HHS_2021_ACL_AOD_DDTI_0095.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Disabilities

UCEDD National Training Initiative to Support people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with Co-Occurring Mental or Behavioral Health Disabilities

HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DDTI-0095

07/26/2021

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Summary/Abstract

Statement of Need

Goals and Objectives

Proposed Approach

Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capability

BUDGET NARRATIVE / JUSTIFICATION

WORK PLAN

LETTERS OF COMMITMENT

3. Submission Dates and Times

4. Intergovernmental Review

5. Funding Restrictions

6. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

Administration on Disabilities Funding Opportunity Title:

UCEDD National Training Initiative to Support people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with Co-Occurring Mental or Behavioral Health Disabilities Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2021-ACL-AOD-DDTI-0095

Primary CFDA Number:

93.632 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

06/26/2021 Due Date for Applications:

07/26/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

06/16/2021 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 https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary The Administration on Disabilities (AoD), Administration for Community Living (ACL) will award up to five competitive, five-year National Training Initiative (NTI) grants to existing University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and https://www.grants.gov/

Service (UCEDDs). This opportunity will pay for the federal share of grants to UCEDDs to convene multi-disciplinary teams of intellectual and developmental disability state agency personnel and mental and behavioral health state agency personnel with the goal of developing and implementing a shared training infrastructure tailored to the state’s needs, combined with improving coordination between the two agencies in collaboration with other key partners around the services they jointly provide to people with co-occurring mental health and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Purpose / Statement of Need

Up to 40 percent of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) experience co-occurring mental illness, but there are few established promising practices for supporting the care needs of these individuals.[1] People with these co-occurring disabilities often require services and supports from two or more separate state systems including state mental health agencies and state agencies providing developmental disabilities services. Individuals with these co-occurring disabilities have reported a significant lack of coordination and collaboration across the service systems. At the same time, service providers and administrators have reported that they do not have the resources available to serve this population. [2] Challenges facing this population appear at the disability identification, service qualification, and service provision stages and are often further complicated by varying cultural norms across the systems.

The 2008-2009 National Core Indicators Consumer Survey Report[3] provided outcome data on 11,569 adults receiving state and local developmental disabilities services and found significant differences in outcomes between individuals with and without co-occurring mental health disabilities. The data showed that individuals with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities were more likely to live in a group home than an independent living setting.

Additionally, those with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities were somewhat less likely to be in excellent or very good health and were more likely to be overweight or obese.

While no significant statistical difference was found among rates of employment between these groups, people with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities earned less income than individuals with ID/DD only. Individuals with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities also were less likely to report having friends and were significantly more likely to report feeling lonely. ACL seeks to improve these circumstances for people with ID/DD and mental health disabilities through this cross-systems training initiative.

In 2003, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) hosted a meeting titled Co-Occurring Mental Illness and Developmental Disabilities: Systems Barriers and Strategies for Reform. A report was issued following the meeting. Meeting participants reported one of the significant barriers to coordination was a lack of cross-training among professionals. Meeting participants agreed that at a minimum, cross-training should include the following components:

How to identify the occurrence of mental illness How mental illness can affect one’s behavior Where to refer individuals for mental illness support

How to assess for history of trauma How to consult with and learn from support staff How to educate family members and other support systems, where appropriate, in non-clinical supports How to provide services in the least restrictive environment.

A 2019 report from The Arc entitled Training Needs of Professionals who Serve People with I/DD and Mental Health Needs and their Families[4] identified five prominent gaps in professional knowledge:

1. Misperceptions around the capabilities of people with I/DD and mental health challenges

2. Uncertainty on how to effectively communicate with people with I/DD and mental health

3. No strength-based or keen understanding of the needs of people with both I/DD and mental health challenges

4. Lack of understanding of available programs and services and how service systems interact

5. Uncertainty on how to collaborate across the disability, education, and mental health systems

ACL anticipates that successful applicants will at-minimum address these gaps.

This project will complement several AoD initiatives aimed at reducing health disparities:

The Partnering to Transform Health Outcomes with Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities (PATH-PWIDD) at Rush University, College of Nursing;

and

The Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities at the University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities;

Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (MHDD) National Training Center and AoD’s ID/DD data equity initiative.

As such, this project will be a critical activity as part of AoD’s strategic priority to promote health equity of individuals with disabilities. It will also support the Administration’s priorities to address the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequities, and the American economy. ACL recognizes that a leading contributor to racial, health, and economic inequities for individuals with ID/DD with co-occurring mental health disabilities is lack of access coordination between DD and mental health service systems to support living well with a disability.

B. Program History / Background

Recognizing the growing need to strengthen community-based services and supports for people with co-occurring intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health disabilities, ACL/AoD invested in The National Training Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NTC-MHIDD) as a National Training Initiative (NTI). The NTC-

MHIDD is a collaboration between the UCEDDs at the University of Kentucky, University of Alaska Anchorage, and Utah State University that offers an extensive online training portal, in-person trainings at major conferences, and an on-site leadership institute in MHIDD for UCEDD/LEND staff and trainees.[5]

These NTI grants will build upon the foundations of this ACL initiative with a specific focus on training multi-disciplinary teams comprised of state agency staff, program administrators, service providers, and other relevant stakeholders to create more seamless cross-systems collaboration.

C. Program Goals

Through this initiative, there are immediate and longer-term outcomes. Immediate outcomes for the multi-disciplinary teams are:

Increased understanding of the roles and responsibilities of key partners Better understanding of the existing strengths and challenges of local and states service delivery Initial development of promising practices on how to refer to appropriate services and supports Initial understanding how to create culturally competent, person-centered services and supports

Longer-term outcomes for this project include:

Increased understanding of how people with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities can receive integrated care

Increased knowledge among state and local agency personnel outside of the multi-disciplinary team on how to refer to appropriate services and supports

Initial removal of barriers to services and supports by state agencies for people with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities

Increased knowledge among ID/DD and mental health state agencies in collaboration with key strategic partners on how to effectively support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with mental-behavioral health needs at the local level (inclusive of receiving appropriate diagnoses)

Improved services and supports for people with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities, including services and supports that are more culturally competent, person-centered, affordable, and integrated that allow them to remain in the community

D. Major Activities

The UCEDD receiving this award will convene within their state a multi-disciplinary team, including personnel from state mental health agencies and state agencies providing intellectual and developmental disabilities services. To address the unique challenges of the state, this team must include at least three additional partner agency representatives who could be representatives from agencies focused on substance use, criminal or juvenile justice, early intervention, and/or child and family services, or other related agencies. People with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities should be meaningfully engaged in the formation of this team. The team may also include representatives from advocacy organizations and direct support professionals.

Applicants should respond to this funding announcement by submitting a proposal that describes the approach they will take, if funded, to convene this multi-disciplinary team and develop and implement a shared training infrastructure tailored to their state’s needs, combined with improving coordination between agencies and collaboration with other key partners around the services they jointly provide to people with co-occurring mental health and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Applicants should explain in their applications how they plan to implement the required activities listed here along with other activities they deem necessary to achieve this goal and the outcomes listed above. People with co-occurring ID/DD and mental health disabilities should be included at all stages of planning and implementing this project, including those who are unserved and underserved. The term unserved and underserved communities here refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

The project activities will occur in three phases.

Phase One: Landscape Analysis Each grantee will complete a landscape analysis of existing state and local systems of care designed to support people with ID/DD and mental health disabilities. The landscape analysis should identify specific state resources, needs, gaps, and priorities that can be addressed through training that will lead to more seamless cross-systems collaboration. The landscape analysis should also address the needs of people with ID/DD and mental health disabilities who may be disconnected from traditional systems as well as a variety of unserved and underserved communities.

Phase Two: Development of Action Plan Based on the findings of the landscape analysis, each grantee will form initial state teams and work with them using a consensus-based process to develop an action plan that will identify goals and address the training needs for the state and provide for the training of personnel affiliated with the ID/DD and mental health systems. Each UCEDD grantee will serve as the lead program and as a project liaison and will identify and recruit state interdisciplinary teams of staff from key programs to form the teams. The team members, recipients of the training, and other relevant components should be determined based on the findings of the landscape analysis.

People with ID/DD and co-occurring mental health disabilities should be meaningfully engaged in the development of the action plan. The action plan should identify the:

Training resources that will be used, including any that need to be developed, existing training that can be integrated or adapted, and the methods and plan for developing new training materials.

Methods for addressing cultural and linguistic diversity Methods for reaching unserved and underserved populations Personnel to whom training will be conducted e.g. supervisors, front-line staff, specific state agency personnel.

The timeline for the training experience Learning objectives for the training A sustainability plan for maintaining training and resources beyond the duration of federal funding A method for evaluating the project goals outlined in Section C, above.

Phase Three: Implementation Based on the action plan, each grantee will finalize the formation of state teams and the development of training specific to the needs of the state in creating more seamless cross-systems collaboration. Each grantee will then begin implementation of the trainings. Grantees will use summative and formative evaluation techniques for continuous progress monitoring and to ensure the project outcomes listed in Section C above are achieved.

Applicants should describe a rigorous evaluation plan that discusses method(s), including pre and post interventions data collection, techniques, and tools that they will use to report on the outcomes achieved including how activities and milestones achieved will support attainment of this project’s ultimate desired outcomes. Applicants should describe how data will be collected from interdisciplinary state team participants.

All materials developed for this project should be in multiple accessible formats, including compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and conformation to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, level AA criteria.

[1] The Arc (2019). 2018 Support Needs of People with I/DD and Co-Occurring Mental Health Challenges and their Families. Washington, D.C.:

[2] National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). 2004, Serving Individuals with Co-Occurring Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illnesses: Systems Barriers and Strategies for Reform. Alexandria, VA., www.nasmhpd.org/sites/default/files/ServingIndividualswithCoOccurring.pdf.

[3] Human Services Research Institute, National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, NCI Data Brief, Issue 2, April, 2011.

www.nationalcoreindicators.org/upload/core-indicators/Data_Brief_--_dual_dx_--_Issue_2_-- _April_4_2011_1.pdf.

[4] The Arc (2019). Training Needs of Professionals who Serve People with I/DD and Mental Health Needs and their Families. Washington, D.C.: Author.

[5] “Home.” MHDD National Training Center, 20 Aug. 2020, www.mhddcenter.org/.

Statutory Authority The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act of 2000) (42 U.S.C. 15001, et seq.). The purpose of the DD Act of 2000 is to assure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports, and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, integration and inclusion in all facets of community life, through culturally competent programs [Section 101(b)]. To achieve this purpose, the DD Act authorizes under Subtitle D University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs). Section 151(b) of the DD Act of 2000 states that appropriations authorized under section 156(a)(1) and reserved under section 156(a)(2), grants shall be made to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs) to carry out national training initiative grants.

In accordance with the DD Act, the Secretary shall make grants under section 152(d) to UCEDD Centers after AoD has made UCEDD core grant awards with a cost of living adjustment, funded Training /Technical Assistance , the remaining funds may be used to award NTI grants to entities in each state designated as UCEDDs.

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$ 550,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$ 110,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$ 100,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Section 151(b) of the DD Act of 2000 states that from appropriations authorized under section 156(a)(1) and reserved under section 156(a)(2), grants shall be made to UCEDDs to carry out national training initiative grants. ACL/AoD plans to fund 5 grants at a funding level of up to $110,000 per year, for five years (60 months), pending the availability of federal funds. Future year amounts are contingent upon annual appropriations.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Section 151(b) of the DD Act states that from appropriations authorized under section 156(a)(1) and reserved under section 156(a)(2), grants shall be made to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs) to carry out national training initiative grants. Entities eligible to apply for funds under this funding opportunity announcement are the 67 current AoD grantees that are designated as UCEDDs. Applications will only be accepted from the 67 UCEDDs listed at https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university. Applications from other entities not designated as current UCEDDs will not be reviewed. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

Yes For awards that require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources (at or above the statutory requirement) in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to provide the statutorily required matching or cost sharing amount (and any voluntary committed amount in excess) may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients are not expected to provide cost sharing or matching. However, recipients are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If an applicant decides to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACL, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACL as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

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.” The applicant can use this formula to calculate the 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. Grantees are required to meet a non-Federal share of the project cost, in accordance with Section 154(d) of the DD Act of 2000. Grantees must provide at least 25% percent of the total approved cost of the project.

https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university

The reduced non-Federal share may be met by cash or in-kind contributions, although applicants are encouraged to meet their match requirements through cash contributions. For example, in order to meet the match requirements, a project with a total approved project cost of $607,830 requesting $547,000 in ACL funds, must provide a non-Federal share of at least $60,783 (10 percent of total approved project cost). Grantees will be held accountable for commitments of non-Federal resources even if they exceed the amount of the required match. Failure to provide the required amount will result in the disallowance of Federal funds. A lack of supporting documentation at the time of application will not exclude the application from competitive review.

Reduced Match Section 154 (d)(2) of the DD Act states:

In the case of a project whose activities or products target individuals with developmental disabilities who live in an urban or rural poverty area, as determined by the Secretary of HHS, the Federal share of the cost of the project may not be more than 90 percent of the necessary costs of the project, as determined by the Secretary of HHS.

DEFINITIONS

Poverty area: Census tracts or block numbering areas (BNAs) where at least 20 percent of residents are below the poverty level.

Urban Area: Collective term referring to all areas that are urban. For Census 2000, there are two types of urban areas: urban clusters and urbanized areas.

Urban Cluster (UC): A densely settled territory that has at least 2,500 persons but fewer than 50,000.

Urbanized Area (UA): An area consisting of a central place(s) and adjacent territory with a general population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile of land area that together have a minimum residential population of at least 50,000 persons. The U.S. Census Bureau uses published criteria to determine the qualification and boundaries of UAs.

Rural: Territory, population and housing units not classified as urban. Rural classification cuts across other hierarchies and can be in metropolitan or non-metropolitan areas. Rural can include frontier, which are places having a population density of six or fewer persons - per square mile.

TWO-TIER ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM FOR REDUCED MATCH

To meet the requirements in the DD Act of 2000, AoD has developed a system that UCEDDs can use to request a reduced match on the core grant. Such a request is optional and not a requirement for UCEDDs. AoD will use a two-tiered system for determining eligibility for the reduced match:

To meet the requirements in the DD Act of 2000, AoD has developed a system that UCEDDs can use to request a reduced match on this NTI grant. Such a request is optional and not a requirement for UCEDDs. AoD will use a two-tiered system for determining eligibility for the reduced match:

Tier 1: UCEDDs in States where the poverty rate is equal to or greater than the official national poverty rate would automatically qualify for the reduced match.

Tier 2: UCEDDs in States with a poverty rate not equal to or greater than the official national poverty rate would have to show that the UCEDD activities target individuals with developmental disabilities in urban or rural poverty areas. In doing so, the UCEDD would demonstrate that at least 25 percent of the UCEDD projects target individuals with developmental disabilities who live in urban and rural poverty areas by providing the following information to AoD:

1. The current State poverty rate;

2. A full listing of all the UCEDD's current projects [this can be generated from the

National Information Reporting System (NIRS)];

3. Identification of which UCEDD activities are targeting individuals with developmental disabilities living in urban and rural poverty areas by stating whether the UCEDD activity is associated with any of the Urban and Rural Poverty Indicators listed in the announcement or is targeted for individuals with developmental disabilities in an urban and rural poverty area through some other means.

A UCEDD seeking to establish eligibility for a reduced match through means other than showing an activity is associated with one or more of the Urban and Rural Poverty Indicators must include in its application other information that establishes that its activities are targeted to benefit individuals with developmental disabilities in an urban or rural poverty area.

Because there are not Federal poverty rates for Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, these jurisdictions can qualify for the reduced match by establishing that the UCEDD activity is associated with any of the Urban and Rural Poverty Indicators listed in the announcement or is targeted for individuals with developmental disabilities in an urban or rural poverty area through some other means.

The table below shows the Urban or Rural Poverty Indicators that will be used to determine eligibility for the reduced match.

Urban and Rural Poverty Indicator

Description

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

(EZ/EC)

Areas designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as communities with high rates of poverty. The UCEDD project would have to be implemented in an EZ/EC.

Food Stamps The Food Stamp Program helps low-income people and families buy the food they need for good health. The UCEDD project would have to target individuals with Developmental Disabilities and their families who receive food stamps.

National School Lunch Program

(NSLP)

Also referred to as Free and Reduced Lunch Program NSLP is a federally assisted meal program operating to provide low-cost or free lunches to children. The UCEDD project would have to be implemented in a school that qualifies for the NSLP.

Head Start The Head Start program provides grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families. The UCEDD project would have to work with a Head Start program.

Housing Assistance The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a variety of housing assistance programs, such as Section 8 housing assistance programs. The UCEDD project would have to target individuals with Developmental Disabilities and their families who are receiving Federal housing assistance.

Medicaid Title XIX of the Social Security Act

Is a Federal/State entitlement program that pays for medical assistance for certain individuals and families with low incomes and resources. The UCEDD project would have to target individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who are Medicaid-eligible.

Supplemental Security (SSI)

Is designed to help aged, blind and disabled people, who Income (SSI) have little or no income. It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing and shelter. The UCEDD project would have to target individuals with developmental disabilities who are SSI recipients

Temporary Assistance for TANF

Is a Federal poverty program that provides assistance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work opportunities to needy families through grants to States. The UCEDD project would have to target individuals with developmental disabilities, children with developmental disabilities, and their families who are TANF recipients.

Other The UCEDD may provide other indicators of poverty not included in this list. The UCEDD would have to provide adequate information to justify use of the 'other' category. In doing so, the UCEDD will have to demonstrate the project is targeting individuals with developmental disabilities in rural and urban poverty areas.

AoD will determine the adequacy of the justification for eligibility for a reduced match.

In accordance with the DD Act of 2000, AoD will review all the information submitted by the UCEDD to determine eligibility for the reduced match.

SUGGESTED FORMAT FOR SUBMITTING INFORMATION TO AoD

To streamline the process, below is a suggested format for submitting the information to AoD.

Official National Poverty Rate 11.5%

State Poverty Rate

UCEDD Project Title and Description Indicators of Poverty

Provide Name of Project and project description List name of poverty program targeted by project

Of the total UCEDD projects, the percent that is targeting individuals with developmental disabilities living in urban and rural poverty areas

Fill in percentage

STATES IN TIER 1 and TIER 2 Below is a list of the States that fall into Tier1 and Tier 2.

TIER 1

State Percent (%)

Louisiana 19.1

Mississippi 19.1

New Mexico 17.2

West Virginia 15.6

Arkansas 15.0

Alabama 14.7

Kentucky 14.2

District of Columbia 13.7

North Carolina 13.6

Georgia 13.3

Florida 12.9

Texas 12.7

Ohio 12.4

Oklahoma 12.4

Nevada 12.2

Arizona 12.1

New York 12.1

Tennessee 12.1

Alaska 11.8

Maine 11.5

United States 11.5

TIER 2

California 11.4

Indiana 11.1

Missouri 11.0

Michigan 10.7

South Dakota 10.6

Pennsylvania 10.5

Wyoming 10.5

Illinois 10.4

Kansas 10.4

Nebraska 10.3

Montana 10.1

North Dakota 10.1

Idaho 10.0

Oregon 9.8

Rhode Island 9.8

Connecticut 9.7

Virginia 9.7

Hawaii 9.4

Massachusetts 9.2

Colorado 9.1

Vermont 9.0

Washington 8.8

Wisconsin 8.7

Iowa 8.6

New Jersey 8.2

Delaware 7.6

Utah 7.6

Maryland 7.5

Minnesota 7.4

New Hampshire 5.6

The total approved cost of the project is the sum of the ACL share and the reduced non-Federal share.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications received from entities other than the 67 existing grantees that are designated as UCEDDs and listed at https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this announcement. Applications disqualified for this reason will not be returned.

Application Screening Criteria

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via https://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 8.5” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Calibri 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.

4. Applications must contain a budget request that is equal to or more than the “Award Floor” amount and not more than the “Award Ceiling” amount as found in Section II of this funding opportunity announcement.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from https://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission.

For example, you will be required to provide an https://www.grants.gov submission error https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/national-network-university http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ 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 https://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants.

Please note, ACL requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

At the https://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 because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

All applicants must have a DUNS number (https://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. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration. 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/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, 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 EIN 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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf

(OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

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

2. 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

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

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a DUNS number at the time the subaward 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 866-705-5711.

You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide.

Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM. Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

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

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living

Dana Fink dana.fink@acl.hhs.gov 202.795.7604

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Letter of Intent Number Of Days from Publication 30

06/26/2021 https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:dana.fink@acl.hhs.gov

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:

Dana Fink dana.fink@acl.hhs.gov 202.795.7604

Project Narrative The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Calibri 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 15 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 Resumes/Vitae of Key Personnel, Organizational Chart, and Logic Model 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 Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of your project. ACL recommends that your project narrative include the following components, which will be counted as part of the 20-page limit:

Summary/Abstract Statement of Need Goals and Objectives Proposed Approach Target Populations and Organizations Outcomes Project Management Evaluation Dissemination Organizational Capability

Summary/Abstract Include in this section a brief (265 words maximum) description of the proposed project that includes the project’s goals, objectives, outcomes, overall approach (including target population and significant partnerships), and products to be developed.

Statement of Need Use this section to demonstrate the nature and scope of the particular need for assistance, in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

mailto:dana.fink@acl.hhs.gov

Goals and Objectives Use this section to describe the project’s goals and major objectives.

Proposed Approach Use this section to provide a clear and concise description of the project you propose to use to address the problem you described in the “Statement of Need.” Also, describe the rationale for using the particular project, including factors such as: “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 the major barriers you anticipate and your strategies to overcome them. Be sure to describe the makeup of any strategic partnerships and the role they will play in your project.

Target Populations and Organizations In this section, describe how your project will target unserved and underserved populations. The term unserved and underserved communities here refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

Outcomes In this section, clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from your project. If you use the optional work plan grid found in the Appendix section at the end of this funding announcement, list your measurable outcomes in the grid in addition to including them in the narrative. Also, describe how the project’s findings might benefit the field at large, (e.g., how the findings could help other organizations address the same or similar problems in their communities.) Please keep the focus of this section on describing what outcome(s) will be produced by the project and use the “Evaluation” section below to describe how the outcome(s) will be measured and reported.

Project Management Use this section to delineate the roles and responsibilities of project staff, consultants, and partner organizations. In this section, applicants should identify which three or more required agencies will comprise the interdisciplinary team, in addition to those agencies serving people with ID/DD and mental or behavioral health disabilities. Describe how they will contribute to achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes. Clearly specify who will have day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as: leadership of project; monitoring the project’s on-going progress (i.e., measure of performance towards the goals); preparation of reports; and communications with partners and ACL. Also, describe the approach you will use to monitor and track progress on the project’s tasks and objectives.

Evaluation Use this section to describe the specific outcomes (e.g., changes in clients, organizations, and/or communities) you expect as a result of your proposed project. Describe the method(s), techniques, and tools you will use to: 1) determine whether the project achieved its anticipated outcome(s), and 2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative – from the project that will be useful to people interested in replicating your project, if it proves successful.

Dissemination Use this section to describe how you will disseminate the project’s results and findings to others who might be interested, particularly those who are interested in replicating the project in whole or in part. Include details in how you will do this in a timely manner and in easily understandable formats.

Organizational Capability Use this section of your application to describe the capability and capacity of the applicant and any partner organizations that will have a significant role in implementing the project and/or achieving the project goals. Include resumes/vitae for key project personnel. Describe the organization of the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger agency that will have responsibility for this project), the nature and scope of its work, and its capacity. Also, include a description of the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after federal financial assistance has ended.

NOTE: Resumes/vitae for project staff along with any organizational charts do not count toward the Project Narrative page limit.

BUDGET NARRATIVE / JUSTIFICATION

For the Budget Narrative/Justification, you may use the “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format” found in the Appendix section at the end of this funding announcement. Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this format, which provides an example of the level of detail ACL is looking for. ACL requires that you submit a combined multi-year Budget Narrative/Justification covering the life of the grant as well as a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each year of potential grant funding. The budget narrative should clearly outline how funds awarded under this grant will support the administration or operation of the UCEDD. Funds made available through the grant will be use to supplement, and not supplant, the funds that would otherwise be made available for activities related to interdisciplinary pre-service preparation and continuing education, community services, research, and information dissemination.

WORK PLAN

Your Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget Narrative/Justification. In your Project Work Plan, include a statement of the project’s overall goal, the anticipated outcome(s), the key objectives, and the major tasks / action steps that you will undertake to achieve the goal and outcome(s). For each major task / action step in the Project Work Plan, identify timeframes involved (including start- and end-dates) and the lead person responsible. You may use the “Project Work Plan - Sample Template” format found in the Appendix section at the end of this funding announcement as a reference and resource.

LETTERS OF COMMITMENT

In this part of your application, include confirmation of the commitments to the project (should it be funded) made by key collaborating organizations and agencies. Any organization you name in your application as having a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator. For applications submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov, scan and include signed letters of commitment as attachments. If you are unable to scan the signed letters of commitment, you may fax them to the ACL Office of Grants Management at 202-357- 3467 by the application submission deadline. In your fax, be sure to include the funding opportunity number and your agency/organization name.

3. Submission Dates and Times Number Of Days from Publication 60

07/26/2021 Date for Informational Conference Call:

06/16/2021 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.

In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and (2)…