New guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reinforces messaging from the feds on emergency preparedness in long-term care that effective planning, coordination, and continuous readiness are central to protecting patients, staff, and communities before, during, and after emergencies.

Meghan Medvitz, senior manager of quality improvement and emergency preparedness at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), said the new guidance is in alignment with current long-term care regulatory requirements.

“As health care organizations continue to navigate increasingly complex threats—ranging from natural disasters to technological failures and public health events—this refreshed information provides a timely framework for resilience,” she said in a blog post.

She said the most noteworthy parts of the updated CMS information are below.

1. A Comprehensive All Hazards Planning Approach

CMS underscores that emergency preparedness must begin with robust hazard identification, commonly known as a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA), addressing both direct impacts to a facility and indirect threats affecting the surrounding community—such as utility disruptions or supply chain interruptions. This approach ensures plans aren’t designed for just one scenario but can flex to address a wide spectrum of events.

2. Strengthening Mitigation Strategies

CMS focuses here on the importance of proactive mitigation, encouraging organizations to minimize risk before an event occurs. This includes safeguarding residents, ensuring staff receive appropriate safety training, and integrating mitigation into day-to-day operations. “These mitigation plans can be built into your HVA and should be documented in your EP Plan. Notably, CMS emphasizes that mitigation is not a standalone phase—it directly shapes response and recovery readiness,” Medvitz said.

3. Preparedness Through Training, Testing, and Plan Evolution

Preparedness now centers on an organization’s capacity “to maintain continuity of operations” even when essential services are compromised. This area demands ongoing review of hazard analyses, facility capabilities, and resource availability, at least annually as per the regulatory requirements.

4. A Coordinated, System Level Response

CMS stresses that no provider operates alone during an emergency. “An effective response is built on coordination with public health agencies, emergency medical services, health care coalitions, and other community partners. Establishing, maintaining, and documenting partnerships should be part of your annual EP updates,” she said.

Among the practical steps AHCA/NCAL said providers should take following this guidance is to review and update emergency preparedness programs, review regulations in this space, and revisit and revise all HVAs.

See the complete AHCA/NCAL blog here.

CMS’s updated guidance on emergency preparedness is here.

Questions or comments? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.