)

Want the funds but too busy for paperwork? We can help!

Contact Lena Mullins-Datko, CMP Grants Administrator, for assistance with applications at: Lena.mullinsdatko@ky.gov, CMPapplication_OIG@ky.gov, or (502) 564-5771.

For more details on the Kentucky CMP Reinvestment Fund and applications visit the Civil Money Penalty Funds - Cabinet for Health and Family Services website or contact Lena Mullins-Datko.

Division of Health Care Contact Information

Central Office

Carrie Storms, Director

Marissia Izlar, Assistant Director

Andrea Willhite, Assistant Director

275 E. Main St., 5E-A Frankfort, KY 40621

Phone: 502-564-7963

Fax: 502-564-6546

Western Enforcement Branch

Terri Gipson, Regional Program Manager

Shelley Singleton, Human Services Program Branch Manager

901 B South Main Street, Hopkinsville, KY 42240

Phone: 270-889-6052

Fax: 270-889-6089

Northern Enforcement Branch

VACANT, Regional Program Manager

Carmen Ferguson, Human Services Program Branch Manager

L & N Building 10-W, 908 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203

Phone: 502-595-4958

Fax: 502-595-4540

Southern Enforcement Branch

Tammy Ricks, Regional Program Manager

Casey Shelley, Human Services Program Branch Manager

116 Commerce Ave., London, KY 40744

Phone: 606-330-2030

Fax: 606-330-2054

Eastern Enforcement Branch

Gae Vanlandingham, Regional Program Manager

Will Hendrickson, Human Services Program Branch Manager

455 Park Place, Suite 120A, Lexington, KY 40511

Phone: 859-246-2301

Fax: 859-246-2307

Kentucky's Top 10 Citations

for Nursing Homes

Health Care

Life Safety Code

Emergency Preparedness

Informal Appeal of Survey Findings

Every Long Term Care provider has the right to both an informal and formal appeal process following receipt of a completed Form CMS-2567. There are two informal appeal processes: Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) and Independent IDR (IIDR).

Interested in Serving on an IDR Panel?

Kentucky requires one member of the IDR panel to be "a person currently engaged in the provision of Long Term Care services who has no affiliation with the provider disputing a deficiency." Typically, a Long Term Care Administrator is on each IDR panel. There is no payment or travel reimbursement for an Administrator serving on a panel. Administrators will be rotated. If a Long Term Care Administrator is interested in serving on a panel, a confidentiality statement must be signed prior to the participation in the first IDR panel.

Please complete the Confidentiality Agreement and submit via email, fax, or mail to:

All certified nursing facilities are required to sign up for ePOC. Please be diligent about keeping your account and password up to date. All correspondence is handled in the ePOC system, including the plan of correction. Furthermore, if there is a change in administrator, it is incumbent upon the facility to update the system.

Click here for the CMS security rules.

If your facility is not yet signed up, see the Account Setup instructions.

Not sure if your facility has any ePOC accounts, or have other questions? E-mail ePOC.Support@ky.gov or contact Zakary Carter, ASPEN Coordinator, at Zakary.Carter@ky.gov.

Which Branch is Serving You? 

To provide the highest level of service, the Division of Health Care operates through four regional offices. Knowing the appropriate Branch to contact with questions and concerns will ensure you receive maximum service in minimum time. Review links below for detailed information.

Regional Map

Contact Information 

LTC Facility Self-Reported

Incidents & Complaints

Email addresses were established for communications regarding LTC Facility Self-Reported Incidents and for use by residents and the general public to report possible violations of regulatory requirements. Click Here for the email addresses and additional contact information. 

Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Office of Inspector General

Division of Health Care 

DHC Leadership Team:

David T. Lovely

Acting Inspector General

Tricia Steward

Executive Advisor

Carrie Storms

Director

Marissia Izlar

Assistant Director

Andrea Willhite

Assistant Director