UDALSA Minnesota: How to Compare Assisted Living Facilities Using the Uniform Disclosure

What the UDALSA Is and Why It Matters

UDALSA stands for Uniform Disclosure of Assisted Living Services and Amenities. Minnesota law requires every licensed assisted living facility to provide this standardized document to prospective residents before they sign a contract.

The point of the UDALSA is to make comparison shopping possible. Without it, you're stuck comparing marketing brochures that use different language for the same services and bury costs in different line items. The UDALSA puts every facility's offerings into the same format so you can set two or three side by side and see exactly where they differ.

How to Get a UDALSA

Any licensed assisted living facility in Minnesota must provide its UDALSA upon request. Ask for it during a tour, or request it by phone or email before you visit. If a facility resists providing it or says they don't have one, that's a compliance concern worth noting — the disclosure is a legal requirement under Chapter 144G.

You should collect UDALSAs from every facility on your shortlist before making any decisions about placement.

What the UDALSA Covers

The disclosure is organized into standardized sections. Here's what to focus on:

Services included in the base rate. This is where you'll find the biggest differences between facilities. One facility's base rate might include medication management and daily ADL assistance; another might charge for those as add-on service tiers. Without the UDALSA, you wouldn't know the $5,500/month facility is actually more expensive than the $6,200/month one after add-ons.

Services available for additional cost. Look for the services your parent is likely to need within the next 12-24 months, not just today. If they're currently independent with medications but showing early cognitive decline, check what medication management costs as an add-on before that becomes a necessity.

Staffing information. The UDALSA discloses staffing levels, including whether awake staff are present overnight. For standard ALF facilities, overnight staffing is not always guaranteed. For ALFDC (dementia care) facilities, 24/7 awake staff presence is a licensing requirement.

Move-in and move-out terms. Notice periods, refund policies, circumstances under which the facility can initiate a discharge. These terms matter more than most families realize — a 30-day notice period during a health crisis can be devastating if you haven't planned for it.

Room types and costs. Square footage, shared vs. private options, what furniture is provided, and whether the unit has a kitchenette or full bathroom.

Comparing UDALSAs Side by Side

When you've collected UDALSAs from three or four facilities, lay them out and compare these categories:

1. Total monthly cost for your parent's current needs — base rate plus the relevant add-on service tier
2. Total monthly cost at the next care level — what happens when needs increase (and they will)
3. What triggers a move to a higher service tier — how does the facility decide when to reclassify a resident
4. Discharge criteria — under what circumstances can the facility ask your parent to leave, and how much notice must they give
5. Staffing ratios during each shift — especially overnight and weekends

What the UDALSA Doesn't Tell You

The disclosure is a standardized fact sheet, not a quality assessment. It won't tell you whether the staff are attentive, whether the food is good, whether residents seem engaged, or whether management responds quickly to concerns.

For quality data, cross-reference the UDALSA with the facility's inspection history on the Minnesota Assisted Living Report Card (alreportcard.dhs.mn.gov). Look for substantiated complaints, deficiency patterns, and staffing metrics.

And there's no substitute for visiting in person — ideally more than once, at different times of day. Talk to current residents and their families if you can.

Making Your Decision

The UDALSA gives you the financial and structural facts. The Assisted Living Report Card gives you the regulatory history. A personal visit gives you the feel of the place.

For a structured approach that pulls all three together, the Choosing Care in Minnesota guide includes a facility comparison worksheet designed around the UDALSA format — so you can score and compare facilities on a consistent scale.

See more Minnesota guides →