About WCCEAL

Assisted Living Communities (ALCs) Interested in Joining WCCEAL

ALCs interested in joining WCCEAL must first be part of an approved quality improvement program. ALCs should contact their member Association for further information about joining WCCEAL.

To remain in good standing and be listed in the ALC membership section of this website all ALCs must abide by the WCCEAL membership rules.

Associations interested in joining WCCEAL

WCCEAL is a public/private collaboration between the a) Wisconsin Department of Health Services, b) Wisconsin’s assisted living provider associations that include LeadingAge Wisconsin, Wisconsin Assisted Living Association (WALA), Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living (WiCAL), and Disability Service Provider Network (DSPN), c) Wisconsin’s consumer advocacy agency and ombudsman program, and d) the University of Wisconsin-Madison. All WCCEAL Associations must abide by the Association Guiding Values for Participation in WCCEAL. To receive more information about the Collaborative please contact the WCCEAL Helpdesk (wcceal@qid.wisc.edu).

LeadingAge Wisconsin 204 S. Hamilton St. Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608)255-7060 Email: info@leadingagewi.org	WI Assisted Living Association 5325 Wall Street Suite 2305 Madison, WI 53718 Phone: (608) 288-0246 Email: info@ewala.org	WHCA/WiCAL 3902 Milwaukee St., #7235 Madison, WI 53714 Phone: (608) 257-0125 Email: info@whcawical.org	Disability Service Provider Network 16 N Carroll St., Suite 300 Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 244-5310 Email: support@dspn.org

When assisted living communities and health care facilities implement internal quality assurance and quality improvement throughout their systems, they will have better outcomes. The core of WCCEAL is the implementation of an association developed, department approved comprehensive quality assurance, quality improvement program.

The WALA Diamond Accreditation Program is a voluntary, cost-effective, and self-directed quality management program that is available to WALA provider members.

The purpose of this program is to improve and maintain high standards of quality care and services for residents of Wisconsin's assisted living communities where individual needs are met in safe, healthy, respectful and dignified environments.

The Diamond Accreditation Program is an invaluable resource to help improve the quality of your assisted living operations and increase the quality of care you provide to your residents.

This program was reviewed by DHS and UW Madison - CHSRA staff and approval was granted as follows:

WALA’s Diamond Accreditation Program

Approved 01/19/2012

The mission of the Disability Service Provider Network (DSPN) is to exist as a resource to foster a community for advocacy and education for excellence in community residential and non-residential support services. It is the goal of DSPN to positively impact residential and non-residential support services throughout Wisconsin by supporting providers in the fields of Disabilities, Mental Health, and Community Corrections so that they can achieve the highest level of service to individuals with these challenges throughout Wisconsin. It is for this reason that the STAR Quality Accreditation Program was developed.

This program was reviewed by DHS and UW Madison - CHSRA staff and approval was granted as follows:

RSA Star Quality Accreditation	Approved 12/20/2011
DSPN Star Quality Accreditation	Approved 2019

Echelon – A Quality Improvement Program for Those Who Strive for Excellence in Assisted Living

The LeadingAge Wisconsin Echelon is a systematic and all-encompassing program to serve assisted living professionals who strive for excellence in the care and services they offer.

Developed by assisted living professionals for assisted living professionals, Echelon is an unparalleled forum offering peer networking and sharing, a series of quality improvement initiatives, quality improvement modules, staff training modules, educational programs, workforce development tools, leadership development, policy and procedure resources, regulatory guidance and support, and certification courses for assisted living professionals.

Echelon provides collaborative guidance and support for each participating assisted living community as the community pursues its individual journey of quality improvement. Through Echelon, assisted living professionals become better by working together.

This program was reviewed by DHS and UW Madison - CHSRA staff and approval was granted as follows:

The LeadingAge Wisconsin CBRF and RCAC Quality Improvement Network (Now Echelon)

Approved 11/16/2010

PEAL is a voluntary program open to all WiCAL members, regardless of their licensure or certification, or whether they are currently qualified for the abbreviated survey process. Participation is voluntary, but all members are strongly encouraged to participate. Participating facilities receive training in recognized performance excellence criteria and quality improvement processes. Specifically, the PEAL program will rely heavily on the Baldrige Excellence Framework (Health Care) as the foundation of the program.

This program was reviewed by DHS and UW Madison - CHSRA staff and approval was granted as follows:

WiCAL’s Performance Excellence in Assisted Living (PEAL) Program

Approved 04/06/2012

What is the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WI DHS) MCO Incentive?

• Family Care and Family Care Partnership contract, effective Jan. 1, 2024

Since 2019, MCOs in Wisconsin had a yearly opportunity to participate in an incentive for quality relating to assisted living communities (ALCs) in their network. MCOs contracted with WI DHS, Division of Medicaid Services (DMS) to improve quality for residents residing in Wisconsin ALCs. Participating MCOs received an incentive payment for each member living in an ALC that meets at least 1 of the following sets of criteria:

Incentive 1 Criteria

• Managed Care Incentive Certification - Wisconsin Department of Quality Assurance (DQA)

Incentive 2 Criteria

• Managed Care Incentive Certification - DQA
• Managed Care Incentive Certification - WCCEAL Participation
• Managed Care Incentive Certification - WCCEAL Falls Rate

In 2024, a third incentive was added. Participating MCOs earned a weighted portion of an incentive payment based on collectively increasing the statewide average of ALCs that satisfy the follow set of criteria:

Incentive 3 Criteria New in 2024

• Has at least one MCO member residing in the setting
• Managed Care Incentive Certification - WCCEAL Participation

Managed Care Incentive Certification - DQA

• Have a standing of good regulatory compliance from DMS:
  • Licensed for three years.
  • Have no enforcement action in the last three years.
  • Have no substantiated complaints in the last three years.
• Is compliant with the Home and Community-Based Services settings rule.

Managed Care Incentive Certification - WCCEAL Participation

• Is a member of Wisconsin Coalition for Collaborative Excellence in Assisted Living (WCCEAL) in good standing.
  • The ALC's WCCEAL status for the 4th quarter of the calendar year must be in good standing (New Member, Regular Member, Gold Member).
  • MCOs are required to provide the list of ALCs that are part of their network during the MCO Update Period each quarter. The list of ALCs for the 4th quarter of the calendar year will be used when determining incentive eligibility.

Managed Care Incentive Certification - WCCEAL Falls Rate

• Has a rate of less than three falls with injury per 1,000 occupied bed between January 1 and December 31, as documented by WCCEAL. A fall with injury means a fall that results in an injury requiring medical treatment.
  • The ALC's falls with injury rate is determined by averaging the rates submitted in their Quality Improvement (QI) Variables for the calendar year (at least 1 submission for the year is required).

Division of Medicaid Services (DMS): DMS provides leadership and funding support for the Coalition including funding for design and maintenance of the WCCEAL website and information system.

The Board on Aging and Long Term Care, operates the Long Term Care Ombudsman, Volunteer Ombudsman, and Medigap Helpline Programs. It is the premier resource for information and advocacy.

Division of Quality Assurance (DQA): DQA provides regulator and licensing information for ALCs in Wisconsin and the Coalition, as well as providing survey relief to WCCEAL members.

University of Wisconsin-Madison is the academic partner, providing website and database design and management. Also providing academic and evidence based research expertise and collaboration.

To become a member of WCCEAL, ALCs must first be part of an approved quality improvement program. Those interested in joining WCCEAL should first contact one of the following Associations to become an active member of their quality improvement program. All WCCEAL Associations must abide by the Association Guiding Values for Participation in WCCEAL.

LeadingAge Wisconsin, a statewide membership organization, is dedicated to the work of long-term care and assisted living organizations who principally serve seniors and persons with a disability. Through the core services of advocacy, education, and networking and guided by member-driven strategies, LeadingAge Wisconsin supports the efforts and mission of those who care for others. Together, LeadingAge Wisconsin and its members pursue better services for better aging.

The Wisconsin Assisted Living Association (WALA) promotes standards of quality care and provides valuable member services to organizations providing assisted living services. WALA’s mission is to support providers in enhancing the best quality of life for residents in assisted living in Wisconsin through advocacy, education, communication, and quality initiatives.

Wisconsin Health Care Association & Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living (WHCA/WICAL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to representing, protecting and advancing the interests of Wisconsin’s long-term care provider community and the residents they serve. In addition to its advocacy on behalf of its members, staff and residents, WHCA/WiCAL strives to provide its membership with the benefits of affiliation through the development and dissemination of information, training, and quality improvement assistance.

The mission of the Disability Service Provider Network (DSPN) is to exist as a resource to foster a community for advocacy and education for excellence in community residential and non-residential support services. It is the goal of DSPN to positively impact residential and non-residential support services throughout Wisconsin by supporting providers in the fields of Disabilities, Mental Health, and Community Corrections so that they can achieve the highest level of service to individuals with these challenges throughout Wisconsin. It is for this reason that the STAR Quality Accreditation Program was developed.

Collaborators

M3 is an independent, privately owned, full-service insurance brokerage firm. Their senior living & social services practice group is leading the way in strategic employee benefits and business insurance, helping to navigate changing regulations, unique vulnerabilities to litigation, and a challenging employment landscape.

The original Center for Excellence in Assisted Living (CEAL) was formed as a result of the first recommendation in the landmark Assisted Living Workgroup report, delivered to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging in 2003. For 20 years, CEAL thrived as a unique collaborative of diverse national organizations that work closely together to promote excellence in assisted living.

In 2023, CEAL became CEAL@UNC, which maintains this national collaborative and goal. CEAL@UNC has expanded capacity to develop evidence, bolster the workforce, and promote the adoption of evidence-based practices and policies, all toward advancing the well-being of the people who live and work in assisted living.

Argentum member companies operate senior living communities offering assisted living, independent living, and memory care services to older adults and their families. Argentum is the largest national association exclusively dedicated to supporting companies operating professionally managed, resident-centered senior living communities and the older adults and families they serve. Since 1990, Argentum has advocated for choice, accessibility, independence, dignity, and quality of life for all older adults. Argentum expands senior living through industry-leading events, publications, education, and research.

The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) is the assisted living voice of the American Health Care Association (AHCA). NCAL is dedicated to serving the needs of the assisted living community through national advocacy, education, networking, professional development, and quality initiatives. NCAL's proactive, national focus on assisted living legislation is backed by the strongest and most influential long term care advocacy team in the country. NCAL members know that their voices will be heard by the national policymakers and regulators who continually seek to influence the future of assisted living.

LeadingAge represents more than 5,000 non-profit aging services providers and other mission-minded organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside their members and 38 state partners, they use applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old.

Associated Research Grants:

2014 ICTR Dissemination and Implementation Award. UW Madison - CHSRA awarded $150,000 grand to investigate falls prevention programs among WCCEAL members.

Park Family Foundation Grant. $10,000 Music & memory grant to pilot-test the Music and Memory program with iPads in ALCs.