Vermont Business Magazine The Center for Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington announced today that it earned official Heart Failure Accreditation from the American Heart Association as it continues to focus on providing the highest quality care to patients.
The elite designation makes CLR the first Vermont facility within the Allaire Health Services portfolio to receive this accreditation and one of only two facilities in the state of Vermont to hold the distinction. The AHA accreditation is awarded to facilities that demonstrate a rigorous commitment to following evidence-based clinical pathways and maintaining the highest quality standards for heart failure care.
To achieve this status, CLR underwent a comprehensive evaluation process, including a formal presentation to the AHA Heart Failure Board and an extensive training initiative for its workforce.
“We are incredibly proud of the team at CLR for meeting these rigorous national standards,” said Ben Kurland, CEO of Allaire Health Services. “This accreditation is a cornerstone of our company-wide commitment to clinical excellence. Our goal is to provide a level of specialized care that not only improves the lives of our residents but sets a new benchmark for post-acute care across our entire 24-facility portfolio.”
As part of the accreditation process, CLR completed a massive educational undertaking, training 150 clinical and non-clinical staff members. This above and beyond approach ensures that everyone — from nurses and therapists to dietary and activities staff — is trained to recognize the early signs and symptoms of heart failure.
“Heart failure is a leading cause of hospital readmissions nationwide,” said Meaghan Mosso, administrator at CLR. “By implementing these AHA-standardized pathways, we are providing a critical layer of protection for our patients. This allows us to better support our partners, like Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, by reducing the likelihood of patients returning to the hospital and allowing them to continue their recovery in a safe environment.”
The 130-bed CLR facility, located directly on the SVMC campus, serves approximately 400 admissions per year and provides both short-term sub-acute rehabilitation and long-term care. The AHA accreditation specifically highlights CLR’s ability to coordinate seamless transitions of care and provide personalized, patient-centered treatment plans.
“This isn't a one-and-done certification; it is an ongoing commitment to our community,” said Carroll Hoard, RN, the director of nursing at CLR. “Our staff worked tirelessly to master these new protocols. Because heart failure touches so many lives in our region — from Bennington and Manchester to our neighbors in New York and Massachusetts — it was vital that our entire team was equipped with the expertise to provide the best possible outcomes.”
Allaire plans to seek AHA accreditation at its facilities in Rutland, Springfield, and St. Johnsbury in the future.
About Centers for Living and Rehabilitation
Located on the hospital campus in Bennington, Vermont, CLR provides high-quality sub-acute and long-term care services. Originally founded to serve the local community, the facility manages approximately 400 admissions annually, focusing on reducing readmissions and enhancing the well-being of residents through specialized clinical programs.
About Allaire Health Services
Allaire Health Services, based in Central New Jersey, was founded in 2015 by Benjamin Kurland with the idea to create a unique environment of care for individuals who require short- and long-term care. Allaire’s pathway to excellence started with a single facility in Freehold, New Jersey and has evolved to include 24 facilities in 4 states. Allaire’s strategy for growth begins with identifying the right facility through significant due diligence and developing a direct understanding of the market in which the facility exists. Allaire has worked with County facilities, Hospital-owned facilities, as well as privately held facilities and the approach is the same — transform culture, engage employees, align with physicians and hospitals, and create a level of excellence that patients, residents, and families expect and deserve. Allaire’s website is www.allairehs.com.
4.2.2026. BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Center for Living and Rehabilitation
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