Building Culture Leaders

The Building Culture Leaders Program was established in August 2024. FutureCare NC, a not-for-profit organization established by North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association (NCHCFA), was awarded a $380,000 grant for three years from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

About

The Building Culture Leaders Program focus is on improving the health and well-being of skilled nursing facility residents by equipping long-term care (LTC) leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to carry out their incredibly complex jobs. The program aims to develop leadership and organizational culture building amongst LTC leaders to drive quality improvement and person-centered care for residents.

The Building Culture Leaders Program is funded by civil money penalties (CMPs) and builds on NCHCFA’s Institute for LTC Leaders. The focus of the Institute has been on providing leadership training and networking opportunities that can develop effective leaders in North Carolina’s LTC profession.

The Program offers in-depth training sessions for 40 participating skilled nursing facilities. Through in-person training, individualized coaching, and onsite workshops and team building, the Building Culture Leaders Program empowers long-term care leaders to develop and sustain organizational cultures centered around resident-focused care. Over 1,000 leaders/staff will be directly impacted through the education and support provided.

Corporate offices nominated facilities, and the participating facilities were contacted this week. Program objectives at the end of the three-year grant period include:

  • Increase resident and family satisfaction in quality of care and quality of life by 15% in participants’ facilities, and
  • Increase participants’ organizational culture building and leadership skills, with at least 75% of participants reporting an improvement.

Upcoming Cohort Dates

The program is gearing up for its third and final cohort beginning in fall 2026:

  • October 21-22, 2026: Cohort Kick-off and Effective Leadership
  • January 21, 2027: MBTI’s Impact on Team
  • March 17-18, 2027: Creating a Positive Organizational Culture
  • May 19, 2027: Culture Change Through LEAN Process

Program Leaders

  • Eric Kivisto, Executive Director of FutureCare NC and Director of Quality Improvement Projects at NCHCFA, erick@nchcfa.org
  • Mark Gogal, Vice President of Workforce Development at NCHCFA, markg@nchcfa.org