Transcript ACL Lifespan Respite TA and Res Ctr Info Call 4-7-2020.pdf

Lifespan Respite Care Program: Technical Assistance and Resource Center

HHS-2020-ACL-AOA-LRLT-0412

Moderator: Lori Stalbaum April 7, 2020 - 2:00 pm ET

Coordinator:

Welcome and thank you for standing by. I would like to remind all parties today’s call is being recorded. If you have any objections you may disconnect at this time. I will now turn the call over to your conference host, Ms. Lori Stalbaum. You may begin.

Lori Stalbaum (Speaking from pages 1-16):

Thank you. Welcome everyone. Thank you for joining this informational conference call today to discuss the funding opportunity announcement for the Lifespan Respite Care Program

Technical Assistance and Resource Center Grant.

The goal of this call is to walk through the funding opportunity announcement itself and highlight particular things we think you should pay attention to and answer any outstanding questions you may have.

As the operator indicated, this call is being recorded. A printed copy of today’s transcript including the question-and-answers at the end of the call will be available on www.grants.gov

Web site within about a week or so. It takes a little bit for me to get the transcripts and then get them onto the site.

So my name is Lori Stalbaum and I am a management and program analyst here the

Administration on Aging which is a center within the Administration for Community Living. I am the program officer for all the grants funded under the Lifespan Respite Care Program.

My responsibility will be to ensure that grantees are working within the requirements of the act and the respective funding opportunity announcements for which they were awarded those grants for the life of each project. I will be your go to person for all programmatic issues related to each project – to your project.

Also joining me on the call today is Pat Barrett. Pat is one of the grants management specialist for the Lifespan Respite Care Program.

Pat and her counterpart, Sherlonda Blue handle the business functions between ACL, AoA and the grantees that are selected. You would interact with Pat on questions about budget, reporting, drawing down funds, et cetera. The more business aspects.

So to begin. This call is scheduled to go for about an hour. It may run shorter. If there are a lot of questions it may run longer. I am here until all the questions have been answered. I just wanted to let you know we will be here until we are done.

I want to take this opportunity to highlight some key dates first. Dates you need to be aware of in preparing your applications and then we will get to the funding opportunity announcement which I will go through page by page to highlight the key points as necessary. And following that we will open up the lines for questions and answers.

So first some key dates to render your attention. One is today, April 7 the teleconference which again is being recorded so we can post the transcript of this call on grants.gov.

The second is letters of intent which are actually due today, April 7. Anyway I have looked and went, oh my goodness. Anyway I want to encourage everyone to consider emailing me a letter of intent even if you don’t ultimately submit an application.

Submitting a letter of intent does not commit you to actually completing or submitting an application. Letters of intent serve as a planning tool for me to use in structuring the objective application review process.

Knowing ahead of time approximately how many applications might be coming in will help me determine the number of grant reviewers I need as well as how to structure the objective review process.

Because we are going to do virtual or conference call reviews, knowing approximately how many applications we are going to get in helps me and my logistics planner better plan for the appropriate number of reviewers and review panels.

Letters of intent should be emailed to me at Lori -- L-O-R-I --.Stalbaum -- S-T-A-L-B-A-U-M --

@acl.hhs.gov. Very important key date. The application deadline is Tuesday, May 12. The deadline is 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 12.

Applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov. The due date is non-negotiable. Applications received after the due date will not be considered for funding. I will talk about that more a little bit later when we talk about the specific application and submission instruction.

The projected start date for this new technical assistance and resource center will be no later than

August 1st. So please note that August 1st is an approximate date for this project.

The actual project start date might be earlier than this depending on how quickly we are able to process the applications and issue the notice of award. But for my intent and purpose I am working on an August 1 start date.

So those are the key dates to keep in mind as you begin your work. I will talk later about the actual grant submission process which you will want to begin preparing for well in advance of when you actually push the submit button in grants.gov to officially submit your application package.

And so now I want to take some time. The funding opportunity announcement overview. I want to walk through the funding opportunity announcement somewhat page by page.

And the page numbers I am going to reference will be from a printed copy of the funding opportunity announcement. Not the pdf page numbers which don’t necessarily match up with the page numbers in the bottom right hand corner of the printed announcement which again are the ones I will be referencing.

As we walk through this announcement I will try to call your attention to those issues I believe of greatest importance. If I don’t answer a question during this time please ask me during the question-and-answer period.

So in regards to the funding opportunity announcement. First we have the cover page which provides the project name. Lifespan Respite Care Program State program enhancement grants.

The funding opportunity number which starts with HHS-2020 and the application due date which is May 12th. Next we have the table of contents which outlines the key sections that are in every

ACL funding opportunity announcement and we will try to reference as I walk through the funding opportunity announcement with you.

So now beginning with Page 1 of 40 as noted in the bottom right hand corner of the funding opportunity announcement. The actual funding opportunity announcement information and requirements begin.

First thing I want to point out at the top of Page 1 of 40. Please note that the announcement type, the third item down states modification which is due to the fact that we modified, slightly modified some verbiage in the submission section of the announcement.

So please be sure you are referring to the funding opportunity announcement that has announcement type modification which was published on grants.gov on March 24th when you are preparing your application. If you are looking at a version today, either one will be fine.

But just for the sake of your submission please make sure you are using the most current funding opportunity announcement on grants. gov. All other versions have been taken down.

Below that again is the funding opportunity number which you will need to access the application materials and submit your completed application in grants.gov.

Followed by key dates which I mentioned earlier. And then an executive summary or overview of some of the key points about the Lifespan Respite Care Act. Summary of expectations under the grant as a cooperative agreement, a statement about the applicant’s experience and expertise and a reminder of about the match requirement.

As we move onto to Page 2 of 40. We move into Section 1 of the funding opportunity announcement called the funding opportunity description. This section is broken into several subsections starting with the background and purpose.

In the background and purpose section we expand quite a bit on information provided in the executive summary with some very significant priority considerations drawn directly from the

Act itself. So please be sure your application speaks to the priorities of the Act.

Please be sure that as you write your application you clearly demonstrate that your activities will help expand or enhance state and local lifespan respite care systems.

But most importantly, towards the bottom of Page 2 of 40 we lay out the key objectives of the

Lifespan Respite Care Act. The key purpose of a national Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance

Resource Center as defined in the act. These key elements are maintain a national database on lifespan respite care, provide training and technical assistance to state, community and non-profit respite care programs. And three, provide information, referral and educational programs to the public on lifespan respite care.

At the top of Page 4 of 40 in the first full paragraph. Expectations of the technical assistance and resource center are stated. These include providing support to lifespan respite program grantees and relevant stakeholders who are working to fulfill the requirements of their ACL funded lifespan respite care program activities.

Includes undertaking activities that are directly in line with the act that seek to advance the field of family and caregiver support for persons of all ages across the lifespan. And this includes the goal of improving the capacity of services available at the federal, state and local levels to provide respite services.

The following paragraph details some of the accomplishments to date of the National Lifespan

Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center since this initiative was first funded in 2009.

That is a piece of background and food for thought.

At the bottom of Page 3 of 40 we move into the activities objective section of the funding opportunity announcement. This section really provides specific details what ACL expects the successful applicant to carry out during the course of their award.

In particular, please note the three items listed on the bottom of Page 3 carrying over into the top of Page 4 of 40. We have expanded – this comes straight from the act I think, wait stop.

Anyway, advancing respite research program implementation technical assistance, resource development and national capacity building to summarize.

Following these three listed key objectives, the funding opportunity announcement provides background information on two enacted pieces of legislation that led to the creation of two advisory councils. This information is on Page 4 of 40.

The congressional legislation I am referring to is the Supporting Grandparents Raising

Grandchildren act and the recognized assist include support and engage or raise Family

Caregivers Act of 2017.

Each of these are briefly described in the – following the introductory paragraph on Page 4 of 40.

Because ACL’s administrator and the Assistant Secretary for Aging, Lance Robertson is the chair of both of these advisory councils.

And because of AoA’s active involvement with both of these councils, this year’s funding opportunity announcement for the Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center includes activities related to the outcomes of both of these advisory council’s work.

One of which is a national family caregiving strategy which AoA believe will increase both the awareness and need for respite services across the lifespan.

To that end, we expect the successful applicant to discuss in their application how they will provide targeted and customized technical support to lifespan respite grantees and work to advance the field of respite and associated activities.

Towards the bottom of Page 4 of 40 sneaking over to the top of Page 5 or 40 we list five items that applicants should consider when writing their proposals.

These are all things that we believe promote the advancement of the field of respite. On the top of Page 5 of 40 we go onto state that applicants should clearly describe their expertise and the three primary objectives which by that we mean the numbered items on Pages 3 and 4 of 40.

In that same paragraph we emphasize the need for applicants to consider multiple strategies and approaches in each of the three areas. Plus we point out we especially want information as it pertains to the potential increased demand for services following the publication and distribution of the advisory council’s reports to Congress and the national family caregiving strategy.

Next we expect applicants to explain their direct and in-house experience and expertise to carry out the desired activities. Note that it states, “Applications for this cooperative agreement will be reviewed and scored based in part on how well applicants demonstrate key subject matter expertise and experience.”

As with any lifespan respite grant award, the technical assistance and resource center is expected to demonstrate there is support and active involvement from a range of stakeholders to ensure full achievement of the desired outcomes.

If you propose to use sub-grants or subcontracts to carry out your work that is fine. Just be sure to provide – to fully describe the rationale and criteria you will be using for selecting sub-grantees or subcontractors as well as what they will bring to your project that ensures the successful completion of all the tasks.

Along with working with stakeholder organizations, a successful applicant will be expected to demonstrate their ability to collaborate and partner with multiple other organizations and entities at the federal, state and local levels in order to support the overall project objectives.

And finally the bottom of Page 5 of 40 we lay out six criteria that applicant organizations must meet to potentially be successful in this competitive funding opportunity.

You will note it says, we will be an organization that meets the following criteria. And each one starts with demonstrated knowledge, demonstrated knowledge, demonstrated knowledge, demonstrated expertise, demonstrated experience, and demonstrated ability to lead.

So these are the things you will want to refer back to and as you write your application make sure you are addressing within your qualifications or capacity.

Moving onto the Top of Page 6 of 40. Begin Section 2. Award information. This year Congress appropriated $6.1 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program which is very exciting.

In this section you will see that through this funding opportunity announcement we anticipate funding one award with a maximum award amount referred to as the award ceiling in the funding opportunity announcement of $330,000 per year for each of five years. Each of the five years of the project.

Or a minimum award amount referred to as the award floor of $250,000 per year for each of the five years of the project. This is how much of $6.1 million we have available after we allocated funds for continuation grants, grants to new states, state program enhancement grants, plus administrative costs associated with grants administration and management.

This new award will be a cooperative agreement. As cooperative agreements, AoA has a coactive and collaborative relationship with the awardee throughout the life of the project.

As the new project gets underway, I will work with the grantee to devise a communication plan for regularly scheduled conference calls for technical assistance related to grants management for which I will be sure Pat and Sherlonda are on the call.

And implementation, program implementation and to keep the grantee up to date on strategic goals and objectives, policy perspectives and priorities of the ACL administrator and the

Department of Health and Human Services along with the work of two advisory councils referenced within the announcement.

The terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement between me as the ACL AoA project officer and the new grantee is laid out on Page 6 and 7 of 40.

I want to draw your attention to a specific sentence in the last paragraph of this section. Near the bottom of Page 7 of 40. Which states that the terms and conditions laid out in this funding opportunity announcement are incorporated by reference into the new notice of award.

So please be sure to read these terms and conditions and ask questions about them if you have any. And also please be sure you understand and are aware of all the requirements of myself and you as the potential grantee. Because once the award is issued, these terms and conditions become binding.

At the very bottom of Page 7 of 40 begins Section 3. Eligibility information. Please be sure you read and understand these requirements. It comes straight from – this is full and open competition and this is standard language for a full and open competition.

Later when I talk a bit more about screening applications against responsiveness criteria before sending them to the review panels. Eligibility is one of the first things we always look at.

Whether or not the applicant meets the eligibility requirements as specified.

Next on Page 8 of 40 of the announcement, another very important issue for applicants and that is cost sharing or match. By statute, cost sharing or matching is 25% cash or in-kind that the applicant agrees to contribute to the project. Congress has not permitted waivers to the match requirement in the past. We don’t expect them to do so now.

As with most other federal grants, match must be from non-federal sources. And just as a quick reminder though it is stated in the funding opportunity announcement. Cash match comes from non-federal funds such as cash contributions from individuals or organizations.

In kind contributions are non-federal, third party, non-cash contributions made directly to the grant project. And includes things like donated time, real and non-expendable property and goods and services.

So if someone lets you use a space for regular meeting and they don’t charge you the rental fee or something. That could be an in-kind contribution and be it counted towards match. Detailed instructions for calculating match are in Attachment A of the announcement.

Section 3 Part 3 addresses responsiveness and screening criteria and is found at the bottom of

Page 8 and the top of Page 9 of 40. Please be sure your applications address the responsiveness and screening criteria. We will be reviewing each application internally to ensure that both responsiveness and screening criteria are met before we move any applications forward to the reviewers.

Failure of an application to comply with either the responsiveness or screening technical criteria will result in that application being eliminated from further review of consideration for funding.

Responsiveness criteria include the three factors listed on the bottom of Page 8 of 40. If all of these criteria are not met, your application will not be reviewed. So be sure to incorporate these elements in your application.

The application screening criteria are more technical in nature and standard on every ACL funding opportunity announcement. But again if your application misses any of these technical screening criteria, your application will not be reviewed.

One exception is if you are – kind of an exception. If all the other criteria are met, the responsiveness and the screening criteria are met and your project narrative is longer than 20 pages we will accept the first 20 pages of your application. We will remove the subsequent pages after Page 20 and we will provide the first 20 pages of the application for review by the review panel.

So please try to stay to 20 pages. Please no longer than 20 pages otherwise it could be reviewed but they won’t have the full appreciation of your proposal.

Beginning in the middle of Page 9 of 40 is Section 4. Application and submission information.

Part 1 address to request an application package provides general information on the grants.gov registration process.

For more detailed information about this you would need to go to the grants.gov Web site.

However we do try to provide a good frame of reference, some telephone numbers. And do want to remind people even if you are already registered on the grants.gov Web site, several of the tools and resources require an annual resubmit or update of your application.

Section 4 Part 2. Content and form of application submissions. Top of Page 11 of 40. Here again the letter of intent due today. That was unintentional but that was how it worked out.

Conference call and letter of intent on the same day.

Please do feel free to email me that by the end of your day today or, you know, tomorrow. It is good. Any assistance with that is helpful in as I said earlier in helping me plan.

And then the final subsection of Section 4 which runs from Pages 11 of 14 of 40 provides you with the critical information on structuring your project narrative. I am really glad the music stopped because the project narrative this is the heart of your application.

This is where you tell your story and lay out your project. This is your opportunity to tell the reviewers what you will do. And as your primary means on which your application scores are based. So please be sure to read through the information under each of these components of the project narrative to ensure you address them in your proposal.

Problem statement, goal objectives, proposed interventions, et cetera, special target populations.

And remember you only have 20 pages of which to do this. So planning be careful writing is key.

We will be using outside review panels to review and score each application. So the narrative is your only opportunity to fully describe your project and respond to all elements of the funding opportunity announcement.

Finally on Pages 14 and 15 of 40 please note the information in Section 3 Part 3, submission dates and time. Again it states applications are due no later – or due on May 12, 2020. No later than 11:59 pm which it doesn’t say right there but it says there.

This section provides details on requirements for submitting your application through grants.gov as well as information about what to do if you have technical issues submitting your application package. Neither Pat, Sherlonda, Greg nor I can help with technical issues related to grants.gov.

So please note if you wait until the last minute to submit your package and you encounter technical issues. This section lets you know what ACL will need from you if for some reason your application is not submitted in time.

And that includes a support desk case number and lots of information to confirm from grants.gov that there was a technical issue. This is why it is very important to submit your application before the last minute. Because a lot of times the system gets bogged down and there can be problems.

And I would hate for anyone not to be able to get their application through and not have corroboration of the technical issue. Because then we will not accept the application.

Moving onto funding restrictions. Section 3 Part 5 on Page 16 of 40. Please note these are activities that are not fundable and not allowable and not negotiable because they are required by law. No construction, basically scientific and medical experiments, no discontinuing something you are already doing without expanding or doing new things and no meals are allowed with grant funds except for under the following conditions.

Notice in Section 3 Part 6 we once again include my email address for you to submit your letter of intent today should you choose to do so. If you don’t know my email address just pick a page.

Sorry it is late.

Beginning at the bottom of Page 16 of 40, start Section 5. Application review information. This goes all the way through to Page 20 of the funding opportunity announcement of 40.

This is where we lay out the exact criteria against which your application will be scored. In other words, your scoring forms that we give to the reviewers and are used by the reviewers will include these exact questions and sub-questions and they will review your application based on these elements, questions, items alone and how well your application addressed each of those items.

So my suggestion is to be sure you read and make sure your application – read all these elements. Make sure your application answers each of the questions included in these sections.

You might even want to make a little checklist of your application next to the questions. In the five sections and subsections.

Again just keep in mind that these are the only criteria against which reviewers will be scoring your applications. Very important to familiarize yourself with them.

On Page 20, right at the top, Section 5 Part 2 review and selection process. Gives you an overview of what will take place after you submit your application. Each application that passes the initial screening mentioned earlier will be reviewed by a panel of three experts in the field.

Their recommendations based on their objective review of the applications will be included in the final award decisions. They will use scoring forms that contain each of the questions in each of the five sections noted previously.

After the May 12 application deadline, applications will be made available to the reviewers it is usually within three to seven days. It depends on number of applications we have received as well as the number of other funding opportunity announcement that are closing. Because we all work through the same system. As well as the number of review panels we have to convene.

Reviewers generally have a minimum of 10 days to review multiple applications depending on the complexity or time availability of the reviewers. It can sometimes be, you know, 14 days or so before the review panel is convened.

So in general, I anticipate convening the review panels around mid-June. So notifications can go out to successful applications in mid-July for start date of August 1. Of course all of this is dependent on how long the review and internal approval process takes.

But this is as specific as I can get be it at this point with respect to timelines. We are working for an August 1 start date and it is mid-June to complete the reviews and mid-July we hope to issue the award. Give or take.

Along with the other key dates we talked about earlier I hope now you have a pretty good idea of what will be happening as this process unfolds into the summer.

And then finally on Page 20 and 21 of 40 we provide information on award administration.

Section 6 of the announcement which contains the explanations about the award notices, administrative and national policy requirements as well as reporting requirements for both fiscal reporting and program progress reporting.

This is followed by my contact information again as well as Sherlonda Blue’s contact information. As I indicated, Pat Barrett, who is on the call with us, and Sherlonda Blue are the grants management specialist that work with me and assist me in the lifespan respite care program grant.

Finally on the bottom of Page 21 all the way to the end of the announcement is Section 8. Other information. This long section is very, very informative. It details other required elements of the applications. It provides instructions on filling out some of the standard federal forms. We provide templates. I would like to draw your attention there included as attachments to the application.

There are templates for the work plan with a sample. There is a template for a budget narrative, multi-year budget narratives in this case as well as a sample in the back of the application.

You are not required to use these templates. You are not penalized if you do. You are not scored higher – you are not penalized if you don’t. You are not scored higher if you do. But we offer them as a sample and as a tool if you would like to use them.

This concludes my portion of the call. Pat, do you have anything you would like to add?

Pat Barrett: Thanks for asking Lori. No I think you have covered quite a bit and if people have questions they will be contacting us right?

Lori Stalbaum: Absolutely. And they may be asking us now. So without further ado let’s open up the lines for your questions. Please don’t forget to unmute your phone if you are on mute. It helps me hear better that way.

Anyone have any questions?

(Jill): Yes I do. I do have a couple of questions about the objectives and priorities that are written in the funding opportunity announcement on Page 3, the bottom of Page 3 and the top of Page 4. Just some clarifying questions.

Lori Stalbaum: Okay.

(Jill): For Objective 2 the way that I read it are you saying that supporting families and development of their natural support is the main way to advance the goals of the Lifespan Respite Care Program?

Lori Stalbaum: Hold on. Are we on Page 3 of 40?

(Jill): Yes. Objective 2. It is the main…

Lori Stalbaum: Program implementation. So program implementation technical assistance and resource development?

(Jill): Yes. Under activities and Objectives 2. In that objective is again the supporting families in development of their natural support system. Is that the main way you expect the Lifespan Respite Care Program to be advanced by the TA center?

In other words: Are we also permitted to work with states to build capacity for formal respite services that are funded by public and private sources as well?

Lori Stalbaum: Yes because we talk about messaging and public outreach education on using respite, identifying caregivers as a means of supporting families in the development of their own natural support system.

(Jill): Okay. We usually define natural supports for respite as those supports that are outside of the formal service system. For example, families who are using friends and family for respite or they are looking to already existing integrated community support that might exist.

Lori Stalbaum: Right.

(Jill): So I think you are talking about natural supports more broadly here. So we would be providing training and technical assistance for all respite service systems that support families. Natural and formal.

Lori Stalbaum: Correct.

(Jill): Okay.

Lori Stalbaum: Correct because often times respite is provided on a more informal basis.

(Jill): Right but that wouldn’t be the main thrust of the TA center. It would be an important part of what we cover.

Lori Stalbaum: It is an important part of expanding the state’s capacity.

(Jill): Oh okay.

Lori Stalbaum: The grantee’s states’ capacity to meet the need a broader set of needs.

Lori Stalbaum: In their state respite coalition services of care. And if they are not grantees then just how does one work within the family structure?

Lori Stalbaum: Formal, informal match.

(Jill): We should be prioritizing that as an activity but not to the exclusion of the overall respite services system that supports families and helping them gain access to all formal and informal supports.

Lori Stalbaum: Correct, correct. It is important but it is not, you know, in the sentence it is not a standalone you must do this. So a lot of times when you read the funding opportunity announcements you have to take it in the context of the full sentence even though that is confusing.

Because it starts with talking about targeting the needs of the grantees.

Lifespan Respite Care grantees past, present and future. By the fact that that is stated first that gives that higher priority. Advancing them the goals of the whole program by helping to identify and develop, disseminate training and technical assistance resources.

And if you look at the state program enhancement funding opportunity announcement there is a focus on more outreach for volunteers not just necessarily paid vouchers. But training of volunteers and this fits back into that I think as well.

(Jill): I think I understand what you are saying.

Lori Stalbaum: And it is also in line with I think, you know, if you think about these councils.

The councils, grandparents’ council and the family care giving council and some forms of respite depending on the person’s need by better met by someone they are familiar with.

(Jill): Oh yes absolutely. No I am not…

Lori Stalbaum: No I know you are – you clarify.

(Jill): It reads as if that should be a priority for the resource center not just part of what we are doing.

Lori Stalbaum: Right. It should be included in what you are doing not…

(Jill): Not the main overall thrust.

Lori Stalbaum: No the main overall thrust of the resource center remains the same. But we are kind of adding the informational elements about the council.

(Jill): Right, right.

Lori Stalbaum: The informal supports because with the additional funds we think that there is more that the technical assistance and resource center might be able to take on.

(Jill): Okay that sounds great.

Lori Stalbaum: I hope that helps.

(Jill): Yes I think it did. I have a question to clarify Objective Number 3 then as well.

Lori Stalbaum: Okay.

(Jill): Because that also talks about national capacity building to increase respite capacities in former grantee states and in new states. Again as a major objective and a priority area.

But we would still want to give high priority to current grantees in this regard to help them increase their capacity and strength in their coalitions. Correct?

It doesn’t mean to exclude or technical and training assistance activities should not exclude current grantees?

Lori Stalbaum: Never. Never should exclude current grantees. But the capacity building as a technical assistance and training is moving forward should also provide – should also be able to provide assistance perhaps with states that have yet to receive funding to support efforts to build or strengthen a coalition. Because we also have states that do not have respite coalition.

(Jill): Yes absolutely.

Lori Stalbaum: So it is not – so we have I mean we have funded 37 states plus the District of

Columbia since it started which is part of what we mentioned in the funding opportunity announcement. And there are some states who have not been funded that we know do have respite coalitions in place.

And there are some states who have not been funded who we do not know of any respite coalitions or concerted respite efforts. You know coordinated respite efforts in their state.

And we would like to work to try to help those states build or strengthen the coalitions they have or understand the needs or the premise behind building one.

(Jill): Right okay. I think we are on the same page. I was just trying to understand the – these three objectives pulled out as major priorities. But I think I understand the context in which you are describing them.

Lori Stalbaum: Yes and again ties back – with the number of grant states we have funded since 2009 with the advent of the National Family Caregiving Strategy. You know there is a lot of intermix in what that technical assistance will be overlap.

But there may be issues that some states come for assistance that may focus solely on states that are working to build a respite network. And those what we are saying is those can be and should be assisted as well.

(Jill): Yes, yes well we have always done that so we will continue to do that. I have one more very quick questions that is probably just a technical glitch.

Lori Stalbaum: Oh where is my typo?

(Jill): Sorry.

Lori Stalbaum: No, no I meant that in a very kind way (Jill).

(Jill): Again I want to make sure that…

Lori Stalbaum: No, no I appreciate.

(Jill): Correctly.

Lori Stalbaum: Yes absolutely.

(Jill): On Page 14 when it talks about the work plan, Page 14 of 40.

Lori Stalbaum: I am working on it. Yes. Oh whoops.

(Jill): It says a project work plan should cover all three years of the…

Lori Stalbaum: It should cover thank you.

(Jill): Five right?

Lori Stalbaum: Yes please on the phone Page 14 of 40. The project narrative work plan. The funding opportunity announcement said it should cover all three years. This is a five year project so the work plan should cover all five years of the project.

Thank you so much for pointing that out Jill.

Lori Stalbaum: Yes, thank you. Five year work plan not a three year work plan. A five year work plan. It is a five year project period. I just have to stress that because I am really sorry about that.

(Jill): No problem.

Lori Stalbaum: Thank you for…

(Jill): I assumed it was five. But I just again…

Lori Stalbaum: No I really appreciate your asking that. I looked at this thing a million times and didn’t see that.

(Jill): That is all I have. Aren’t you glad?

Lori Stalbaum: That is probably why I didn’t see it. Anyone else? Any other questions (Jill)?

Anyone else on the phone would like to ask questions? My time is your time.

I would love to answer additional questions.

Please don’t forget to take your phone off mute if you have a question. Okay last call. All right.

(Jill): Thank you for a great walk through of this Lori it was very helpful.

Lori Stalbaum: Oh thank you (Jill). Thank you very much. And thank you Jill, Pat and anyone else on the phone. I really appreciate you taking your time of what I know everyone’s very busy days in this current situation we are living in.

I appreciate your time and I look forward to receiving your applications, your letters of intent if you choose to submit them. And working whomever the new awardee is come August. Thank you all and have a really great day.

END