Updates from the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office
The Kansas Elevator Safety Act adopted in 2023 to ensure your organization remains in compliance with all elevators being registered with the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office – free of charge. Use this form to register your elevators.
LeadingAge Kansas recently met with the KSFM office and discussed the new guidance for full fire evacuations every other month issued to members. The office shared there are variances for state licensed only facilities such as assisted livings and residential healthcare to participate in healthcare fire drills instead of the full evacuation guidance recently issued by the Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office. You will have to complete one drill per shift, per quarter with staff participation but not necessarily resident participation. More details on how to properly document this will be forthcoming from their office.
Make sure you have a cybersecurity policy before your next Fire Marshal survey as it is considered one of the identified hazards related to emergency preparedness. No specifics about what must be included in the policy, but a policy in general is required.
Here’s some quick guides provided by the KSFM, Rachel Martin, on what to expect during different surveys.
Updates from Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
As a reminder, state licensed only facilities such as home plus, assisted living, and residential health care providers will now need to report any involuntary discharges within 60 days of the discharge occurring (when the resident leaves the building). KDADS also requests all facilities who do not have any discharges to report 0 at the end of each month or every 60 days (July-August, September-October, November-December, January-February, March-April, May-June). For the last reporting period from when this policy began (July 1, 2024), only 50 of 504 facilities with a state licensed only bed type reported involuntary discharges: 42 providers reported 0 involuntary discharges, 8 reported some type of involuntary discharge. Of those 8 involuntary, 6 residents were transitioned to SNF, 1 resident’s needs extended passed what the provider could care for, and 1 resident was discharged for non-payment.
Civil Money Penalties can be levied against any provider who does not report their involuntary discharge, but it is later caught during survey. Review the training presentation from KDADS on this requirement and ensure you document any discharges on the KDADS portal here.
Other updates included over 100 staffing agencies are now registered with KDADS. KDADS is working on compiling that list to share with associations. LeadingAge Kansas will share with members once it is available.
Upcoming Listening Sessions in the State
Make sure to get registered for the remaining listening sessions for the 2025 Kansas State Plan on Aging and KanCare 3.0. Review more on the state plan on aging sessions here, the state plan on aging survey here, and the KanCare 3.0 meetings here.
