Understanding the Award Criteria & Writing a Successful Application: Bronze and Silver Workshops
Overview
These workshops are designed to help you learn more about the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, which recognizes long term and post-acute care organizations across the nation for quality. The program has three levels of awards: Bronze – Commitment to Quality, Silver – Achievement in Quality, and Gold – Excellence in Quality. Each sets progressively higher standards for performance. By moving through the three award levels, organizations will improve the quality of the care and services they provide.
VHCA-VCAL offers intensive sessions each fall to help you better understand the award criteria and help you begin writing your Bronze or Silver Award application. View details.
2026 Virtual Workshops
Bronze | September 23, 2026
Silver | September 22, 29, & October 6, 2026
These sessions are offered at no cost to VHCA-VCAL members. The registration deadline is September 15, 2026.
Bronze Quality Award Training and Writing Workshop
September 23, 2026 | 1:00 – 4:00 pm
This session will introduce you to the National Quality Award Program and explain how committing to the application process can provide you with a leadership framework for operational success for years to come. The Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award is the first step in the award program, as well as the door to developing a new perspective on organizational excellence specific to long term care. You will gain an understanding of and begin to apply the Bronze criteria and program policies in an interactive session with an expert trainer, review AHCA/NCAL training videos and resources, and have time to initiate and work on each section of the criteria.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with the 2027 Bronze Quality Award Criteria prior to the workshop to have a general understanding of the topics and to gain the most benefit from the session. (Look under the “Bronze Application & Resources” tab for the materials.) Please have the 2027 Bronze Award Criteria Packet accessible during the workshop and have a way to write your draft responses.
Silver Quality Award: Understanding the Criteria and Getting Started
September 22, 29, & October 6, 2026 | 10:00 am –12:00 pm
After the success of achieving a Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award, the journey to excellence continues through the Silver – Achievement in Quality application process. By attending these three sessions, you will understand the Silver criteria and begin to develop the framework for interpreting the criteria to begin crafting a successful application. The workshops will be led by an experienced examiner for the award program who will use approved AHCA/NCAL videos and resources. Your trainer will highlight updates to this year’s criteria, share constructive advice and pitfalls to avoid when writing a Silver application, and offer tips on how to follow program policies to apply.
Familiarize yourself with the 2027 Silver Quality Award Criteria prior to the workshop to have a general understanding of the topics to gain the most benefit from the session. (Look under the “Silver Applications & Resources tab for the materials.) Please have a copy of the 2027 Silver Award Criteria Packet accessible during the workshop to write draft responses.
Trainer/Facilitator
Tammy Q. Kelly, PT, LNHA, RAC-CT, RAC-CTA | Director of RAI & Clinical Reimbursement | CCR VHCA-VCAL member Tammy Kelly has served as Silver Examiner for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards Program for many years and will lead these workshops. Kelly has also served as a Gold Award Site Examiner and is a recent chair of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Board, has served on the AHCA/NCAL Quality Cabinet and currently serves as a Quality Award examiner coach and trainer and on the AHCA Quality Improvement Committee.
Before you attend: We encourage you to complete the AHCA/NCAL Intent to Apply (ITA) prior to the workshops to receive the discounted application fee and gain access to resources accessible only to applicants completing ITAs.
- The 2027 ITA will be open in August 2026. Visit the National Quality Award website to learn more.
Why it matters: Check out these great reasons to apply for an award!
- Performance Improvement: The program provides a proven framework that organizations can use to make improvements in any clinical, quality, or other operational outcome area. Ninety percent of applicants identify performance improvement as a main reason in applying for an award.
- Leadership Growth: The criteria provide an excellent framework for leadership growth and training within your senior leadership team. Leaders who have participated in the Quality Award application journey report transformational changes in their leadership skills.
- Superior Outcomes: Research shows that Silver and Gold recipients have superior performance in key quality outcome areas such as 30-day hospital readmission, off-label use of antipsychotics, Five-Star ratings, occupancy rate and operating margin.
- Regulatory Demands: The program criteria prepare providers for regulatory demands such as CMS’s QAPI requirements and the Requirements of Participation.
- Team Engagement: Bring your team together for one common goal. The application process serves as a team building activity to engage staff across all levels of your organization.
- Esteemed Recognition: The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award provides national, external validation of high-quality care and services—the perfect information to share with your consumers, stakeholders, and referral partners.
