Crow Wing County helps place residents after Carefree Assisted Living announces closure

Kara Terry, Community Services, updated the board on the closure of Carefree Assisted Living in Brainerd and the county’s work to place residents.

Terry said eight residents remained at the facility; five have tentative placement dates and one has an accepted placement. County staff have been assisting with placements, staffing checks and coordination; they have involved county social workers and case aides and are working with other counties and providers where needed. For a small number of residents with complex needs the county is coordinating with the courts to consider guardianship where appropriate to facilitate placement.

Terry said staff are tracking time spent by county personnel on the closure and will bill the facility at an average rate of $100 per hour for staff time, and that the county has notified the Minnesota Department of Health about the situation. She said the county is aiming for a soft closure by the end of this month but cautioned that placement logistics could extend that timeline.

Commissioners thanked staff and requested follow‑up information on in‑county vs. out‑of‑county placements and an aggregated picture of recovery‑home lengths of stay; staff agreed to provide those numbers for a future report.