Campaign to bring attention to the importance of long term care wins prestigious public affairs award 

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NEW YORK

- A nationwide effort to help Americans communicate with elected officials about the importance of access to high quality long term care was recognized last week by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). 

TheDriving for Quality Care Campaignwas launched by the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) and its advertising agency, Schmidt Public Affairs. The campaign received a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence from PRSA. The award recognizes outstanding strategic public relations planning and implementation and was presented during the Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony held June 9 in New York City.

Driving for Quality Care

was an unprecedented grassroots movement that traveled more than 15,000 miles; gathered thousands of petition signatures; generated nationwide press coverage; and gave long term care staff, residents, family members, and communities an opportunity to tell elected officials what it means to have access to quality long term care services. AHCA/NCAL launched the nationwide petition initiative to urge President Obama, Congress and Governors across the country to focus attention on the chronic underfunding of America’s long term and rehabilitative care services. Last year’s tour began in Washington, DC, in July, made 64 stops and finished in Blacksburg, VA, in late October. 

“It is an honor for AHCA/NCAL to be recognized with a prestigious award like the Silver Anvil,” said Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “Driving for Quality Carewas an important campaign that helped bring attention to the importance of funding long term and post-acute care. It also gave our members across the country an opportunity to join the advocacy effort and share their point of view with decision-makers.”

“With this award, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living has demonstrated outstanding work that helps showcase the value of public relations to the organizations we represent and the communities they serve,” said PRSA Chair and CEO Rosanna M. Fiske, APR. “The Silver Anvils are our profession’s most prestigious awards, recognizing capabilities and accomplishments in public relations by providing successful strategy and business outcomes.”

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the Silver Anvil Award

The Silver Anvil Awards program has grown in scope and stature since its inception in 1946, and awards are now given in 59 categories and subcategories. In the 60-plus-year history of the Silver Anvils, many organizations have been recognized, including solo practitioners, agencies of all sizes, large and small businesses, top corporations, nonprofits, associations and government agencies.

With more than 31,000 members,

PRSA

is the largest organization of public relations professionals and students. PRSA is comprised of 112 local

Chapters

organized into 10 geographic

Districts

; 14

Professional Interest Sections

that focus on issues, trends and research relevant to specialized practice areas, such as technology, health care, financial communications, entertainment and sports, and travel tourism; and the

Public Relations Student Society of America

(PRSSA), which has more than 300

Chapters

at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. PRSA is headquartered in New York.

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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) represent nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to 1.5 million of our nation's frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. For more information, please visitwww.ahca.org orwww.ncal.org

.