Terms of Use

1. Acceptance of these terms

These Terms of Use govern your use of the HiCARE Services website and the free resources offered on it. By using this site you agree to them. If you do not agree, please do not use the site.

These terms cover the website. Consulting services are governed by a separate written agreement between HiCARE Services and the client, which controls if there is any conflict with this page.

2. Scope of our services

HiCARE Services provides consulting support to Minnesota licensed care and disability services providers, including licensing and startup assistance, compliance consulting, survey readiness, policy and documentation systems, operations improvement, staff training, and leadership coaching.

We are an independent consulting practice. We are not a government agency, we do not issue or approve licenses, and we do not act on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Health, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, or any other regulator.

3. Not legal advice, and no guarantee of outcomes

Nothing on this website, and nothing in our consulting deliverables, is legal advice or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney. Regulatory questions with legal exposure should be reviewed by your own counsel.

Compliance outcomes depend on your operations, your staff, your records, and the judgment of the surveyor or agency reviewing them. We do not guarantee license approval, a citation-free survey, the removal of a correction order, any specific finding, or any particular regulatory result. Any statement about likely outcomes is professional opinion, not a promise.

4. Client responsibility for compliance

The licensee remains solely responsible for compliance with all applicable requirements, including Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G for assisted living facilities, Chapter 144A for home care providers, Minnesota Rules Chapter 245D for home and community-based services, applicable federal requirements, and any conditions attached to your license.

You are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information, records, and descriptions of practice you provide to us. Our recommendations are only as sound as the information they are based on. You are responsible for deciding whether and how to implement any recommendation.

5. Free resources and checklists

Checklists, guides, and other free materials on this site are general educational tools. They are not a complete statement of any regulation, they are not tailored to your setting, and regulatory requirements change. Verify current requirements with the applicable agency or your counsel before relying on any item.

You may download, print, and use these materials internally within your own organization. You may not resell them, republish them publicly, or remove the HiCARE Services branding, attribution, or watermark.

6. Intellectual property

The content, design, templates, methodology, and materials on this site are owned by HiCARE Services and protected by applicable intellectual property law. Deliverables prepared in an engagement are licensed to that client for internal use, while HiCARE retains ownership of its underlying templates, frameworks, and know-how, unless the engagement agreement says otherwise.

7. Confidentiality

We treat non-public information about a client's operations, findings, records, and personnel as confidential and use it only to perform the engagement. We ask the same of clients regarding our non-public materials and pricing. Where an engagement involves protected health information, a business associate agreement is executed before that information is shared.

8. Communications consent

When you use the contact page to prepare an email or text message, that message is sent from your own account through your own provider. By sending it, you consent to our replying by the same channel, including by phone or text if you gave us a number. You may opt out of any channel at any time.

9. Fees, scheduling, and engagements

An initial consultation is offered without charge and does not create a consulting relationship. A consulting relationship begins only when both parties sign a written agreement describing scope, fees, and timing. Scheduled sessions that are missed or cancelled on short notice may be subject to the terms of that agreement.

10. Third-party links

This site may link to agency websites, statutes, and other third-party resources for convenience. We do not control that content and are not responsible for its accuracy or availability. Always confirm requirements against the current official source.

11. Disclaimer of warranties

This website and its free resources are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, or non-infringement, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

12. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, HiCARE Services is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, lost revenue, fines, penalties, or regulatory sanctions, arising from use of this website or its free resources. Liability arising from a paid engagement is governed by the limitation set out in the applicable engagement agreement.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless HiCARE Services and its personnel from claims, damages, and expenses arising out of your misuse of this site, your violation of these terms, or your violation of any law or third-party right.

14. Termination

We may suspend or discontinue any part of this site, or restrict access to it, at any time and without notice. Provisions relating to intellectual property, confidentiality, disclaimers, liability, indemnification, and governing law survive any termination.

15. Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. The parties will attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute informally first. Any dispute that cannot be resolved informally will be brought in the state or federal courts located in Minnesota, and you consent to that jurisdiction and venue.

16. Changes to these terms

We may revise these terms as our services or obligations change. The revision date at the top of this page reflects the most recent update, and continued use of the site after a change means you accept the revised terms.