Last-minute Quality Award application reminders

By Shauna Kapsner  |  January 17, 2025  |  All providers

We are one week away from submission day! Keep in mind that you can submit anytime now. And a bonus is that you can make changes and re-submit your application anytime between your original submission and the deadline of Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 7:00 PM CST. Remember, there are no exceptions made to this deadline.

You think you’re ready to submit? Please make sure you’ve checked and double checked the following:
  1. An ITA (Intent to Apply) is not required. If you submitted one, great! If you did not, great! Either way you can still apply! 
  2. You have your American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) portal login and password all ready to go.
  3. Every question in your application has a response. Even if you do not have a reply, please state that to ensure your examiner(s) are aware that you didn’t forget it. Sometimes we don’t have a reply, and that’s okay (ex. not every site has a vision statement.)
  4. You’ve answered using prose/sentences and not bulleted lists. 
  5. Your application meets character count (Bronze) or page requirements (Silver/Gold). If you need help downsizing, please ask.
  6. Don’t wait until the deadline to submit. Technology challenges are difficult and are not an exception. I suggest submitting on Wednesday, January 22nd, and you can then spend next Thursday relaxing.
  7. Silver/Gold: your application has followed PDF requirements outlined in your application packet that include: font type, font size, margins, graphic information, and more.
  8. SNF/NFs: your site has passed survey requirements for the award program. You can check online here. 
  9. Be prepared to pay your application fee upon submission.
  10. If you have any questions prior to submission, please ask them. Either contact me or you can email the Quality Award program staff directly at: qualityaward@ahca.org. 

Our members are so inspirational—do you want to be inspired, too? Of the ITAs that AHCA/NCAL received, our Minnesota members submitted: 
  • 18% of all Bronze award ITAs
  • 8% of all Silver award ITAs
  • 13% of all Gold award ITAs

Overall, Minnesota members submitted 14% of the ITAs submitted. Our members are focused on QUALITY systems and data, and I’m excited to see our members recognized for their efforts in Las Vagas, Nevada on October 21, 2025! 

Best wishes to all Quality Award applicants. It’s a journey that is taken one step at a time—keep going! 


Shauna Kapsner
Shauna Kapsner  |  Director of Education & Events  |   skapsner@careproviders.org  |  952-851-2490