WEST DES MOINES — Care Initiatives is announcing that State Center Specialty Care has been recognized as a 2026 recipient of the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) for demonstrating systematic growth in quality care.

This distinction is the second of three progressive award levels through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program. The program honors long term and post-acute care providers across the nation that have demonstrated their dedication to enhancing quality care for the residents they serve.

“Earning the Silver award is an incredible honor and demonstrates our dedication to quality care,” said Johanna Volm, Care Initiatives’ senior vice president and chief nursing officer. “This achievement also underscores the State Center team’s dedication to enhancing the care and services we provide to our residents every day.”

The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is a rigorous three-level process in which organizations are reviewed and evaluated by trained experts against the nationally recognized Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework. The framework helps providers strengthen organizational performance, improve outcomes and enhance the quality of care for residents. At the Silver level, organizations demonstrate how they systematically improve performance and achieve results through effective approaches and processes that are deployed throughout the organization.

Located in State Center, State Center Specialty Care is licensed to provide quality care to up to 39 residents, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, serving residents from Marshall County and many surrounding communities.