The article below is a top story from this week's ACTION newsletter—Care Providers of Minnesota's weekly newsletter for members. The newsletter focuses on current legislative issues, regulations, long-term care trends, and other Association news. Each Thursday evening, it is delivered to your inbox. To sign up for ACTION, contact Lisa Foss Olson (952-851-2483). To learn more about membership, visit our Become a Member page.
NCAL report highlights national trends in assisted living regulations
By Michaun Shetler
| Vice President of Provider Services & Relations
| January 22, 2026 | All members
The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), Care Providers of Minnesota’s national affiliate, released its 2025 Assisted Living State Regulatory Review—highlighting how states continue to adjust assisted living regulations to meet the evolving needs of residents and providers.
According to the report, 18 states and the District of Columbia updated assisted living regulations between January 1 and December 31, 2025. A key takeaway from this year’s review is an increased focus on education, training, and staffing requirements, reflecting a broader national emphasis on quality care and workforce preparedness.
The most common areas of regulatory change in 2025 included:
- Direct care staff education and training requirements (10 states)
- Administrator and director education and training requirements (9 states)
- Staff scheduling requirements (7 states)
“States continually demonstrate their ability to respond to the changing needs of residents and providers within assisted living,” said LaShuan Bethea, NCAL Executive Director. “This effort fosters quality improvement, supports consumer transparency, and ensures residents and families have peace of mind that the proper safeguards are in place.”
The annual review summarizes key licensure and certification requirements across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including recent legislative and regulatory updates, scope of care, staffing, and training standards. It also includes states that use alternative terms such as residential care or personal care homes.
Care Providers of Minnesota members benefit from NCAL’s national regulatory monitoring and analysis, which helps inform advocacy, education, and compliance support at the state level. The 2025 overview, executive summary, and individual state summaries are available on the NCAL website.
Michaun Shetler | Vice President of Provider Services & Relations | [email protected] | 952-851-2484