The Ohio Assisted Living Association (OALA) represents the largest number of assisted living communities of any trade association in the state. Representing over 600 Ohio communities, we are a strong voice on all issues affecting assisted living.We are very active legislatively, informing legislators about assisted living, impacting proposed legislation, and even initiating legislation. Joining our staff in this effort is our government relations team, Capitol Advocates, providing our Association with a broader and more consistent presence at the Statehouse. We also work on a regular basis with all state agencies impacting assisted living, sharing our knowledge and understanding of the industry and the issues before them. We have significantly impacted Assisted Living regulation and will continue to do so.Education is at the core of our mission, whether it be through advocacy at the Statehouse or in government agency offices or with members, keeping them informed and offering them opportunities to add to or reinforce their skills and knowledge in our field and providing them the opportunity to network with others in the industry. We provide these services through our website, email updates, state conferences and webinars. We also provide interaction for businesses and companies providing goods and services to our industry through our trade shows, on-line listings, and industry partner memberships. Finally, our website serves as a resource for consumers of assisted living offering a listing of communities across the state by area, a checklist for visiting and selecting an assisted living community and other programs and resources available to them.