July 21, 2025 Washington, DC — The Quality in Assisted Living Collaborative (QALC) today announced the release of proposed emergency preparedness guidelines for assisted living communities. As part of  its commitment to fostering excellence and safety, the QALC is inviting input from stakeholders and other  interested parties during a 45-day comment period. Written comments should be submitted by  September 8, 2025. 

The QALC welcomes all stakeholders, including assisted living providers, regulators, policymakers, and  advocacy organizations, to participate in the comment period and contribute their insights to shape the  final Emergency Preparedness guidelines. Input from a broad spectrum of voices is vital to ensuring the  effectiveness and relevance of the guidelines. All written comments received by the due date will be  considered by QALC’s Emergency Preparedness Workgroup as the next step in the guidelines  development process. 

Download the proposed Emergency Preparedness Guidelines here. 

Comments can be submitted using this QALC Comment Form. 

The QALC is a collaborative effort involving Argentum, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA),  LeadingAge, the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), and the National Association for Regulatory  Administration (NARA). Since its launch in 2023, the Collaborative has focused on development of  guidelines for assisted living providers, starting with IPC Guidelines released in November 2024. In June  2024, QALC formed the Emergency Preparedness Workgroup, comprised of subject matter experts and  others having diverse perspectives to draft and build consensus around proposed guidelines. 

“A special thank you to QALC’s Emergency Preparedness Workgroup for their efforts in developing the  proposed guidelines for assisted living communities,” said James Balda, President & CEO of Argentum.  “For this next phase of the development process, it’s critical for all stakeholders – especially providers – to provide their feedback to help ensure these final guidelines meet the needs of our communities and  the residents we serve.” 

“The work of the QALC related to emergency preparedness guidelines will prove helpful to owners and  operators as well as policymakers working to ensure that assisted living settings are well-positioned to  ensure the safety and wellbeing of those who reside in these settings across the country,” said David  Schless, President and CEO of the American Seniors Housing Association.  

“We urge aging services stakeholders nationwide, including nonprofit providers, to weigh in now as  these emergency preparedness guidelines for assisted living communities are being developed. Broad  participation in this initiative will help to ensure a smart and high-quality outcome. Older adults deserve  nothing less,” said Katie Smith Sloan, President & CEO, LeadingAge. 

“Assisted living providers already adhere to robust emergency preparedness regulations around the  country as part of our commitment to uphold safety and promote quality,” said NCAL Executive Director  LaShuan Bethea. “As a profession that seeks to continuously improve and evolve, these guidelines can  serve not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a resource and helpful guide. We encourage all  stakeholders to provide thoughtful feedback for consideration.” 

“Fundamental to the assisted living sector’s success is increasing the capacity of each assisted living  community to prepare, respond and recover in the event of a natural and man-made disaster,” said  Alfred C. Johnson, Past NARA Board President. “Through a collaborative partnership, QALC has  developed a comprehensive set of emergency preparedness standards that have been designed  specifically for the assisted living sector. These standards can be used to guide the development, or  revision, of assisted living regulations or assisted living provider policies and procedures. We are now  extending this collaborative partnership to all assisted living stakeholders. Your review of the draft  standards will offer critical insight into this important topic.” 

The proposed guidelines outline a comprehensive approach to emergency preparedness planning for  assisted living communities and are intended for use by providers as a means of self-assessment and  continual improvement. They focus on measures considered by the Workgroup to be essential to  emergency preparedness, including establishing an emergency preparedness plan, designating an  emergency preparedness leader, staff training, and other important elements.