Village of Harmony Hill Earns 2026 AHCA/NCAL Bronze National Quality Award

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Village of Harmony Hill has been recognized as a 2026 Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award recipient by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). The national award honors long‑term and post‑acute care providers that demonstrate a strong commitment to improving quality care for residents.

The Bronze Award is the first of three progressive levels in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, which evaluates organizations using the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework, a nationally recognized standard for organizational excellence.

Administrator Krista Beauchamp, RN, said the recognition reflects the dedication of the Harmony Hill team. “We are honored to accept the Bronze National Quality Award, a reflection of the dedication and compassion our team brings to providing high‑quality care for every resident we serve,” she said.

Beauchamp noted that the award, combined with the community’s recent U.S. News & World Report Best Assisted Living designation, reinforces their commitment to excellence.

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Sr. Barbara Younger, Prioress of Mother of God Monastery and Chair of the Board, said the award affirms the values lived out daily within the community. “The give and take of community life, where mutual respect and the safeguarding of the inherent dignity of each person is the real, tangible, and generative result of intentional excellence,” she said.

AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Clif Porter praised this year’s recipients, noting that earning the Bronze Award demonstrates a strong commitment to continuous improvement and quality care.

The National Quality Award Program marks its 30th anniversary this year. Since 1996, more than 8,000 providers nationwide have participated in the Baldrige‑based program to strengthen operations and improve outcomes for residents and staff.

Award recipients will be honored during Delivering Solutions 26, the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, scheduled for October 11–14, 2026, in Boston.

The Village of Harmony Hill is part of the Benedictine Sisters’ legacy project on Harmony Hill in Watertown. In partnership with Good Samaritan–Sanford Health, the community offers assisted living, memory care, and independent living apartments, providing a full continuum of care as resident needs change. More information is available at villagewatertown.org.