All candidates must have submitted an application and pay for their application by utilizing the BELTSS Online Portal. You will be required to create a BELTSS Online Portal account if you were not/have not previously registered with BELTSS.
You must pay the application and background check fees before you are considered an active applicant, application fee totals differ by application type. Once paid for your application is open for 18-months from the day stated on your application confirmation. Applicants can access their confirmation via their BELTSS Online Portal Account.
Applicants can check the status of the application and submission online by logging into their personal BELTSS Online Portal account. Instructions and updates on submission can be found by clicking the comment bubble next to the application item’s name.
NOTE: The comment section cannot be replied to by applicants. You must email your inquiry to the BELTSS Board email.
The MN BELTSS Approved Assisted Living Director Course Programs are:
University of Minnesota-Minneapolis
LeadingAge Minnesota
Care Providers of Minnesota (partner with Relias)
Please refer to the section under Assisted Living Directors and Course & Education Programs. The program course providers are listed under ALD Program Courses with detail descriptions and how to register for those courses. The minimum requirement is a 120-hour course with some providers requiring additional hours.
Each applicant must verify their highest level of education; this only applies to education obtained and completed prior to submitting your application. To verify a degree from a foreign college or university, an applicant must have their education reviewed for equivalency through either the National Association of Credential Evaluation or World Education Services.
Transcript evaluations may be forwarded to the Board office after an evaluation determination is delivered by one of the credentialing services. Sometimes there is an additional fee to request a transcript or verification of education. We ask that applicants verify only their highest level of education.
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My highest level of education is: |
I must verify my education by: |
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High School Diploma |
Contact the school district from which you graduated |
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GED |
Contact the MN Dept. of Education to complete the GED Records Request form Minnesota: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/fam/abe/ged/ Other States: https://www.ged.com |
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Associates Degree |
Contact the registrar's office of your college |
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Bachelor's Degree or higher |
Contact the registrar's office of your college |
Possibly. The BELTSS board will require the non-US Degree earner to have a credential review by an accredited vendor who specializes in equivalency. These companies review education and degrees received outside of the United States to ensure that it meets equivalent education standards.
To verify a degree from a foreign college or university, an applicant must have their education reviewed for equivalency through either the National Association of Credential Evaluation or World Education Services. Transcript evaluations may be forwarded to the Board office after an evaluation determination is delivered by one of the credentialing services.
All applicants will receive an email from the Criminal Background Check Program (CBCP) after their application is submitted and paid. The email from Criminal Background Check Program (CBCP) will contain instructions on how to complete their background check. The email will come from criminal.background.check@state.mn.us. You may need to check your spam folder if you do not see the email was received within 1-2 business days of applying for licensure. Minnesota Statute §214.075 requires that all applicants for licensure completes a a criminal background check.
Unfortunately, no. Information obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigations is highly confidential and information cannot be transferred between state agencies or any entity. The CBC for licensure is separate from any other background check you may have undergone for work, military, licensure in other states, licensure with other boards, or any other purpose. Likewise, the CBC obtained for licensure with the HLBs cannot be used for any other purpose. Each applicant must complete a new CBC for each new license obtained through a different board. It is in your best interest to complete the CBC as soon as possible to ensure that your licensure application is processed quickly; the CBC process can take up to 60 days to complete.
All applicants must verify any previous licensure in all states and jurisdictions to qualify for licensure. Verifying licensure ensures the minimum standard in Minnesota State Rules and confirms that the applicant is in good standing. The National Practitioner Data Bank is a nation-wide clearinghouse charged with keeping records of action taken against any professional licensure; we recommend applicants utilize their Self-Query service to acquire a detailed license report. Applicants can visit their website for detailed instructions on how to acquire this item. Once an applicant acquires their report they should submit it the BELTSS office The BELTSS office accepts submission via
A. email sent to beltss.hlb@state.mn.us
OR
B. faxes sent to our fax number: 651-797-1376
Individuals must meet the qualifications outlined in Minnesota State Rules 6400.7005 and which include the NAB CORE knowledge and line of service examinations for assisted living directors, referred to as RCAL, and the state examination.
State exams are currently available for ALD Applicants. The MN BELTSS ALD State exam is open-reference exam that applicants take online; a qualified proctor is required. Proctors must be licensed as an LALD or LHSE. The exam contains 35 multiple choice questions and has a 1 hour and 25-minute duration to access the application and information for the MN State Exam visit the BELTSS website. The detailed instructions for the Minnesota state exam process can be found iunder Assisted LIving Directors and Exam section. BELTSS recommends all applicants read MN RULE 6400.7010 APPLYING FOR LICENSURE. Subp. 4 before requesting to take the MN State Exam.
NOTE: For those applying under the ALD MN NHA Approved, a combined NHA/ALD exam is available for those seeking licensure as a nursing home administrator and assisted living director.
You must have an active Minnesota application on file with the Board to be granted permission to write the NAB Exam. Go online to the NAB website and click on Exam Info and then Exam Candidate Handbook. Download and save the Exam Candidates Handbook. It explains policies and procedures regarding the computer-based testing format used for the NAB exam. When you are ready to take the NAB exam (and not before), submit an online application by following the instructed stated on the NAB website You may be required to create a NAB account and profile.
If you need assistance with the application process, please call PSI Customer Service at 800-367-1565 ext. 6830.
When working in an assisted living with a Residency Permit you will have one year to complete a BELTSS approved training program, field experience and successfully pass the exams. The permit is good for one year and is not renewable and cannot be extended. Other individuals who applied through the ALD-Education pathway or who do not have a permit, there is no set time requirement however applications are only good for 18 months.
The field experience, also referred to as practicum, will be no less than 320 hours and a maximum of 1,000 hours are allowed. The field experience will be based on the topics identified in the self-assessment completed by the ALDIR during the program course. In addition to the topics identified in the assessment, the field experience must include:
You will be required to list a Mentor when applying for your ALDIR temproary permit on the application. BELTSS is not able to assist with finding Mentors. You are encouraged to reach out to the program course providers, state associations and other networking groups who may have additional guidance or consultant partners available to serve as Mentors.
Mentors may be changed with a written request to BELTSS and by completing the Mentor form sent to the applicant upon applying. This form may also be found under Forms and Tutorials, as well as under Mentor Resources. Please email the form to beltss.hlb@state.mn.us
BELTSS has a short list of licensed Assisted Living Directors and Health Service Executives interested in being a Mentor. This list is made available by contacting beltss.hlb@state.mn.us.
The Mentor should ensure the applicant complies with the domains of practice and the NAB training manual and the applicant has experience with professional practice analysis. The mentor will help determine the duration of the field experience based on the topics identified in the self assessment completed by the applicant. THe self-assessment can be found in the field experience tooklit. At the end of the field experience, an applicant and Mentor must provide evidence to the board completion of the self assessment and remediation of any areas identified as deficient. The Mentor will complete a mentor evaluation form which is provided to the applicant after applying. It may also be found under Mentor resources on our website.
Yes, a Mentor for an applicant field experience shall receive two CE credits per month spent serving as a Mentor to a maximum of 16 CE credits per year. The Mentor must maintain documentation of the toolkit used and the mentor evaluation form will also serve as documentation from beltss.
Each facility must have a LALD identified as the assisted living Director of Record (DOR). A single LALD can oversee more than one community and/or multiple buildings with board approved shared licenses issued for each additional building. A separate application is required for each additional license. Once the paid application is received in your license portal, you will then receive a shared agreement for each owner to sign. Additional documents may be required when submitting the agreement.
A facility can choose to have more than one person licensed. Having two LALD licensees on-site is merely a suggestion for succession planning, leaves of absence, and other operational needs. A single LALD or a person with a temporary residency permit is required to be the lead person for customers, staff, and family. This individual will register with BELTSS as the Director of Record (DOR) in the licensee portal or staff will update for any permitted individual. All changes must be made in the licensee portal or by notifying beltss.hlb@state.mn.us within 5 working days.
Yes. One LALD may serve up to five (5) facilities within a 60-mile radius. Keep in mind, if you are serving in the LALD role for multiple sites, you must be confident in your ability to perform the responsibilities of the job. It is your responsibility to ensure the integrity of your individual license much like other licensed professionals. A separate application is required for each additional license. Once the paid application is received in your license portal, you will then receive a shared agreement for each owner to sign. Additional documents may be required when submitting the agreement.
To serve as the Director of Record (DOR) for an additional assisted living, a LALD must have BELTSS’s approval within 15 days of designation as the Assisted Living DIrector for the additional building/location. The LALD must submit a Shared Director application in the licensee online portal and pay the appropriate fees for each additional building, up to a total of 5 locations. A separate shared agreement will need to be completed with all buildings the LALD will have oversite. A BELTSS board issued Assisted LIving Director license will be issued for each building/location. The assisted living building name/location will be printed on the LALD professional license. The license should be retained at the building/location.
An LHSE allows a single individual professional license issued by the board to operate a campus of a SNF with an assisted living facility campus using the definition as found in 144G.08. An LHSE may be shared with other licensed communities, but a shared license for a separate campus must be applied for and issued by the BELTSS.
An LNHA is required for each SNF/Title 18/19 licensed by MDH. An LNHA may be shared for two skilled communities or a SNF and an unrelated AL, if they hold a LALD license. For an additional NH facility, a board issued license is required. A graduate from a NAB or Minnesota approved NHA program and licensed LNHA is validated as meeting the education and experience entry to practice minimums but must apply for a separate assisted living director license. The LNHA is required for the SNF portion of your operations and one LNHA is required to be the Administrator of Record.
Per the Minnesota Department of Health’s requirements all assisted living facilities are required to have a Licensed Assisted Living Director (LALD). The LALD must be in BELTSS’s facility record as the Director of Record (DOR) and the person in charge of the assisted living facility. Failure to have a LALD or a Residency permit holder on record with the Board office is a violation of Minnesota law.
Currently, all BELTSS or NAB-approved CE’s can be used for all three lines of licensure; LHSE, LNHA, and LALD. Twenty clock hours are required every year for the renewal of the LHSE, and LNHA. Thirty (30) clock hours are required every two years for the LALD. Renewal of the LALD license occurs each year with 30 clock hours required every two years. You must track those continuing education clock hours on each CE tracking record form. To locate the form, go to the continuing education section for each license type under active licenses.
The Assisted Living Director license is effective for one year. Each year, individuals will be required to renew their license to remain effective with an expiration date of October 31. Fees and continuing education requirements would apply with the license renewal.
Every two years, LALD’s are required to take 30 hours of continuing education training in topics that align with the Domains of Practice. All content must be approved by BELTSS or by the national board (NAB) to qualify for the continuing education requirement. Those courses may be found under Continuing Education or Active LIcenses for each license type and Continuing Education. The tab labeled Approved Continuing Education List will provide the BELTSS approved and NAB approved continuing education list. In addition, other activty that may be approved for continuing education.
There are a variety of sources for continuing education available for you. All continuing education for LALD’s must be approved by BELTSS. Please refer to the Continuing Education infomration under Active LIcenses for each license type. The infomration can be found under the Approved Continuing Education List.
