Major Supporters of Quality First

Updated: January 3, 2005

Quality First is a philosophy of quality and a framework for earning public trust in aging services.

Through Quality First, we are working in partnership with all stakeholders — government, consumers, and the people we serve and their families — to create quality of care and quality of life in aging services.

Quality First has the support of a wide range of organizations.

Major Aging Services Provider Organizations Launched Quality First

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care launched Quality First.

Government Officials Support Quality First

Statement of U.S. Senator John Breaux (D-La.), former chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging in 2002: "I am encouraged that the leaders of this initiative [Quality First] have begun to develop a plan to achieve excellence in long-term care and to earn the public trust."

Secretary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, and the Administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services attended the July 2002 press conference when AAHSA and other long-term care providers announced Quality First.

National Organizations Support Quality First

Quality First was launched with the support of AARP, the Service Employees International Union and the National Quality Foundation.

The Catholic Health Association of the United States wrote about Quality First, "it is very important that all organizations, including those which are Catholic-sponsored, pledge their participation in this effort as soon as possible. Our long-standing commitment to quality must be publicly emphasized if we are to remain credible in our efforts to self-monitor, rather than having government agencies step in."

The California State Legislature adopted a resolution in mid-August 2002 commending AAHSA's Quality First plan and urging all of the state's senior housing and care providers to sign the Quality First Covenant.

U.S. Congressman Joe Pitts (PA) was quoted in the Congressional Record, "I rise today to commemorate an important event in my district coming up on Wednesday, September 29, 2004. … On that day, residents and staff of 16 not-for-profit continuing care retirement communities in my district will gather together for a ceremonial joint signing of a pledge to participate in Quality First, a nationwide, profession-wide effort to 'raise the bar' on quality and on achieving a process of continuous improvement."

The American College of Health Care Administrators "pledged to adhere to the principles of the Quality First Covenant, a standing commitment to work toward positive outcomes in long-term care."

Volunteers of America (VOA), a national spiritually-based organization providing local human service programs and opportunities for individual and community involvement, has signed the AAHSA Quality First Covenant. Many VOA affiliates are members of AAHSA.

Leading Senior Housing Organizations Sign AAHSA Quality First Covenant

National Church Residences is a not-for-profit corporation certified as a 501(C)(3) charitable organization with assets of more than $600 million. NCR's ministry provides affordable housing, health care, assisted living, and supportive services to modest-income seniors and families throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

Retirement Housing Foundation (RHF), a member of the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries of the United Church of Christ, is home in 24 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for nearly 15,000 older Americans, economically disadvantaged families, and persons with disabilities.

Elderly Housing Development & Operations Corporation (EHDOC) develops and manages safe, secure, and affordable housing for senior citizens across the United States. EHDOC currently manages 43 multi-family communities, comprising some 4,000 apartments, in 14 states, as well as Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society began partnering with church leaders in small, rural communities in the early 1920s, responding to the call to care for their "forgotten" people — those who had no other options for care and no one to care for them. Today, the Society owns or manages Christian Communities of Care in 25 states, employs 24,000 staff members and serves more than 28,000 residents.

All AAHSA State Association Partners Endorse AAHSA Quality First

Alabama Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, Inc.

Arizona Association of Homes and Housing for the Aging

Aging Services of California

Colorado Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Connecticut Association of Not-for-Profit Providers for the Aging, Inc.

Delaware Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Georgia Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, Inc.

Iowa Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Life Services Network of Illinois

Indiana Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Kansas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Kentucky Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Gulf States Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Massachusetts Aging Services Association

MANPHA - A Senior Service Alliance

Michigan Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Minnesota Health & Housing Alliance

Missouri Association of Homes for the Aging

MHA...An Association of Montana Health Care

North Carolina Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging

Nebraska Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Northern New England Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

New Jersey Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging

New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, Inc.

Association of Ohio Philanthropic Homes, Housing and Services for Aging

Oklahoma Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Oregon Alliance of Senior and Health Services

Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging

Rhode Island Association of Facilities & Services for the Aging

South Carolina Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging

South Dakota Association of Healthcare

Tennessee Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Texas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

Virginia Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging

Washington Association of Housing and Services for the Aging

Wisconsin Association of Homes and Services for

Quality Health Care Foundation of Wyoming