CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is fielding the fifth wave of the biennial National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Study (NPALS), formerly the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). NCHS has been asking Directors of residential care communities that have been selected to participate in the study to complete and submit a questionnaire by web or mail. They are accepting mail and web questionnaires until July. At the beginning of April, they started contacting places that they have not heard from and offering to have them complete the survey by telephone. To review the 2020 frequently asked questions, download samples of the questionnaires, and learn more about the study, visit NCHS' NPALS website.
The 2020 survey includes questions on COVID-19 experience. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, NCHS understands that services may be temporarily or permanently suspended, reduced, or offered through alternative methods, and fewer people may be receiving services on a regular basis. NCHS has made modifications to some of the questions to address these COVID-related irregularities. We are asking providers to please complete the survey to the best of their ability.
Participation in this survey is voluntary but makes it possible to provide accurate and relevant findings to providers, policy makers, advocates, and researchers. Findings from previous survey waves can be accessed and downloaded from the NCHS website at no cost.