HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLR-0209 modified.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Center for Integrated Programs

Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grants to New States

HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLR-0209

Application Due Date: 06/14/2017

Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grants to New States

HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLR-0209

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Funding Opportunity Description I.

Award Information II.

Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants 1.

Cost Sharing or Matching 2.

Responsiveness and Screening Criteria 3.

III.

Application and Submission Information Address to Request Application Package 1.

Content and Form of Application Submission 2.

Submission Dates and Times 3.

Intergovernmental Review 4.

Funding Restrictions 5.

Other Submission Requirements 6.

IV.

Application Review Information Criteria 1.

Review and Selection Process 2.

Anticipated Announcement Award Date 3.

V.

Award Administration Information Award Notices 1.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements 2.

Reporting 3.

FFATA and FSRS Reporting 4.

VI.

Agency Contacts VII.

Other Information VIII.

Department of Health & Human Services

ACL Center: Center for Integrated Programs Funding Opportunity Title: Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grants to New States Announcement Type: Modification Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-LRLR-0209 Primary CFDA Number: 93.072 Due Date For Letter of Intent: 05/03/2017 Due Date for Applications: 06/14/2017 Date for Informational Conference Call:

05/03/2017

Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this competitive grants opportunity to eligible state agencies for implementing the requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (P.L.109-442).

ACL will fund up to two(2) cooperative agreements, with a federal funding level of up to $200,000 per award for a 36-month project and budget period.

Eligible state agencies funded under this announcement shall use grant funds for planning, establishing and/or expanding, and enhancing Lifespan Respite Care systems in the states, including new and planned emergency respite services, training and recruiting respite workers and volunteers and assisting caregivers with gaining access to needed services.

This is a limited grant competition. By statute, awards may only be made to eligible state agencies that administer the State's program under the Older Americans Act of 1965; or, that administer the State's program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act; or, are designated by the governor of a state to administer the program activities described in this Announcement.

The grant competition is further limited as follows: Only those states not previously funded under the Lifespan Respite Care Program at any time from fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2016 are eligible to apply for funding available under this Announcement.

All applicants must demonstrate the support and active involvement of a range of governmental and non-governmental organizations with a stake in serving populations eligible to receive services under the Lifespan Respite Care Act. Only one application per State will be funded.

Once funded, grantees will be expected to collaborate with multiple state and local agencies representing or inclusive of all ages, populations, disabilities and chronic conditions in planning and carrying out the requirements of the project.

Prospective applicants should be sure to read, understand and fully respond to all requirements of this announcement.

https://www.grants.gov

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this competitive grants opportunity to assist eligible state agencies with implementation of the requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-442). Eligible State agencies receiving funding under this Announcement will work through aging and disability resource centers (ADRCs)/No Wrong Door systems and in collaboration with state respite organizations and/or coalitions to enhance and expand the availability of lifespan respite services.

Successful applicants will be required to establish or expand state and local coordinated Lifespan Respite Care systems to serve family caregivers regardless of the age, disability or chronic condition of the care recipient. Grantees will also be required to develop and provide new and planned emergency respite services, train and recruit respite workers and volunteers and assist caregivers in gaining access to respite care services.

Eligible respite recipients include family members (including grandparents of any age who are premiary caretakers of children or adult with special needs), foster parents, or other adults providing unpaid care to adults who require care to meet basic needs or prevent injury and to children who require care beyond that required to meet the basic needs of the child (collectively referred to as family members). Further, all programs must, from the outset, address the respite needs of all populations regardless of the age and/or disability/special needs of the care recipient populations. No phase-in or preference for specific age groups or disability categories will be permitted.

Applicants should be aware that this is a highly competitive opportunity. Limited funds are available to support applicants’ proposed projects. Therefore only those applications deemed to show the greatest likelihood of success will be selected for funding. Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which each of the required elements described in this Announcement is addressed in the application narratives and supporting documents.

Background

Who are caregivers?

Caregivers are often referred to as the backbone of America’s long-term care system. On a daily basis, family caregivers assist relatives and other loved ones with a broad range of tasks ranging from routine to complex. According to the 2015 Report, Caregiving in the U.S., an estimated 43.5 milllion adults in the United States have provided unpaid care to an adult or a child in the prior 12 months.[1]

Caregivers may be found in every community and come from every walk of life. Caregivers are male and female, younger and older, and may or may not possess adequate financial resources to meet their own daily needs or the needs of those for whom they care. While the spectrum of individuals classified as “family caregivers” is diverse, several key factors come into play when considering the best ways to support them in their roles:

Family caregivers perform tasks ranging from administrative tasks such as bill paying and household management to providing complex medical care to their loved ones;[2] Family caregivers often do not recognize that they are caregivers and, instead, view what they are doing as fulfilling a familial role;

Once caregivers recognize themselves as such, they often reach out for help too late;

When caregivers ask for assistance like respite care, they often encounter fragmented, narrowly targeted programs or are unable to afford the respite options available to them;[3] and Many family caregivers lack sufficient information about where to find supportive services, including respite, or how to choose from among the available options.

What is Respite?

Respite is temporary relief for caregivers from the ongoing responsibility of caring for an individual of any

Respite is temporary relief for caregivers from the ongoing responsibility of caring for an individual of any age with special needs. Respite is intended to strengthen the family system while protecting the health and well-being of both the caregiver and the care recipient and is a key component of long-term care services.

Currently, several Federal, state and private funding streams support, or have the potential to support, planned and emergency or crisis respite care for caregivers. Each program typically contains specific eligibility requirements in order to receive services, potentially creating difficulties in accessing services and gaps in service availability. For example, the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) is designed to address difficulties and service gaps, providing a range of services to meet the diverse needs of caregivers, including respite, access to assistance and caregiver training and education. Section 1915(c) and 1115 Medicaid waivers also include provisions for respite care and permit states to include a respite option in their Medicaid waiver service package. In recent years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has increasingly focused on providing a range of services, including respite, to family members caring for Veterans of past and present conflicts. Additionally, there are demonstration projects, model grants and other initiatives that include respite care for families of children with developmental disabilities.

The disparate nature of both funding streams and eligibility requirements for respite programs may result in long waiting lists or complex bureaucratic application processes and/or eligibility requirements that are difficult for families to navigate. Even if families have sufficient resources available to pay for respite, they often encounter difficulties finding suitable providers able to deliver respite in a manner appropriate to accommodate their needs. The need to coordinate the availability and dissemination of information about respite programs, identify and fill gaps in available respite options, recruit and train respite providers and volunteers, and improve the overall quality of available respite resources is a central compenent of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006.

The Lifespan Respite Care Act – Overview

The Lifespan Respite Care Act (the Act) defines lifespan respite care as “a coordinated system of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children or adults with special needs.” Such a system brings together Federal, state and local resources and funding streams to help support, expand and streamline the delivery of planned and emergency respite services, while also providing for the recruitment and training of respite workers and caregiver training and empowerment.

The Act is intended to accomplish several objectives. First, because respite is often in short supply or inaccessible to people of all ages and disabilities, the Act seeks to expand and enhance respite services in the states. Second, multiple respite programs are often funded through a variety of sources in the states. The Act is designed to improve coordination and dissemination of service delivery between the various programs.

Third, consumers may experience difficulties in navigating the multiple respite programs that exist. The Act seeks to improve access to programs by streamlining the means by which consumers access them and by filling service gaps where necessary. Finally, by expanding and enhancing respite services, and improving coordination and access, the Act is designed to improve the overall quality of the respite services currently available.

Rather than supplant, replace, or duplicate Federal, state, local and private respite care development and funding activities, the Act is intended to facilitate coordination between programs, reduce duplication of effort, and assist in the development of respite care infrastructure at the state and local levels.

The implementation of the Act should improve the delivery and quality of respite services available to families across age and disability spectrums, by establishing coordinated lifespan respite systems.

Applicants to this Program Announcement are encouraged to read the text of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 in its entirety, including the committee report accompanying the legislation. Full text of the legislation may be found at: https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th-congress/house-report/716 /1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan+Respite+Act+of+2006%22%5D%7D

Current Program Status https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th-congress/house-report/716/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan+Respite+Act+of+2006%22%5D%7D https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th-congress/house-report/716/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan+Respite+Act+of+2006%22%5D%7D

Lifespan Respite Programs have been in existence in states since the 1990’s. Several state lifespan respite care programs came into existence through state legislation while others relied on the commitments and activities of a dedicated group of volunteers to implement a program without authorizing legislation. The early efforts by states helped to create community-based networks of local partnerships, including family caregivers, providers, state and federally funded programs, area agencies on aging, non-profit organizations, health services, local businesses and faith-based organizations all working to ensure capacity of available respite and related services. These programs were the precursors to the Federal program created in 2006 with the passage of the Lifespan Respite Care Act.

Status of the Federal Lifespan Respite Care Program

ACL began implementing the Lifespan Respite Care Program in 2009. Congress appropriated approximately $3.3 million for grants to eligible State agencies to implement the Federal Lifespan Respite Care Program.

To date, ACL has funded 35 states and Washington, D.C. to develop and implement Lifespan Respite Care Program.

Grantees have made considerable progress towards building sustainable programs capable of meeting the respite care needs of caregivers across the lifespan.[4] Since 2009, many states have performed needs assessments and environmental scans to determine the respite funding streams available, existing programs providing respite services, quantitative and qualitative data collection, populations served and service gaps; broadened stakeholder collaborations to ensure representation of all ages, disabilities and chronic conditions; and initiated a range of activities to develop comprehensive and sustainable lifespan respite programs, including:

Developing and adapting statewide respite plans and/or policies to guide further development of respite and caregiver support programs;

Outreach and education initiatives targeted to caregivers;

Integrating lifespan respite principles and practice into other statewide long-term services and supports (LTSS) initiatives designed to improve systems and services for individuals of all ages with disabilities and their family caregivers;

Developing, expanding and enhancing ADRC databases and web sites to make respite information and access more easily attainable;

Addressing the emergency respite needs of family caregivers;

The development and implementation of person-centered respite voucher programs;

Working with the faith-based organizations to develop community-wide respite options; and Increasing the workforce available to provide respite by recruiting, training and retaining volunteers to fill gaps in respite services.

Activities and Recommended Approaches:

The overarching goal of this FOA is to support the development, implementation and integration of the requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006. To that end, ACL will only fund projects that propose to serve all eligible respite recipients, including family members, foster parents, or other adults providing unpaid care to adults needing care to meet basic daily needs or prevent injury and to children who require care beyond that required to meet their basic needs.

Applicants are expected to propose how they will accomplish the priorities and the "Additional Application Elements" described below. Applicants are encouraged to consider a broad range of possible approaches, strategies and partnerships in carrying out program priorities.

Application narratives should clearly and completely describe the eligible State agency’s plan for implementing the required services and any optional services listed below. Within that framework, each applicant must fully describe how their program will, at a minimum:

Expand and enhance respite care services to family members;

Improve the statewide dissemination and coordination of respite care; and

Improve the statewide dissemination and coordination of respite care; and Provide, supplement, or improve access and quality of respite care services to family caregivers, thereby reducing family caregiver strain.

Applicants shall use all or part of the funds awarded for the following required services:

Development and enhancement of lifespan respite care at the State and local levels;

The provision of evidence based, quality respite care services for family caregivers caring for children or adults;

Training and recruiting of respite care workers and volunteers;

The provision of information to caregivers about available respite and support services; and Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to such services.

Additionally, funds available under this FOA may be used to develop a range of optional services, including:

Training for family caregivers to assist family caregivers in making informed decisions such as, "choosing and controlling their services through decision-making" about respite care services;

Other services essential to the provision of respite care; or Training and education for new caregivers

Additional Application Elements

ACL understands that the current status of program development varies from state to state. ACL also recognizes that not all states will start from the same place in designing or bringing to scale and integrating their programs. Therefore, all proposals will be evaluated based on the extent of the progress a state expects to make under the grant in building upon previous projects. Applicants will be required to fully describe their state’s present capacity to deliver Lifespan Respite and how proposed new activities build upon and strengthen those capacities.

All applicants must propose projects that implement the required services specified by the Lifespan Respite Care Act as described above, while demonstrating:

1. An understanding of the population to be served. Knowledge of the family caregiver population for whom lifespan respite program services are to be provided, or for whom respite care workers and volunteers will be recruited and trained, is an essential requirement of any successful application.

Applicants must fully describe the needs of the caregiver population and the current respite infrastructure in the state. The proposed intervention must also describe how respite information dissemination and coordination, respite care services and worker and volunteer recruitment and training will be carried out. The plan for administering, collaborating, and coordinating respite care activities in the state with other related services or programs must also be described.

Applicants should refer to Section IV, Project Narrative section of this Announcement for a full description of legislatively mandated application narrative elements.

2. How proposed programs will help families choose and control their services and better navigate the respite care system and gain access to the programs most appropriate for their needs. Lifespan Respite Care Programs should assist families by first identifying current respite funding streams in the State and assist families with eligibility determination. Families who do not previously qualify for any existing respite programs or services may have those services paid for by the Lifespan Respite Care Program. Therefore, applicants should describe how proposed activities will further enable families to choose, control and navigate available service options and gain access to those services.

3. How all family members, regardless of age or disability will be served. All family members, regardless of the age, disability or chronic condition of their loved ones, should be able to access a Lifespan Respite Care Program to obtain information on how and where to find respite services and providers from among those currently existing.

Eligible respite recipients include family members, foster parents, or other adults providing unpaid care to adults who require care to meet basic needs or prevent injury and to children who require care beyond that required to meet the basic needs of the child.

For the purpose of this Program Announcement, family caregivers include grandparents, of any age, who are primary caretakers of children or adults with special needs. Further, "unpaid family caregivers" are those caregivers who do not receive funding to provide care as their primary means of income.

All activities proposed in response to this Announcement must, from the outset, address the respite needs of all age and disability/special needs populations. To that end, applicants must describe their plan for serving all age groups and disability categories, without preference for a select demographic group or disability population. No phase-in or preferences for age groups or disability categories will be permitted.

4. Stakeholder collaboration, partnerships and consumer inclusion. The Lifespan Respite Care Act is designed to facilitate coordination of respite programs in the state, reduce or eliminate duplication of effort and assist in the development of the statewide respite care infrastructure. Grantees will be required to coordinate with existing public or private respite care programs and should demonstrate the broadest possible collaboration with relevant respite and other stakeholders from across the age and disability spectrum.

Applications must include a description of the eligible State agency’s:

Ability to work with other State and community-based agencies, such as, disabilities and/or behavioral health services agencies, Centers for Independent Living and other community-based agencies or faith-based initiatives supporting aging adults and people with disabilities;

Understanding of respite care, and family caregiver issues across all age groups, disabilities, and chronic conditions; and Capacity to ensure meaningful involvement of family members, family caregivers, and care recipients from a person-centered and family centered perspective.

Applications should clearly demonstrate via letters of support and other mechanisms, the commitment of key state and local organizations and stakeholders from across the age and disability spectrum as full partners in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Lifespan Respite Program. Such organizations might include but are not limited to:

State government agencies providing human services programs across the age and disability spectrum of which respite may (or may not) be a component service (e.g., Medicaid, National Family Caregiver Support Program);

Providers of respite care serving the full range of population groups with varying, disabilities and service needs and for whom respite is an essential component of remaining in the community; and Non-profit organizations that function at the state and local levels to enhance services and education to persons with respite care needs, their families, and caregivers to enhance and promote the coordination of a more comprehensive and appropriate service delivery between the social service network and the state service system.

Grantees must propose how they will carry out the activities of their programs in collaboration with a non-profit statewide respite coalition and the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)/No Wrong Door (NWD) system. Applicants should detail the means by which the respite coalition/organization and the ADRC/NWD will work collaboratively in designing, implementing and managing the program.

IMPORTANT! A memorandum of agreement regarding the joint responsibility for the development of the state’s lifespan respite program between the eligible State agency and the public or private nonprofit statewide respite coalition or organization must be in place at the time of application and submitted with the application. Applicants are encouraged to embed flexibility within the MOU so that all parties to the Agreement can modify scope, tasks or partnerships as the need arises. A copy of such memorandum must be included as part of ALL application packages.

5. Sustainability. The ultimate goal of this funding opportunity is to realize the development of functioning and sustainable state Lifespan Respite Care Programs. Therefore, applications will be scored on the extent to which a plan for the project’s sustainability is articulated. Applicants are encouraged to consider a range of materials and resources for developing sustainable programs that may be found on the Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance Center at: https://lifespanrespite.wildapricot.org/Sustainability_Tools/

Products

Grantees will be doing much to advance Lifespan Respite Care Programs at the state and local level. As such, grantees’ experiences during the course of the project will be looked at with interest by other states seeking guidance and direction as they embark on the development of similar programs into the foreseeable future. To more easily facilitate replication of programs and approaches by other states and to eliminate the need to “reinvent the wheel,” grantees will be asked to submit to ACL and the ACL Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance Center, key products that can serve as resource guides for future Lifespan Respite Care Program development, enhancement, and expansion.

Grantees are encouraged to develop for dissemination products such as: (1) a “how-to” manual that will readily allow others to implement a Lifespan Respite Care Program within their own state or community; (2) materials (i.e., training tools, surveys, brochures, etc.) that can be easily reproduced by others implementing such programs at the state or community level; and (3) caregiver assessment and satisfaction instruments and other grant-related tools and resources. Copies of all final products are to be submitted to ACL at the conclusion of the grant.

Semi-Annual Reporting and Project Evaluation

Performance measurement, reporting, and project evaluation are key components of program design and implementation. Based upon work of past, current and future grantees, ACL will likely be developing and seeking OMB clearance for a new reporting format that specifically captures the accomplishments and impacts of the Lifespan Respite Care Program. Applicants should be aware that, if funded, reporting requirements in terms of templates used and information required could change midway through the project period. Should that happen, ACL will work closely with grantees to ensure a full understanding of, and transition to, the new reporting requirements.

In 2014, the ACL Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance Center developed a document to assist current and future Lifespan Respite grantees conceptualize, develop, and implement useful performance metrics. The document is titled: "Measuring Systems Change and Consumer Outcomes: Recommendations for Developing Performance Metrics for State Lifespan Respite Programs" and can be accessed at: https://archr espite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf. Applicants are encouraged to review the document and consider this information when identifying outcomes to be pursued under this FOA.

If funded, applicants will be expected to submit program and progress reports semi-annually using standard ACL templates and processes. Semi-annual reports will include information on project accomplishments, challenges, progress towards measurable outcomes and products developed. When reporting accomplishments, grantees may wish to employ a range of strategies for measuring and reporting progress on systems development, family caregivers served, and partnership and stakeholder involvement and other relevant outcomes. Additionally, because these grants will be forward funded, grantees will be expected to report semi-annually on the specific progress towards each of the project’s goals and objectives.

The ACL Project Officer and grantee staff and partners (as appropriate) will meet at least semi-annually by phone to review project developments and accomplishments as well as discuss future endeavors and goals.

These meetings will also be an opportunity to provide guidance and technical assistance regarding program development and to hear from stakeholder organizations about those issues of importance to Lifespan Respite Care Programs nationwide.

Finally, applications will be scored on the extent to which a robust project evaluation is undertaken.

https://lifespanrespite.wildapricot.org/Sustainability_Tools/ https://archrespite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf https://archrespite.org/images/docs/2014_Guidebooks/PerformanceMeasurmentGuide_web.pdf

Evaluations should, at a minimum, determine the effectiveness and impacts of the strategies and processes used for execution of project goals at both the systems development and consumer (service provision) levels.

Participation in Technical Assistance Efforts

Grantees will be expected to participate in technical assistance activities as they pertain to Lifespan Respite Care Program development, management, and integration. This includes, but is not limited to, participation in regularly scheduled conference calls, web casts and one-on-one Technical Assistance opportunities initiated by the ACL Project Officer, the Lifespan Respite Program Technical Assistance Resource Center, or as requested by the grantee and stakeholders themselves.

Additionally, grantees are strongly encouraged to budget resources for travel to and participation in the National Respite Conference, convened annually by ARCH. This conference provides participants with the opportunity to learn about the latest trends in respite program development and with the opportunity to network and share best practices associated with Lifespan Respite Care Program implementation.

Grants and Subcontracts

Grantees may carry out the required and optional activities described above directly or by sub-grant to, or contract with, public or private entities. Due to the nature of this program, the State Project Director must maintain an active role in the implementation and management of this project. Applicants who propose conduit or pass-through funding for another agency to lead the project will not be considered for funding.

Applicants under this funding announcement should clearly describe, if necessary, the need to subcontract any specific grant activities. In addition to describing the reasons why sub-awards might be needed, applicants should outline their processes for subcontracting these activities. Applicants should also clearly describe the role of the project director along with the stakeholder group that will guide the design and implementation of the Lifespan Respite Care Program in the state.

Endnotes:

[1] Caregiving in the United States 2015. Bethesda, MD: National Alliance for Caregiving and Washington, D.C.: AARP, 2015.

[2] See the 2012 AARP/United Hospital Fund study entitled Home Alone: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Chronic Care.

[3] Whitlatch, C.J. and Feinberg, L.F. Family and Friends as Respite Workers. Journal of Aging Social Policy. New York: Routledge, 2006. 18(3-4): 127-139. AND Yanizi, NM, Rosenberg, MW, and McKeever, P. Getting out of the House: The Challenges Mothers Face When their Children Have Long-Term Care Needs. 2007, Health Soc. Care Community 15 (1):45-55.

[4] For more information about the current Lifespan Respite Care Program grantees and their activities, please visit ACL’s web site at: http://www.acl.gov/Programs/CIP/OCASD/LifespanRespite/index.aspx

Statutory Authority The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this competitive grants opportunity to eligible state agencies for implementing the requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (P.L.

109-442).

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $400,000 Expected Number of Awards: 2 Award Ceiling: $200,000 Per Project Period http://www.acl.gov/Programs/CIP/OCASD/LifespanRespite/index.aspx

Award Ceiling: $200,000 Per Project Period Award Floor: $200,000 Per Project Period Length of Project Period: Other

36 month project and budget period, forward funded.

Based on the availability of funding, ACL plans to fund up to two (2) grants under this opportunity, with a federal funding level of up to $200,000 per award for a 36-month project and budget award. Funding will be allocated in total at the time of award. Grantees shall use funds under this funding opportunity for the purposes of planning and establishing Lifespan Respite Care systems, as outlined in the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006.

Funding decisions are at the discretion of the Administrator for ACL. Only those applications ranking the highest in a third-party review will be recommended for funding by the ACL Program Officer. It is anticipated that not all applications will be funded. Further, when awarding grants under this Announcement, priority consideration will be given to eligible State agencies showing the greatest likelihood of implementing or enhancing lifespan respite care programs statewide and who are building or enhancing the capacity of their long-term care systems to respond to the comprehensive needs, including respite care needs, of their residents.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Section 2901(4) of Title XXIX - Lifespan Respite Care Act states that eligible entities are state agencies that administer the State's proram under the Older American Act of 1965, or administers the State's program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, or is designated by the Governor of such State to administer the State's program under this title. Entities eligible to apply for funds under this program announcement is further limited on only those states not previously funded under the Lifespan Respite Care Program at any time from fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2016.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement: Yes Section 2902 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.), as amended, requires that grantees provide at least 25% match (cash or in-kind) of total costs. Waivers to these match requirements are not allowed.

Under this ACL program, ACL will fund no more than 75% of the project’s total cost, which means the applicant must cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost with non-Federal resources. In other words, for every three (3) dollars received in Federal funding, the applicant must contribute at least one (1) dollar in non-Federal resources toward the project’s total cost. This “three-to-one” ratio is reflected in the formula included under Item 18 in the “Instructions for Completing Requested Forms.” You can use this formula to calculate your minimum required match. A common error applicants make is to match 25% of the Federal share, rather than 25% of the project’s total cost.

There are two types of match: 1) non-Federal cash and 2) non-Federal in-kind. In general, costs borne by the applicant and cash contributions of any and all third parties involved in the project, including sub-grantees, contractors and consultants, are considered matching funds. Volunteered time and use of facilities to hold meetings or conduct project activities may be considered in-kind (third-party) donations. Examples of non-Federal cash match includes budgetary funds provided from the applicant agency’s budget for costs associated with the project. ACL encourages you to not exceed the minimum match requirement.

Applications with a match greater than the minimum required will not receive additional consideration under the review. Match is not one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in Section III, 3 Application Screening Criteria.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

Application Responsiveness Criteria All Applications will go through an application responsiveness screening to verify that the applicant:

1. Is an eligible applicant, as outlined in Section III (I) of this Program Announcement;

2. Has included in the application package a Memorandum Of Agreement between the Eligible State Agency and the statewide respite coalition/organization; AND

3. Does not propose conduit or pass-through funding for another agency to lead the project.

Applications that fail to meet all three of the above criteria will not be reviewed further and will receive no further consideration.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants.Applications that fail to meet the three screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will recieve no further consideration.

In order for an application to be reviewed, it must meet the following screening requirements:

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

2. The Project Narrative section of the Application must be double-spaced, on 8 ½” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of not less than 11, preferably Times New Roman or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 20 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. NOTE: The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Project Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from http://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an http ://www.grants.gov ;submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the application deadline.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from http://www.grants.gov or http://www.acl.gov/Funding_Opportu nities/ Announcements/Index.aspx.

Please note, ACL is requiring applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http ://www.grants.gov. The Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered with http://www.grants.gov , please begin this process immediately. For assistance with http://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.acl.gov/Funding_Opportunities/Announcements/Index.aspx http://www.acl.gov/Funding_Opportunities/Announcements/Index.aspx http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov?subject=Support

At the http://www.grants.gov ;website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process through http://www.grants .gov ;because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

All applicants must have a DUNS number (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/) and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Applicants should finalize a new, or renew an existing, registration at least two weeks before the application deadline. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at: https://www .sam_gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations -v1.6.pdf ;.

The agency is prohibited from making an award until an applicant has complied with these requirements. At the time an award is ready to be made, if the intended recipient has not complied with these requirements, the agency:

May determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award; and

May use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

Note: Failure to submit the correct suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive Federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive sub-awards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

Be registered in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;1.

Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

2.

Provide its DUNS number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.3.

An award cannot be made until the applicant has complied with these requirements.

Additionally, all first-tier sub-award recipients must have a DUNS number at the time the sub-award is made.

Since October 1, 2003, The Office of Management and Budget has required applicants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements. It is entered on the SF 424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. The DUNS number is free and easy to obtain.

Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by using this link to access a guide: http://www.whitehouse .gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf .

You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications.

Your application must comply with any page limitation requirements described in this Program http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf

Announcement.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov

Contact person regarding this Program Announcement:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Victoria Wright Center for Integrated Programs Phone Number: (202) 795-7473 E-mail: victoria.wright@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Due Date for Letter of Intent: 05/03/2017 Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review.

Letters of intent should be sent to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living Victoria Wright Center for Integrated Programs Email: victoria.wright@acl.hhs.gov Fax: 202-795-7473

Project Narrative The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8 ½” x 11” paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of not less than 11, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. You can use smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. The suggested length for the Project Narrative is 10 to 20 pages; 20 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit, but all of the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The sample components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 20 page limit include:

Summary/Abstract Problem Statement Goal(s) and Objective(s) Proposed Intervention Special Target Populations and Organizations http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:victoria.wright@acl.hhs.gov mailto:kevin.foley@acl.hhs.gov

Special Target Populations and Organizations Outcomes Project Management Evaluation Dissemination Organizational Capacity Statement

The Project Narrative is the most important part of the application, since it will be used as the primary basis to determine whether or not your project meets the minimum requirements for grants under the authorizing statutes. The Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of your project. ACL recommends that your project narrative include the following components:

Summary/Abstract This section should include a brief - no more than 265 words maximum - description of the proposed project, including: goal(s), objectives, outcomes, and products to be developed. Detailed instructions for completing the summary/abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/Abstract.”

Problem Statement This section should describe, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the nature and scope of the particular problem or issue the proposed intervention is designed to address, including how the project will potentially affect older adults and /or people with disabilities, their families and caregivers and the health care and social services systems.

For purposes of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, applicants are required to include the following descriptive information as it pertains to the caregiving needs and current respite care infrastructure in their state:

The population of family caregivers in the state, and the criteria used to identify family caregivers eligible for respite care services;

The extent and nature of the respite care needs of that population;

Existing respite care services for that population, including numbers of family caregivers being served and the extent of unmet demand or need;

Existing methods or systems to coordinate respite care information and services to the population at the State and local level, and identification of barriers that impede increased access to lifespan respite care services; and A description of respite care services available to family caregivers in the eligible State agency’s State or locality, including unmet needs and how the eligible State agency’s plan for use of funds will improve the coordination and distribution of respite care services for family caregivers.

Goals and Objectives This section should consist of a description of the project’s goal(s) and major objectives. Unless the project involves multiple, complex interventions, we recommend you have only one overall goal.

Proposed Intervention This section should provide a clear and concise description of the intervention you are proposing to use to address the problem described in the “Problem Statement”. You should also describe the rationale for using the particular intervention, including factors such as: "evidence-based intervention", “lessons learned” for similar projects previously tested in your community, or in other areas of the country; factors in the larger environment that have created the "right conditions" for the intervention (e.g., existing social or economic factors that you’ll be able to take advantage of, etc.). Also note any major barriers you anticipate encountering, and how your project will be able to overcome those barriers. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any strategic partnerships you plan to involve in implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups.

In addition, applicants must describe the following:

How respite care information dissemination and coordination, respite care services, respite care workers and volunteer recruitment and training programs, or training programs for family caregivers that assist them in making informed decisions about respite care services will be provided using evidence-based interventions and funds provided under this Announcement;

A plan for administration, collaboration, and coordination of the proposed respite care activities with other…