HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-LRLR-0050.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Aging

Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grants to New States and States Re-Establishing Their Core Respite Infrastructures

HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-LRLR-0050

06/17/2022

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

Problem Statement

Goals and Objectives

Proposed Intervention

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capability

Budget Narrative/Justification

Work Plan

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. 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 Aging Funding Opportunity Title:

Lifespan Respite Care Program: Grants to New States and States Re-Establishing Their Core Respite Infrastructures Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-LRLR-0050

Primary CFDA Number:

93.072 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

05/16/2022 Due Date for Applications:

06/17/2022 Date for Informational Conference Call:

04/27/2022 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 https://www.grants.gov/

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary Informational Conference Call: APRIL 27, 2022 at 3:00pm ET Conference Call Phone Number: 888-989-4712 Participant Pass Code: 1794062#

Executive Summary The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this competitive funding opportunity to eligible state agencies for the purpose of implementing the requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006, as amended (The Act) – (P.L.109-442 and P.L. 116-324).

ACL will fund up to five (5) cooperative agreements, with a federal funding level of up to $299,500 each year for 3-years, for a potential maximum funding of $898,500 over the course of the 3-year project period. PLEASE NOTE: this funding structure differs from previous years in that grantees will be eligible to receive up to $299,500 per year, each year.

With this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), ACL is seeking applications from eligible states, as defined in statute, who fall within one of the following two categories:

New States - ACL will make funds available to states who have not previously received a grant under this program.

Returning States - ACL will make awards to states that have had at least one Lifespan Respite Program grant, but whose programs have gone dormant or lapsed since federal funding ended and, thus, desire to re-establish their core state respite infrastructures, rather than apply for a Program Enhancement grant.

It is ACL’s expectation that by providing annual funding over the life of the three-year project, new states and states that want to reinvigorate their systems of lifespan respite care will have more time to lay the needed groundwork to provide a coordinated system of statewide respite care. It is further ACL’s expectation that grantees will, no later than the second and third years of the grant project period, provide respite services while continuing to expand and enhance the statewide respite infrastructure.

Eligible state agencies funded under this announcement shall use grant funds to plan, establish, expand or re-establish Lifespan Respite Care systems and programs, including new and emergency respite services; training and recruiting respite workers and volunteers; assisting caregivers with gaining access to needed services; and providing other authorized services as outlined in The Act.

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.

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.

I. Funding Opportunity Description Description/Purpose

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is providing this competitive grant opportunity to assist eligible state agencies with implementation of the requirements of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006, as amended (The Act). 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 re-establish 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 emergency respite services; train and recruit respite workers, including volunteers; and assist caregivers in gaining access to respite care services that meet the needs of both the caregiver and care recipient.

Eligible respite recipients include family members (including grandparents of any age who are primary caretakers of children or adults with special needs), foster parents, or others who are 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.

No phase-in or preference for specific age groups, disability categories, or populations 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 family caregivers?

Family 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 2020 Report, Caregiving in the U.S., an estimated 53.0 million adults in the United States have provided unpaid care to an adult or a https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2020/05/full-report-caregiving-in-the-united-states.doi.10.26419-2Fppi.00103.001.pdf child in the prior 12 months.

Family caregivers are found in every community and come from every walk of life. Family caregivers are male and female; young and old; related by blood or by a close personal connection. Many families and family caregivers 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;

Half of family caregivers are performing medical/nursing tasks for individuals with challenges in physical, cognitive, and behavioral health; [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; 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 age with special needs. Respite strengthens 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 to receive services, potentially creating difficulties in accessing services and gaps in service availability. For example, the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) provides 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. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also provides 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 component of The Act.

The Lifespan Respite Care Act and Reauthorization Act – Overview The Lifespan Respite Care Act (the 2006 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 2006 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 2006 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 2006 Act is designed to improve coordination and dissemination of service delivery between the various programs. Third, consumers may have trouble in navigating the multiple respite programs that exist. The 2006 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 2006 Act is designed to improve the overall quality and equity of available respite services.

Applicants to this Program Announcement are encouraged to read the text of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 and the Lifespan Respite Reauthorization Act of 2020 in its entirety, including the committee report accompanying the legislation. Full text of the 2006 Act 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%7 D. Full text of the Lifespan Respite Reauthorization Act of 2020, which was signed into law on January 5, 2021, may be found at https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr8906/BILLS- 116hr8906enr.pdf.

The Evolving Respite Environment 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.

Since the passage of the 2006 Act, states have made considerable progress towards building sustainable programs capable of meeting the respite care needs of families and family caregivers across the lifespan. As evidenced by the coronavirus pandemic, respite programs must continue https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th-congress/house-report/716/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan%2BRespite%2BAct%2Bof%2B2006%22%5D%7D https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th-congress/house-report/716/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan%2BRespite%2BAct%2Bof%2B2006%22%5D%7D https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th-congress/house-report/716/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan%2BRespite%2BAct%2Bof%2B2006%22%5D%7D https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/109th-congress/house-report/716/1?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Lifespan%2BRespite%2BAct%2Bof%2B2006%22%5D%7D https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr8906/BILLS-116hr8906enr.pdf https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr8906/BILLS-116hr8906enr.pdf to evolve to changing needs and circumstances of caregivers and care recipients. The impact of the COVID-19 virus on all communities, across all age groups, affected every state’s delivery of respite services. Due to the pandemic, states coalitions had to look to other forms, or means, of service delivery, such as allowing the reimbursement of family or friends for respite services or the provision of virtual support groups, outreach, and even, respite care.

With the passage of the “Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2017 (RAISE Family Caregivers Act) and the formation of the Family Caregiving Advisory Council, which first convened in August 2019, focus on respite has grown. Based on the work of the Family Caregiving Advisory Council (FCAC) to date, there is an emerging opportunity for states to re-think their respite systems. The FCAC, in partnership with the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, will develop a National Family Caregiving Strategy that will, among other things, focus on respite. It is anticipated that the National Family Caregiving Strategy will afford states and communities ample opportunities to re-envision their respite programs and services.

Finally, as more has been learned about providing services that meet the cultural needs of caregivers and care recipients, we are aware that programs and services need to be flexible and culturally sensitive enough to provide equitable services that address the needs of diverse populations. Applicants should discuss how they will promote equity through service access and flexibility that will allow caregivers and care recipients to be provided services that are grounded in cultural awareness and competency.

Activities and Recommended Approaches The overarching goal of this funding opportunity is to both support the initial development, implementation, and integration of the requirements of The Act and to afford previously-funded states the opportunity to re-establish or re-invigorate their lifespan respite program efforts. To that end, ACL will only fund projects that propose to serve all eligible respite recipients, including family members, kinship caregivers, 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.

This funding opportunity is open to states under the following two categories:

New States - ACL will make funds available to states who have not previously received a grant under this program.

Returning States - ACL will make awards to states that have had at least one Lifespan Respite Program grant, but whose programs have gone dormant or lapsed since federal funding ended and, thus, desire to re-establish their ore state respite infrastructure, rather than apply for a Program Enhancement grant.

Applicants are expected to propose how they will accomplish both 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. Further, in light of lessons learned during the coronavirus pandemic, applicants are encouraged to consider other forms, or means, of service delivery, such as allowing the reimbursement of family or friends for respite services or the provision of virtual support groups, outreach, and even, respite care to meet current needs as well as prepare for the ongoing provision of respite services in case of future emergencies or disaster situations. In light of the ongoing pandemic, applicants are encouraged to review and consider the recommendations in the resource developed by ACL’s Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center titled, “Providing and Receiving Respite Care Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Voluntary National Guidelines for Respite Care Agencies, Providers, Family Caregivers, and Respite Care Recipients.”

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

Develop, expand, and/or enhance respite care services to family members (New States); or

Re-establish their core respite infrastructures (Returning States); and Improve the statewide dissemination and coordination of respite care;

Develop, modify or otherwise adapt respite and related services to a COVID-

19/post-COVID-19 environment; and Provide, supplement, or improve equitable access and quality of respite care services to family caregivers and care recipients, thereby reducing family caregiver strain.

Applicants under either category shall use 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 informed, 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 funding opportunity may also 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 existing respite capacities vary from state to state. ACL also recognizes that not all states will start from the same place in designing, re-establishing, or bringing to scale and integrating their programs. Therefore, all proposals will be evaluated based on the extent of progress a state expects to make under either eligibility category. Applicants will be required to https://archrespite.org/national-respite-guidelines-for-covid-19 https://archrespite.org/national-respite-guidelines-for-covid-19 https://archrespite.org/national-respite-guidelines-for-covid-19 describe fully their state’s present capacity to deliver respite services across the lifespan and explain how proposed new activities build upon and strengthen the applicant’s current capacity to provide such services.

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

1. Required Respite Service Delivery. All applicants to this funding opportunity are expected to provide services beginning no later than the second year of their project. Applicants should clarify how much of their budgets in each year will be devoted to respite services. Applicants should also clearly articulate how, and under what circumstances, the Lifespan Respite Program funds will be used to provide services (e.g., gap filling services for family caregivers who are ineligible for other programs, etc.).

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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 that currently exist.

Eligible respite recipients include, but are not limited to, family members, kinship caregivers, 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.

For this funding opportunity, 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.

5. Stakeholder collaboration, partnerships, and consumer inclusion. The Lifespan Respite Care Act is designed to facilitate coordination of respite programs in the state by reducing or eliminating, duplicative efforts 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 the following:

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.

Applicants 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 (MoA) 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 MOA 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.

6. 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/.

Additional Application Elements In addition to the priority areas described above, as well as the required narrative elements described in “Section IV. Project Narrative” section of this funding opportunity, applicants should clearly demonstrate/address the following in their applications:

Programmatic Performance and Outcomes Measurement Performance is an important component of a fully functioning Lifespan Respite Care System.

This includes programmatic performance outcomes (including associated cost/benefits) with particular attention to consumer level information regarding service delivery and impact on consumers. Applicant goals should identify relevant consumer-based, programmatic and systems-level outcomes the state would like to measure and proposed approaches.

Awardees under this funding opportunity will work with ACL to implement the data collection and reporting requirements, under Section 2904 of the Lifespan Respite Reauthorization Act of 2020. As such, grantees under this program should expect reporting requirements to change over the course of the project and will be expected to comply with those changes when they are implemented.

Applicants should describe how they plan to count and record the experiences of the people being served with these funds as well as the impact of a statewide lifespan respite care system on consumers, their families, and employers. Successful applicants will describe how such data would be collected and presented and do so in concert with current efforts across existing respite programs/funding streams. Applicants may identify a consumer level outcome measure (or measures) of their choosing or draw upon the "Measuring Systems Change and Consumer Outcomes: Recommendations for Developing Performance Metrics for State Lifespan Respite Programs" document to assist in the conceptualization, development and implementation of useful performance metrics. This resource can be accessed at https://archrespite.org/images/docs/Guides_Compendiums/PerformanceMeasurementGuide_w eb.pdf. Applicants are encouraged to review the document and consider this information when designing their application for this announcement.

https://lifespanrespite.wildapricot.org/Sustainability_Tools/ https://archrespite.org/images/docs/Guides_Compendiums/PerformanceMeasurementGuide_web.pdf

Products Grantees will be doing much to advance Lifespan Respite Care Programs at the state and local level. As such, grantees’ experiences during 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 facilitate replication of programs and approaches more easily 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.

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, State Project Directors are strongly encouraged to budget resources for travel to and participation in the National Respite Conference, convened annually by ARCH, the Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center. 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 2020. Bethesda, MD: National Alliance for Caregiving and Washington, D.C.: AARP, 2020.

[2] See the 2019 AARP/United Hospital Fund study entitled Home Alone Revisited: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Chronic Care.

[3] For more information about the current Lifespan Respite Care Program grantees and their activities, please visit ACL’s web site at: https://www.acl.gov/node/441

Statutory Authority In 2020, Congress reauthorized the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (42 U.S.C 201), through FY 2024. Signed into law on January 5, 2021 (P.L. 116-324), the reauthorization also amended Sections 2904 and 2905 of the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006, under Title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act.

II. Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$599,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$299,500 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$239,500 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' These grants will be funded annually for 3 years, for a 36-month project period, with three 12-month budget periods. By providing funding each year for 3-years, states will have the flexibility to develop a range of services and begin fully implementing authorized direct services by the 2nd year of the project.

The amount of Federal funds available for this funding opportunity and the total number of awards to be issued will depend on the amount of Lifespan Respite Care Program funds remaining after awards are made through the new FY2022 Lifespan Respite Care Program:

Program Enhancement Grants (HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-LRLI-0049).

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 $299,500 per award, per year, for a 36-https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2020/05/full-report-caregiving-in-the-united-states.doi.10.26419-2Fppi.00103.001.pdf https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2019/04/home-alone-revisited-family-caregivers-providing-complex-care.pdf https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2019/04/home-alone-revisited-family-caregivers-providing-complex-care.pdf https://www.acl.gov/node/441 month project with three 12-month budget periods. Grantees shall use funds under this funding opportunity for the purposes of planning and establishing Lifespan Respite Care systems, as outlined in The Act.

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.

This is a new Cooperative Agreement. Once a Cooperative Agreement is in place, requests to modify or amend it or the work plan may be made by ACL/AoA or the awardee at any time as long as it stays within the original confines of the proposed project description. Major changes may affect the integrity of the competitive review process. Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the execution of an award notice. When an award is issued the Cooperative Agreement terms and conditions from the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) are incorporated by reference unless ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR Part 75, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments.

The terms and conditions of this Cooperative Agreement includes the following terms:

The ACL/AoA project officer shall carry out the following activities for the Cooperative Agreement:

Collaborate with the grantee in the finalization, execution and modification of the work plan;

Perform the day-to-day federal responsibilities of managing grants and will work with the grantee to ensure that the minimum requirements of the grant are met;

Work cooperatively with the grantee to clarify the programmatic and budgetary issues to be addressed by the grantee project, and, as necessary, negotiate with the grantee to achieve a mutually agreed upon solution to any needs identified by the grantee or ACL/AoA; and

Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the policy concerns and/or priorities of ACL, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the federal government by conducing periodic briefings and carrying out ongoing consultations.

ACL/AoA will also share information with the grantee about other federally sponsored projects and activities that are relevant to the interest of the grantee and grantee activities.

The grantee shall execute the activities as noted above and the responsibilities of the Cooperative Agreement listed below:

Collaborate with ACL/AoA in the finalization, execution and modification of the work plan;

Fulfill all of the requirements of the grant initiative as outlined in this funding opportunity announcement (FOA), as well as carry out project activities as reviewed, approved, and awarded;

Communicate with the ACL/AoA project officer regularly to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement;

Meet with the ACL/AoA Project Officer, at least semi-annually, or at such other times as are agreed upon by either party to improve the effectiveness of the activities carried out under this Agreement;

Participate in technical assistance efforts as provided by the Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center (TARC); and

In accordance with the Stevens Amendment, all HHS grant and cooperative agreement recipients are required to acknowledge federal funding when publicly communicating projects or programs funded through HHS federal financial assistance. You must use the following language when issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other ACL supported publications and forums describing projects or programs funded in whole with ACL funding:

This [project/publication/program/website, etc.] [is/was] supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $XX with XX percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $XX amount and XX percentage funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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 program under the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, 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.

NOTE: This Notice of Funding Opportunity is not intended to fund individual projects at a particular site or location.

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.

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 discourages you from exceeding 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;

AND

2. IMPORTANT: Has included in the application package a Memorandum of Agreement between the eligible state agency and the statewide respite coalition/organization.

Applications that fail to meet 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 receive 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 30 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 30 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 30 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 30-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 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 UEI 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.