State audit shows that Minnesota’s assisted living reforms are working

Recent discussion surrounding the Office of the Legislative Auditor’s review of Minnesota’s assisted living oversight system has generated predictable headlines: deficiencies identified, recommendations issued and questions raised about whether the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is doing enough.

Those conversations are important. Public agencies should be accountable, and continuous improvement should always be expected.

But after reading the report and listening to the public discussion surrounding it, I came away with a very different conclusion.

I saw a story of progress.

That may sound like an unusual response to an audit. Yet it is impossible to understand where Minnesota’s assisted living oversight system...