Latest information about COVID-19 from Licensing

This page will be updated with the latest news about the COVID-19 pandemic and information from the Licensing Division for our partners, providers and the people we serve. For information about temporary changes to background studies, visit the DHS Background Studies page.

For updates related to agency-wide DHS programs, visit the DHS homepage. To be notified when changes occur, you can sign up for COVID-19-specific DHS email notifications.

All licensed and certified services

On March 20, 2020, the commissioner suspended or modified specific routine enforcements by the DHS Licensing Division so that essential services could continue during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commissioner has now extended and modified previously announced licensing enforcement waivers that expired on May 1, 2020. Some routine licensing enforcement activity that was temporarily suspended will resume.

Waiver details here
The changes:
- Resume routine licensing and certification reviews by June 1 through onsite visits or the use of video or other modes of communication.
- Continue the suspension of issuing fix-it tickets for child care providers.
- Require licensors to communicate with and provide technical assistance to providers to the greatest extent possible using remote technologies that support social distancing and community mitigation.
- Resume the issuance of correction orders, orders of conditional license, and fines as necessary in response to licensing violations found during complaint investigations and routine licensing or certification reviews.
- Continue the issuance of Orders of Temporary Immediate Suspension, Indefinite Suspension, and Revocation as necessary to ensure the health and safety of those receiving care and services.
The Licensing Division will continue to respond to critical incidents involving high risk of harm to clients or allegations of abuse or neglect and will prioritize on-site visits as needed on a case-by-case basis. The processing of licensing or certification applications, pre-licensure or pre-certification visits and change of premises inspections will be conducted on a case-by-case basis, in order to prioritize enabling programs to provide additional capacity.

The commissioner also took actions to increase flexibility for providers:
- Licenses for family child care, child and adult foster care, and community residential settings that would have expired in June or July are automatically extended for three additional months. Training, re-licensing and documentation requirements are extended.
- Timelines for training for existing staff and license holders that expire during the peacetime emergency are extended.
These waivers will be in effect until June 30, 2020, or the end of the peacetime emergency, whichever is earlier. More information about these waivers can be found here .

Child Care

HCBS and Adult Day Centers

Behavioral Health and Children's Residential Facilities

Foster Care

Information for non-child care programs

April 3, 2020 Guidance on the Prevention of COVID-19 in DHS-Licensed settings with at-risk persons

DHS-wide information

Under the Governor’s Emergency Executive Order 20-12, the Minnesota Department of Human Services has temporary authority to temporarily suspend or modify requirements so that the agency and its partners can continue to provide essential programs and services to Minnesotans safely and without undue delay during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find a complete list of temporary waivers and program modifications here.