What are Adult Day Services?

Adult Day Services is an individualized program of activities designed to meet the assessmed health and social needs of older adults outside their residence during the day. The services include the delivery of supervision, care, assistance, training and activities directed toward achieving specific outcomes, as identified in the person’s support plan.

The following services are billable as Adult Day Services:

• Activities
  • Activities must:
    • Provide a variety of meaningful and age-appropriate tasks and materials that are responsive to a person’s goals, interests, and needs.
    • Provide community integration opportunities to enhance a person’s social and physical interaction with people in their community who do not have disabilities and who are not paid caregivers or staff members
    • Offer flexibility in scheduling to accommodate a person’s work schedule.
• Assistance
• Care
• Supervision
• Training

Meals and snacks

In-person adult day services cover a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. If a person receives in-person adult day services for more than 4.5 hours, adult day services also cover a meal.

Services NOT covered in Adult Day Services

• Therapies
• Transportation costs (separate enrollment add-on)

Who can provide Adult Day services?

AC, ECS and EW

• Adult day center (i.e., a setting licensed to provide adult day services that is not a person’s home) (in-person and remote).
• Boarding care (in-person and remote).
• Family adult day services (FADS) (in-person only).
• Hospital (in-person and remote).
• Nursing facility (in-person and remote).

Exemption (AC, ECS and EW only)

Under AC, ECS and EW, a nursing facility, hospital or boarding care setting that serves five or fewer people who are not residents or patients in the setting may deliver adult day services under its facility license. The provider is not required to obtain an adult day services license (Minn. R. 9555.9610, subp. 2). Providers that meet this adult day license exemption must comply with federal HCBS settings requirements, as outlined in the HCBS Applicant Assurance Statement, DHS-7618 (PDF).

BI, CADI and DD:

• Adult day center (i.e., a setting licensed to provide adult day services that is not a person’s home).
• Hospital.
• Medical clinic.
• Nursing facility.

Who is eligible to receive Adult Day Services?

New authorizations for adult day services for a person on BI, CADI or DD on or after Jan. 11, 2021, may only occur when all of the following criteria are met:

• The person is 55 or older.
• The person chooses to receive adult day services.
• The person does not choose day support services or employment services.
• Adult day services meet outcomes identified by the person, within the scope of covered services described on this page.

People who received adult day services prior to Jan. 11, 2021, regardless of age, may continue to use adult day services when all of the following criteria are met:

• The person is assessed to need the service.
• The person chooses to receive adult day services instead of other service options.

Steps to Adult Day Services Licensure

Needs determination process

The needs determination process applies to adult day services for people on BI, CAC, CADI and DD waivers. If a provider or lead agency wants to develop, expand or terminate adult day services, they must follow the process on CBSM – Day services needs determination.

License Requirements

All adult day service providers must:

• Be licensed under Minn. Stat. Ch. 245A.
• Comply with Minn. R. 9555.9600-9555.9730.

Rates/Reimbursement for Services

See the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Service Rate Limits, DHS-3945. Under AC, ECS, and EW the lead agency authorized in-person and remote day services at the state-established, 15 minute rate. BI, CADI, and DD, the lead agency uses the Rate Management System (RMS) to determine rates.

Additional resources

Use this link for the pre-application worksheet

Use this link to apply for a license

Sample policies:

• Consultant  RN Personnel File(DOCX)
• Consultant Dietician Personnel File(DOCX)
• Consultant PT Personnel File(DOCX)
• Center Director Roster(DOCX)
• Participant Record 2.23(DOCX)
• Participant Record Checklist(DOC)
• Personnel Record(DOCX)
• Staff Training Record(DOCX)
• Death Report Fax Transmission Cover Sheet(PDF)
• Death Report Form(PDF)
• Emergencies Caused by Fire and Weather Policy(DOCX)
• Grievance Policy(DOCX)
• Health Services Policy(DOCX)
• Medical Emergencies Policy(DOCX)
• Participant’s Right to Contest Policy(DOCX)
• Participant’s Rights(DOCX)
• Policy and Procedures Table of Contents(DOCX)
• Policy and Program Information Requirements(DOCX)
• Policy for Reporting Death in the Program(DOCX)
• Policy on Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Disorders(DOCX)
• Program Abuse Prevention Plan(DOCX)
• Program Drug and Alcohol Policy(DOCX)
• Self-monitoring checklist for Adult Day Centers (PDF)
• Vulnerable Adults Maltreatment Reporting and Internal Review Policy(PDF)