Business View Magazine - April 2016 121
Florida Assisted Living Association | 3
by Pat Lange
The Florida Assisted Living Association (FALA) is a strong, uni-
fied, professional organization representing the owners and op-
erators of assisted living facilities (ALFs). ALFs give residents the
freedom to live as they choose, but offer extra support and care
when needed. ALFs provide loving, safe, happy homes for those
who cannot entirely care for themselves and need assistance with
activities of daily living. ALFs allow residents to feel protected and
secure, provide wholesome foo
tation to shopping
and appointments, monitor medical needs and facilitate social
interaction. FALA is the voice of ALFs in Florida, serving as an
advocate to protecting their members’ mission, oversee collective
initiatives and promote their interests and goals.
Our membership is comprised of facilities ranging in size
from those who care for a few individuals to those that care for
hundreds. We represent more than 600 assisted living facilities
and adult family care homes and more than 175 associate mem-
PROMOTING EXCELLENCE
IN ASSISTED CARE
COMMUNITIES
The Florida Assisted Living Association (FALA) was founded some 25 year ago
when three regional associations - the Suncoast Adult Care Association (St. Pe-
tersburg/Clearwater), the Florida Residential Care Association (Orlando), and
the Adult Care Association of Florida (Broward County) - along with many inde-
pendent facility owners, decided to join forces to create one statewide trade
association to represent Florida’s Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs). According to
Shad Haston, FALA’s current Chief Executive Officer, “They found they needed
advocacy at the state level as it relates to rules and regulations that were being
promulgated upon the industry, and they wanted to have a voice in Tallahas-
see.”
Today, FALA is a pro-
fessional organiza-
tion representing th
owners and opera-
tors of assisted living
and adult family care
homes in the State
of Florida. Its mem-
bership includes for
profit and non-profit
facilities ranging in
size from 4 to 475
beds. Its mai priority is to assist its members in providing the highest quality
of care for their residents. It does so by promoting best practices in operations,
encouraging high standards, lobbying on behalf of the industry, and keeping
its member up to date on the Agency fo Health Care Administration’s (AHCA)
rules and regulations. FALA is also is the leading provider of quality education
and training for assisted living professionals.
Haston came on board in 2014, with broad experience and expertise in the
area of assisted living laws and procedures. For several years before his pres-
AT A GLANCE
WHO:
The Florida Assisted Living Associa io
WHAT:
professional organization representing the
owners and operators of assisted living facilities
WHERE:
Tallahassee, Florida
WEBSITE
:
