Winning a statewide award for excellence in programming and honoring health care heroes in long term care (LTC) can be a great boost to your center’s morale and marketing efforts. All VHCA-VCAL members are encouraged to submit nominations for the D.A. “Woody” Brown Community Involvement Awards honoring excellence in activity programming and the annual Recognition Awards honoring LTC professionals.

Nominations and submissions for all the awards are due June 24, 2022.

D.A. “Woody” Brown Community Involvement Awards 

VHCA-VCAL’s D.A. “Woody” Brown Community Involvement Awards recognize members who have demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and creativity in designing activity programs that encourage and support their residents and families. VHCA-VCAL is honored to acknowledge the outstanding activity programs that involve, entertain, educate, and enrich the individuals in their care.

Awards will be given in three categories. We encourage members to submit entries in all categories.

National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) or National Assisted Living Week (NALW) Program

This category celebrates special events centers host during these annually themed weeks, which occur in May and September, respectively. The theme for NSNCW for 2022 is Creating and Nurturing Connections. The 2021 NALW theme was Compassion, Community, Caring.   

Special Event Program

The Special Event award is designed to recognize a one-time activity such as a holiday-specific program or creative event held between 2020 and May 2022. The award is granted based on program design and its ability to engage residents.  

Facility Newsletter

This award recognizes excellence in facility newsletters. Newsletters are a special form of essential communication upon which staff, residents, family members, and the greater community rely. Facilities must submit three different issues of their newsletter published between 2020 and May 2022. Judging is based on content, readability, creativity, special features, relevance, timeliness, and resident/employee involvement.

Before beginning the online nomination process, please review this Woody Brown Submission Guide to help you gather the information you need to submit a complete entry. The deadline to submit all entries is June 24, 2022.

Recognition Awards

VHCA-VCAL is seeking nominations for the prestigious Recognition Awards for 2022. These awards honor long term care professionals for their dedication to making Virginia’s LTC centers places of quality care for Virginia’s frailest citizens.

The VHCA-VCAL Recognition Awards honor individuals in the following roles:

• Nursing Facility Administrator of the Year
• Assisted Living Administrator of the Year
• Director of Nursing of the Year
• Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year
• James G. Dunton Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement

Before beginning the online nomination process, please review this Nominator’s Guide to help you gather the information you need to submit a complete nomination.

Honorees will be announced at the 2022 Annual Convention and Trade Show in September.