Schedule of Events
Below is a schedule of events for the week. Attendees will have the opportunity throughout the week to obtain a total of 20 in-seat CEUs.
Please click on a date to expand the schedule for that day. This agenda is subject to change. More information will be added as it becomes available. Please check back often.
Sunday, August 23
12 – 6 p.m.
Convention Registration
1 – 2:30 p.m.
4 Concurrent Sessions
1. DHSS Update
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom B
Presenter: Tracy Niekamp, DHSS
This session offers a regulatory update on a wide variety of state and national long-term care topics.
2. Integrating Population Health Strategies into Assisted Living: Improving Outcomes and Elevating Care
1.5 Patient Care Hours
Location: Short Creek 3 & 4
Presenter: Pamela Truscott, NCAL
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are essential drivers of resident outcomes and health care costs, especially in assisted living settings where providers can directly influence factors such as social connection, physical activity, and access to meaningful engagement. This session will examine how integrating population health approaches that address SDOH can improve resident wellness, reduce hospitalizations, and lower overall costs. Participants will gain actionable insights into defining population health in the context of assisted living, implementing data-driven strategies, and coordinating care to foster holistic, person-centered environments that enhance quality of life and promote better health outcomes.
3. Beyond Falls: Building a Proactive Mobility & Wellness Culture Across Your Facility
1.5 Patient Care Hours
Location: Cooper Creek
Presenter: Ethan Walker, Synergy Care
Falls remain one of the most cited and costly challenges in long-term care, but many fall prevention programs remain reactive and inconsistent. This session explores how facilities can move beyond traditional fall response and build a proactive mobility and wellness culture that reduces decline, improves outcomes, and supports staff. Attendees will learn how to integrate mobility and wellness into daily routines across all disciplines, creating a consistent, team-based approach that extends beyond therapy sessions. Practical strategies will be shared to improve resident strength, endurance, and function while reducing fall risk, hospitalizations, and overall care burden, without increasing staff workload.
4. Hot Topic Huddle – Indirect Influence: Does Your Behavior Affect Theirs?
1.5 Patient Care Hours
Location: Compton Ferry
Presenter: Wendy Boren, QIPMO
Join this interactive discussion to explore how everyday staff interactions can indirectly influence behavior. Share experiences, ideas, and best practices while discussing common challenges, behavior triggers, and practical ways to encourage positive outcomes. This session is designed to help attendees learn from one another and leave with ideas they can apply in their own facilities.
2:45 – 4:30 p.m.
MHCA Legacy Pageant
1.0 Patient Care Hour
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom A
Celebrate the lives, stories, and lasting contributions of long-term care residents during the newly named MHCA Legacy Pageant. Representing MHCA’s seven districts, contestants take the stage to share personal experiences; reflect on meaningful moments in their lives; and highlight the people, relationships, and care that make their communities feel like home.
4:45 – 5:45 p.m.
5 Concurrent Sessions
1. Certified Nurse Assistant Reimbursement Best Practices
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Cooper Creek
Presenter: Shellie Goodin, MHCA
Gain a clear understanding of the reimbursement process for Nurse Assistants in Training (NAIT). This session will review Missouri regulations for MO HealthNet nursing facility providers, explain reimbursement requirements and provisions, and walk through the claims and billing process using practical examples to help ensure accurate and efficient reimbursement.
2. Lead the Change: Grassroots Action for Long-Term Care
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Short Creek 2
Presenter: Roy Pace, RN, LNHA
Join fellow attendees in this relaxed, dynamic gathering to learn how small actions can create big change. Explore practical ways to engage staff, residents, families, and community partners in advocating for quality long-term care.
3. Rethinking the Plate: Dietary Guidelines and the Future of Senior Living Dining
1.0 Patient Care Hour
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom B
Presenter: Amanda Marsh, Martin Bros. Distributing, Inc.
As a new generation of older adults enters senior living, dining programs must balance evolving dietary guidance, budget pressures, and rising resident expectations. This session explores key updates to the 2026 Dietary Guidelines, their impact on food budgets and menu planning, and practical strategies for creating resident-centered dining programs. Learn how to combine the latest nutrition recommendations with current culinary trends to support healthy aging, enhance resident satisfaction, and drive operational success.
4. Your Reputation is Talking. Are You Listening?
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Short Creek 3 & 4
Presenter: Kendra Nicastro, Concept Rehab
An organization’s reputation is often formed long before a tour, interview, or referral occurs. Online reviews, star ratings, and word-of-mouth influence how residents, families, referral partners, and prospective employees perceive an organization. This session explores how reputation directly impacts census, recruitment, and referral relationships, and why it should be viewed as an operational priority, not just a marketing function. Attendees will gain practical insights into managing reputation proactively and aligning quality clinical performance, leadership, and communication to strengthen trust and visibility.
5. Hot Topic Huddle – Indirect Influence: Does Your Behavior Affect Theirs?
1.0 Patient Care Hour
Location: Compton Ferry
Presenter: Wendy Boren, QIPMO
Join this interactive discussion to explore how everyday staff interactions can indirectly influence behavior. Share experiences, ideas, and best practices while discussing common challenges, behavior triggers, and practical ways to encourage positive outcomes. This session is designed to help attendees learn from one another and leave with ideas they can apply in their own facilities.
5:45 – 6:45 p.m.
Welcome Reception
Location: Concourse North
Monday, August 24
7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Convention Registration Open
7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Exhibitor Set-Up
8 – 10 a.m.
Opening Keynote & Awards Ceremony
Leadership Rewired: The Operating System for High-Performing Leaders
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom A
Presenter: Danny Goldberg
Through his High-Performance Operating System™, Danny Goldberg challenges leaders to rewire outdated habits and design the infrastructure of modern leadership: Safety, Understanding, and Connection. You’ll leave this session with practical tools to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and care while creating an environment where both people and performance can thrive.
10:15 – 11:45 a.m.
5 Concurrent Sessions
1. Nursing Excellence in Action: Turning Quality Measures into Quality Outcomes Through Proactive Actions
1.5 Patient Care Hours
Location: Cooper Creek
Presenter: Cindy West, Tutera Senior Living
Quality measures reflect the care we provide and the experiences of the residents we serve. This session explores how nurses can translate quality data into practical, evidence-based interventions that directly improve patient outcomes. Attendees will learn how to identify priority measures, engage interdisciplinary teams, and implement best practices that elevate patient safety, satisfaction, and clinical results.
2. When Legal Doesn’t Mean Safe…
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Short Creek 3 & 4
Presenters: Jill Burford, Summit Safety Group; Angela Garrison, Tomo Drug Testing; and Anthony Ross, Carpenter and Company, Inc.
A strong loss control program is essential for preventing workplace injuries, reducing workers’ compensation costs, and creating a safer work environment. This session will explore Health Care Facilities of Missouri’s Total Safety Management program and discuss emerging workplace safety challenges, including changing marijuana laws, new testing technologies, and identifying and managing employee impairment. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for balancing employee rights, regulatory requirements, and workplace safety.
3. Crafting High-Performing Teams: The Art of Onboarding, Training, and Culture
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Short Creek 2
Presenter: Pamela Truscott, NCAL
Build a stronger, more engaged workforce with practical strategies for onboarding, training, and team development. This interactive session will cover creating an effective 30/60/90-day onboarding plan; incorporating TeamSTEPPS communication tools into staff training; and fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and resident safety. Participants also will explore low-cost strategies to strengthen employee engagement and recognition, leaving with practical tools and templates to implement in their organizations.
4. Mastering PDPM Through Accurate Assessment and Documentation
1.5 Patient Care Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom B
Presenter: Crystal Plank, QIPMO
Nursing plays a critical role in the success of the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) through accurate assessment, documentation, and clinical decision-making. This session will explore how nursing documentation related to respiratory services, restorative nursing, cognitive status, depressive symptoms, activities of daily living (ADLs), and isolation influences PDPM classification and reimbursement. Participants also will review Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) requirements, MDS coding expectations, and documentation best practices to improve assessment accuracy, support compliance, optimize reimbursement, and strengthen resident-centered care.
5. Hot Topic Huddle – Staffing Best Practices
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Compton Ferry
Presenter: Nate Hamme, Ceca Foundation
Connect with fellow facility leaders for a peer-led discussion on long-term care staffing challenges. Exchange ideas; share successful practices for recruitment, retention, and front-line support; and gain practical strategies to strengthen your care team.
10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
MHCA Board Meeting
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Fall Creek
The MHCA Legal Report – the CEU portion of the MHCA Board Meeting – will provide a case law update covering recent court decisions and CMS regulatory changes impacting the long-term care industry.
12 – 2 p.m.
Educational Session & Luncheon – Purchase of Meal Ticket Required
When Someone Has Been Scammed – Responding with Care to Avoid Further Harm
2.0 Administrative Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom A
Presenter: Cathy Wilson, LPC, ACS, LifePaths Counseling
As scams and cybercrime continue to rise, health care professionals often are among the first to recognize when someone in their care or community has been victimized. Knowing what to say — and what not to say — can make a meaningful difference in a person’s recovery. This session explores the emotional impact of cybercrime; common victim responses; and communication strategies that reduce shame, preserve dignity, and avoid causing additional harm. Participants will gain practical skills to respond with compassion and connect victims with appropriate resources.
1:30 – 3 p.m.
Delegate Credentialing
Location: Concourse North across from MHCA Registration Desk
2:15 – 3:15 p.m.
6 Concurrent Sessions
1. Employing Communication and Resolution Programs in Senior Living
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Short Creek 2
Presenters: Sarah Kleboth, Arrow Senior Living
Incidents are an inevitable part of providing care, making an organization’s response critical to maintaining trust and accountability. This session explores how Communication and Resolution Programs (CRPs) provide a structured approach to responding to care and service concerns with transparency, compassion, and accountability. Learn how Arrow Senior Living implemented a CRP across its communities, the benefits it has experienced, and practical steps for developing a program within your own organization. The session also will include a demonstration of effective communication with families following an incident.
2. Beyond the Hype: Real-World AI Use Cases for Staffing, Workflow, and Operations
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Short Creek 3 & 4
Presenters: Tiffany Karlin and Kevin Hyde, WIPFLI
AI is transforming aging services, but where can it deliver the greatest value? Through real-world case studies, this session explores how organizations are using AI and digital tools to improve staffing, automate workflows, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen daily operations. Participants will learn what worked, what challenges organizations encountered, and key considerations for successfully implementing these technologies. Leave with practical insights and actionable ideas for using AI to improve efficiency without adding unnecessary complexity.
3. Flip the Script: Dementia Behavior is Not the Problem, It is the Message
1.0 Patient Care Hour
Location: Cooper Creek
Presenter: Melanie Fischer and Cindy Gray, We Care Online
This session encourages caregivers to look beyond the behavior they see on the surface and recognize the fear, confusion, pain, trauma, or unmet need that may be driving it. Participants will learn how small changes in language, response, and perspective can reduce escalation, improve resident dignity, and support more compassionate dementia care.
4. Hidden Refunds: Recovering Sales Tax on Medical Supplies in MO
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Short Creek 1
Presenter: Aaron Giles, Agile Consulting Group
Many of Missouri’s for-profit facilities unknowingly overpay sales tax on exempt medical supplies and equipment. This session will explain recent guidance from the Missouri Department of Revenue regarding the prosthetic device exemption; identify purchases that may qualify for refunds; and outline a practical, compliant process for recovering overpayments. Participants also will learn about additional exemptions, including utilities for nursing homes, and gain strategies to identify ongoing cost-saving opportunities.
5. Navigating Medicaid & PASRR: Guidance from DFS and COMRU
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom B
Presenters: Kicia Vanzandt, DFS, and Ammanda Ott, COMRU
Understanding the Medicaid application process and PASRR requirements is essential for ensuring timely admissions and appropriate resident placement. Join representatives from the Division of Family Services (DFS) and COMRU as they explain their roles in Medicaid eligibility and PASRR screenings. Learn about application requirements, required documentation, common errors that can delay approvals, and best practices for submitting complete and accurate information. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to streamline the application and screening process for residents.
6. Hot Topic Huddle – Staffing Best Practices
1.0 Administrative Hours
Location: Compton Ferry
Presenter: Nate Hamme
Connect with fellow facility leaders for a peer-led discussion on long-term care staffing challenges. Exchange ideas; share successful practices for recruitment, retention, and front-line support; and gain practical strategies to strengthen your care team.
3 – 5 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
Location: Exhibit Hall
Professional Portraits
Location: Exhibit Hall, Booth #205
Tuesday, August 25
7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Convention Registration Open
8 – 9:30 a.m.
Educational Session & Breakfast – Purchase of Meal Ticket Required
The Art of Care: Why It’s Worth It All
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom A
Presenter: Joe Townsend
The work of caring for others is rarely easy, but it is always significant. This inspiring session recognizes the demands of long-term care while celebrating the compassion, resilience, and humanity that caregivers bring to every resident, family, and colleague they encounter. Through stories, reflection, and encouragement, attendees will be reminded that, although not every day feels beautiful, the life-changing work they do creates a masterpiece of dignity, comfort, and hope. Discover why the art of care is about more than what we do — it’s about the lives we touch and the legacy we leave.
8 – 11 a.m.
Delegate Credentialing
Location: Concourse North across from MHCA Registration Desk
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
2.0 Patient Care Hours
Location: Exhibit Hall
Missouri administrators will have the opportunity to connect with MHCA exhibitors and explore the latest products, services, resources, and innovations supporting the long-term care profession. These interactions provide valuable insights and practical solutions that can be applied within their facilities, helping administrators strengthen operations, enhance resident care, and support their ongoing professional development.
Professional Portraits
Location: Exhibit Hall, Booth #205
12 – 2 p.m.
Educational Session & Luncheon – Purchase of Meal Ticket Required
From Documentation to Defense: Audit and Appeal Strategies for Long-Term Care Leaders
2.0 Administrative Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom A
Presenters: Harvey Tettlebaum and Emily Solum, Husch Blackwell; and Sherri Robbins and Juli Pascoe, Forvis Mazars
As reimbursement scrutiny increases across all payers, providers must be prepared for audits, denials, appeals, and legal challenges. This session will explore the Missouri Medicaid Case Mix review process; Supportive Documentation Guidelines; and current medical review trends across Medicaid, Medicare, and Medicare Advantage. Attendees will gain practical strategies for strengthening documentation, responding to audits, navigating appeals, and preparing for litigation, with real-world insights from an interactive panel discussion.
2:15 – 4:15 p.m.
MHCA General Business Meeting
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom B
Attend the MHCA General Business Meeting where MHCA Executive Director Meghan Travis Henderson discusses the latest happenings in the LTC Industry at both the state and national level.
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
5 Concurrent Sessions
1. Diagnosis, Recognition & Treatment of Agitated Behaviors
1.0 Patient Care Hour
Location: Short Creek 3 & 4
Presenter: Dr. Adam Sky, Creve Coeur Psychiatric Services
This session provides an overview of common behavioral challenges in long-term care and general treatment approaches. Participants will explore practical strategies to support residents and promote person-centered care.
2. Driving Sustainable Quality Improvement in Long-Term Care
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Short Creek 1
Presenter: Dionie Bibat, Medline
Explore how the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle can drive quality improvement by helping organizations identify high-impact goals, such as reducing pressure injuries, and prioritizing decisions and resources.
3. Empowering Cybersecurity Excellence
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Short Creek 2
Presenter: Corbitt Grow, Anderson Technologies
Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, especially as cybercriminals leverage AI to launch more sophisticated attacks. This session examines today’s threat landscape, common vulnerabilities in residential care and assisted living facilities, and practical strategies to reduce risk. Through real-world examples, participants will learn how executive leadership can foster a culture of cybersecurity awareness and accountability while strengthening their organization’s overall security from the top down.
4. From Reactive to Proactive: How Remote Monitoring is Changing Long-Term Care
1.0 Patient Care Hour
Location: Cooper Creek
Presenter: James Boberg, Electronic Caregiver, Inc.
This session focuses on how facilities communicate during emergencies, including challenges, successful approaches, and lessons learned. Through guided discussion, participants will exchange practical ideas, explore communication strategies, and learn from one another to strengthen emergency response efforts in their own facilities.
5. Hot Topic Huddle – Communication in an Emergency
1.0 Administrative Hour
Location: Compton Ferry
Presenter: Brian Fiest, Midwest QIN-QIO
This session focuses on how facilities communicate during emergencies, including challenges, successful approaches, and lessons learned. Through guided discussion, participants will exchange practical ideas, explore communication strategies, and learn from one another to strengthen emergency response efforts in their own facilities.
7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
President’s Celebration
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom A
Wednesday, August 26
7:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Convention Registration Open
8 – 9:30 a.m.
Closing Keynote & Breakfast – Purchase of Meal Ticket Required
Referee’s Guide to Leadership
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom A
Presenter: David Posner, 3 Point Care Consulting
A Referee’s Guide to Leadership isn’t your typical keynote, it’s a courtside experience that brings leadership lessons to life. From the roar of the crowd to split-second calls that can change the game, referees face the same challenges leaders & administrators tackle every day: handling conflict, building teamwork, and making confident split-second decisions when it counts. David Posner, a nationally recognized referee and speaker on leadership, uses humor, interactive audience exercises, and real game footage to turn the arena into a leadership classroom.
The result? An unforgettable session that leaves audiences laughing, learning, and walking away with fresh strategies they can immediately put into play at work.
9:45 – 11:15 a.m.
4 Concurrent Sessions
1. Marketing for the Introverted
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Taneycomo Ballroom B
Presenter: David Posner, 3 Point Care Consulting
Marketing doesn’t have to be loud to be effective. Introverts possess unique strengths that can make them exceptional marketers. This session explores how qualities like deep listening, thoughtful communication, and authenticity can drive meaningful results. Learn strategies for building genuine relationships, crafting authentic messaging, using social media to increase brand awareness, and networking with confidence. Participants will leave with practical tools to market themselves and their organizations while staying true to their personality.
2. Surviving and Thriving in the Survey Process
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Cooper Creek
Presenters: Liz LaFoe, Husch Blackwell, and Nicky Martin, QIPMO
Be better prepared for every stage of the survey process. This interactive session will review survey regulations, strategies for maintaining survey readiness, and options for responding to and contesting deficiencies. Through real-world survey scenarios and audience discussion, participants will gain practical guidance for navigating challenging situations with confidence.
3. Beyond the Plan: Building Real-World Emergency Readiness in Long-Term Care
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Short Creek 3 & 4
Presenter: Brian Feist, Midwest QIN-QIO
This interactive workshop is designed to help long-term care providers move beyond regulatory compliance and build practical emergency preparedness capabilities. Participants will review the core elements of an effective emergency preparedness program, identify common gaps, and explore strategies to strengthen planning, communication, and coordination. Through facilitated discussion and scenario-based exercises, attendees will work through realistic emergencies, including severe weather, power outages, and evacuations. Participants are encouraged to bring their facility’s emergency preparedness plan and will leave with actionable steps to improve readiness, strengthen community partnerships, and better protect residents and staff.
4. Safe, Sound, and Survey-Ready: The LTC Fun-damentals
1.5 Administrative Hours
Location: Short Creek 2
Presenters: Libby Youse and Penny Kampeter, QIPMO
This session provides an overview of the maintenance responsibilities essential to Life Safety Code compliance in long-term care facilities. Participants will learn what surveyors look for; how routine building conditions impact resident safety; and the importance of consistent inspection, testing, maintenance, and documentation throughout the year.