Federal Grant Award Summary

The Administration on Aging awarded the South Dakota Department of Human Services $144,415 under the Special Programs for the Aging, Title VII, Chapter 2, Long Term Care Ombudsman Services for Older Individuals program (CFDA 93.042) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This formula grant funds the state's Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, which provides comprehensive advocacy and complaint resolution services for vulnerable older adults residing in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and board and care communities.

The grant supports core ombudsman services including the identification and investigation of resident complaints, provision of information to residents regarding long-term services and supports, ensuring regular and timely access to ombudsman services, and representation of resident interests before governmental agencies to secure administrative and legal remedies. The program also requires analysis and development of recommendations for changes to laws and regulations affecting long-term care quality and consumer protections. As a statutory formula grant distributed on a non-competitive basis to all states and territories with designated State Agencies on Aging, the award reflects South Dakota's proportional allocation based on established federal formulas for this mandatory program.