What Is 245D Licensing in Minnesota?

If you work in residential care in Minnesota, you hear "245D" constantly. It's the licensing framework that governs most community-based services for people with disabilities — including CRS (Community Residential Settings), day programs, and in-home support. Here's what 245D actually means in practice.

The Basics

Minnesota Statute Chapter 245D establishes the licensing standards for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). It replaced the older Rule 245B framework and was designed to align Minnesota's services with federal HCBS requirements, particularly the emphasis on person-centered planning and community integration.

245D applies to any organization providing:

• Residential services — CRS / 245D group homes where people live and receive 24/7 support
• Day services — structured daytime programming, prevocational services, employment support
• In-home support — staff coming to someone's home to provide assistance

The statute covers both the organizational license (the provider holds a 245D license from DHS) and the specific service delivery standards that must be met.

What 245D Requires of Providers

Staff Training and Qualifications

245D sets minimum training requirements for all direct support staff, including:

• Orientation training before working independently with clients
• Annual training on topics like person-centered practices, medication administration, and emergency procedures
• Specialized training based on the population served (e.g., brain injury, mental health, behavioral support)
• Designated Manager (DM) requirements — every 245D program must have a qualified DM overseeing services

Person-Centered Planning

Every person receiving 245D services must have a person-centered support plan that reflects their goals, preferences, and needs. The plan can't be a template — it should be individualized and developed with the person's meaningful participation.

Providers must review and update these plans at least annually, or whenever a significant change occurs.

Incident Reporting and Investigation

245D requires providers to report and investigate incidents including:

• Serious injuries
• Unauthorized use of restrictive procedures
• Deaths
• Abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation

Reports go to DHS, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the person's case manager. This transparency is one of 245D's strongest protections.

Rights Protection

Residents in 245D programs have protected rights including privacy, personal possessions, visitors, communication, and participation in their service planning. Any restrictions on these rights must be documented in the support plan with clinical justification — blanket house rules that restrict everyone equally are a 245D violation.

What 245D Means for Case Managers

When you're evaluating a CRS placement or other 245D service, the licensing framework gives you concrete things to verify:

• Check the provider's licensing status — DHS maintains a public database of licensed 245D providers, including any enforcement actions or conditional licenses
• Ask about their most recent licensing survey — providers are inspected periodically, and survey results reveal patterns (repeated medication errors, staffing deficiencies, rights restrictions)
• Review their incident reports — as the case manager, you should be receiving copies of any incidents involving your client
• Verify staff training — ask specifically what training direct support staff receive related to your client's diagnosis and support needs

A clean 245D license is the floor, not the ceiling. The best providers exceed minimum requirements significantly.

What 245D Means for Families

If your family member lives in or is moving to a 245D-licensed home, the framework protects them in several important ways:

• They have a right to their own support plan that reflects what they want, not just what's convenient for the provider
• Incidents must be reported — you should be notified if something happens
• You can participate in service planning and raise concerns directly with the provider or with DHS
• The provider is accountable to state oversight, not just their own internal policies

If something doesn't feel right, you can file a complaint with DHS or contact the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.

The Bottom Line

245D isn't perfect, but it establishes a meaningful baseline for how residential and community services must operate in Minnesota. Understanding the framework helps case managers ask better questions and helps families know what to expect — and what to demand — from a provider.

Find 245D-Licensed Providers

Capacity Track's directory lists CRS providers and other 245D-licensed residential programs across Minnesota with reported openings when providers update. Search by care type, county, or current openings to find programs that meet your client's needs.

When you are ready to place, open CRS by county or browse all CRS openings in Minnesota.