ACL COVID Supp Agency Spend Plan 5 Narrative mcc.docx

Administration for Community Living Fifth Supplemental Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act

(dollars in millions)

HHS is closely coordinating across the Department to ensure that activities funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act are complementary across programs, address evolving factors associated with the Coronavirus, and support the highest priority response activities to protect public health.

This plan describes planned activities for a total of $275 million included for the Administration for Community Living in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.

Planned Activities

$175 million for Nutrition Services split between $168 million for Home-Delivered Nutrition Services and $7 million for Native American Nutrition and Supportive Services.

Home-Delivered Nutrition Services ($168 million) –

1) Formula grant awards will allow States to deliver meals and related services directly to older adults age 60 and older. This could include both frail seniors and those needing to remain in their homes to avoid the risk of contracting the virus. Home delivered meals may include “drive-through” or “grab-and-go" meals.

2) Since States can also transfer these funds without limit to Congregate Nutrition, the formula grant awards will also allow States to prepare for and implement congregate dining as these situations are deemed safe and permitted to be open by the respective state and locality.

3) Together, these services will help to ensure adequate nutrition for seniors who typically would participate in meal programs at congregate sites that have been closed due to social distancing measures or who are limiting their exposure to the coronavirus by avoiding supermarkets, restaurants and other venues where food would normally be available.

Native American Nutrition and Supportive Services ($7 million) –

Formula grant awards will allow Tribes and Tribal Organizations to provide meals and related services directly to Native American elders, whose access to meals have been restricted by the coronavirus, in the most appropriate setting during this public health emergency.

Elder Justice Act/Adult Protective Services ($100 million (with a minimum of $50 million for (§2042(b))) –

I. $93,880,000 in formula Grants to State APS Agencies (§2042(b)), per provisions in Section 2042 (b) of the Elder Justice Act. The grants will expand and improve APS ability to investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation in the context of COVID19. Funding will be used to: expand remote work capabilities, improve reporting systems (including improved linking to the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System), improved responses to scams and fraud especially related to COVID-19, expanding personnel resources, training/outreach costs related to COVID-19, increased travel/investigation costs, and acquisition of personnel protection equipment for in-person investigations.

II. $1,500,000 for the creation of a National APS Training Center through a cooperative agreement to create or curate training targeted at improving the response of APS programs during COVID-19, and make those trainings available through an e-learning system.

III. $4,000,000 in formula grants to State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs to enhance their capacity to respond to and resolve complaints about abuse and neglect, for the expansion of in-person visits, travel for state LTCO to ensure all residents have access to an LTCO, continued purchase of PPE, the purchase of new technology needed by new staff, and participation in state level “strike teams” to address complaints related to care and neglect.

IV. $620,000 for a contract to Support Elder Justice Act Activities, for ~2.5 FTE to assist ACL to provide technical assistance to states in implementing the above activities.