ACL primarily provides information resources to grantees to build their evaluation and evidence building capacity. ACL also has several resources and TA centers that focus on evidence building including one contract dedicated to improving performance data provided by Older Americans Act Title III, VI, and VII grantees that offers live and prerecorded webinars and a range of manuals and TA supports. ACL also published toolkits for strategic planning, data quality, performance measures, and logic model development. ACL provides technical assistance to grantees related to using evidence-based programs and building evidence.
For example, theNational Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging provides different programs and approaches that deliver nutrition-related home- and community-based services administered through grants to the 56 states and territories. ACL's Alzheimer's Disease Supportive Services Program grant program supports state efforts to expand the availability of community-level supportive services including the translation of evidence-based models into community-level practice in their programs. The 68 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service throughout the United States and its territories serve as liaisons between academia and the community. They fund model demonstrations to build evidence for addressing issues, finding solutions, and advancing research related to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The NADTC invests in community solutions focused on increasing accessible transportation options as the critical link to employment, health care and other needed community services for older adults and people with disabilities.
Selected projects will strengthen connections between transit and human services transportation programs, build bridges between transportation and community programs that support community living, and identify strategies for better utilization of Section 5310 and other Federal, state and local funding opportunities to improve transportation access. ILRU is one of the lead partners in the Business Institute, providing training and technical assistance to centers for independent living and other community-based organizations in securing contractswith health plans and payers to provide community living services to people with disabilities. ACL's Office of Performance and Evaluation has access to all of ACL's performance and evaluation data and is able to link those data and advise programs about their availability and usability.
In March 2019, the ACL completed the ACL Data Restructuring Project to assess the data hosted on AGID, and to develop and test a potential restructuring of the data in order to make it useful and usable for stakeholders. In 2019, ACL awarded a follow on contract to further integrate its datasets along the lines of conceptual linkages, and to better align the measures within ACL's data collections across the agency. The Director of ACL's Office of Performance and Evaluation serves the functions of evaluation officer, chief data officer, and performance officer. The structure requires semi-annual meetings with ACL leadership and management staff and annual consultation with all program managers. In FY19 ACL instituted a council to improve ACL's data governance and quality, including the development of improved processes and standards for defining, collecting, reviewing, certifying, analyzing, and presenting data that ACL collects through its evaluations, grant reporting, and other administrative data collections.
Taken together, this robust governance structure ensures cohesive collection and use of evidence across ACL regarding program performance, evaluation, and improvement and to ensure that data are gathered, processed, and curated so as to produce evidence that program staff and agency leadership use for program and operational improvement. "This nearly $1 billion in new funds will help communities support older adults and people of all ages with disabilities in staying healthy, safe and independent during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. "The new funding secured by President Trump from Congress is a historic boost to programs that support community living for all people, representing an increase of over 40 percent in this year's funding for Administration for Community Living's programs. The aging and disability networks supported by these programs are delivering meals, ensuring safe transitions home following hospitalizations and providing other essential services to older Americans and Americans with disabilities during this challenging time."
Administration for Community Living advocates across the federal government for older adults, people with disabilities, and families and caregivers; funds services and supports provided primarily by states and networks of community-based programs; and invests in training, education, research, and innovation. We manage a variety of programs , providing assistance on health and wellness, protecting rights and preventing abuse, supporting consumer control, strengthening the networks of community-based organizations, funding research, and much more. Through these programs, a network of community-based organizations, such as Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living, senior centers, faith-based organizations and other non-profits provide a vast array of resources and services to help older adults and people with disabilities stay healthy and live independently in their communities across the United States.
The need for these services has increased as community measures to slow transmission of COVID-19 have closed locations where many people typically receive services and made it difficult for families to assist loved ones who live alone. In addition, the adaptations necessary to provide these services in the current environment have increased costs to service providers. On October 28, 2019, the Administration for Community Living announced the launch of the Traumatic Brain Injury Technical Assistance and Resource Center. The goal of this center is to help states promote access to integrated, coordinated services and supports for individuals who have sustained a TBI, their families, and caregivers. This center will provide program support to ACL and technical assistance to ACL's TBI State Partnership program grantees, and will develop and compile resources that will be available to the public.
Since 2017, ACL has awardedInnovations in Nutrition grants to 11 organizations to develop and expand evidence-based approaches to enhance the quality and effectiveness of nutrition programming. ACL is currently overseeing five grantees for innovative projects that will enhance the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of nutrition services programs provided by the national aging services network. Through this grant program, ACL aims to identify innovative and promising practices that can be scaled across the country and to increase the use of evidence-informed practices within nutrition programs. ACL employs a moderate approach for analyzing evidence to find ways to improve return on investment that addresses multiple parts of the agency. NIDILRR conducts research as part of their new employment research agenda to continue development of return-on-investment models that can be used by Vocational Rehabilitation agencies to optimize the services they provide.
In addition, in March 2020 ACL launched a Challenge Competition to spur development of the interoperable, statewide referral and analytics platforms needed to enable the type of partnerships between health care and community-based social services organizations have been shown to improve health outcomes and lower costs. Under this priority, one DRRP grant will be awarded to serve as the NIDILRR American Disabilities Act Research Collaborative. The DRRP must include the active collaboration of at least three NIDILRR-funded ADA National Network Regional Centers. The DRRP must conduct research that generates knowledge about ADA implementation and compliance.
These areas may include but are not limited to research on specific titles of the ADA, research on ADA issues in specific industries, or research on ADA issues that are relevant to individuals with specific types of disabling conditions. Because much of ACL's funding is based on formula grants that cannot be reallocated to other programs or grantees, there is not an ACL-wide policy for this purpose. For several programs, such as most under the Older American Act, "entities such as states, U.S. territories, and tribal organizations are allotted funding based on a population-based formula factor (e.g., aged 55 and over, aged 60 and over, or aged 70 and over). Some statutory requirements for program funding allocations include a "hold harmless" provision, which guarantees that state or other entities' allotment will remain at a certain fiscal year level or amount, provided sufficient funding in a given year.
ACL is working with GSA's Office of Evaluation Sciences to test methods for improving outcomes for its congregate meals programs. Under the Older Americans Act, congregate meal sites are required to accept donations from meal recipients. But, there has been a concern regarding how to balance the collection of funds that can be used towards meal service and making meal recipients that cannot afford to donate uncomfortable, thus suppressing attendance. This study, expected to be completed in FY 2020, will offer concrete evidence to improve program operations.
Further, ACL has a number of model programs and demonstration grants that propose and test the use of innovative approaches. For example, ACL funded cooperative agreements for the development and testing of model approaches towards coordinated and comprehensive systems for enhancing and assuring the independence, integration, safety, health, and well-being of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in the community (i.e. Living Well Grants). While the evaluation of this program is not yet complete, initial findings about what works were integrated into the requirements of the funding announcement for the FY18 award cycle. Department of Health and Human Services, ACL is not required to have its own strategic data plan and utilizes HHS's data strategy. In 2016, ACL implemented a Public Access Plan as a mechanism for compliance with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's public access policy.
In 2019, ACL created a council to improve ACL's data governance, including the development of improved processes and standards for defining, collecting, reviewing, certifying, analyzing, and presenting data that ACL collects through its evaluation, grant reporting, and administrative performance measures. In 2020, its first year, the ACL Data Council produced an annotated bibliography to provide essential background information about the topic, and also developed a Primer to detail best practices in data governance specifically as they apply to ACL. The Council also developed a Data Quality 101 infographic to guide decision-making processes related to data quality, which will be completed in late 2020. The Director of the Office of Performance and Evaluation serves as the Administration for Community Living's Chief Data Officer.
OPE, which oversees the agency's performance and evaluation work, has six full time staff positions and three full-time onsite contractors. The Director of OPE serves as the agency liaison to other federal entities through, for example, serving as the ACL representative to the HHS data council, and serving on the Federal Interagency Council on Evaluation Policy as well as the HHS Data Governance Board. University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research & Service are a nationwide network of independent but interlinked centers, representing an expansive national resource for addressing issues, finding solutions, and advancing research related to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. According to the funding opportunity announcement applications are also reviewed based on their description of current or previous evidence of relevant experience. ACL released several funding opportunity announcements focused on the identification and implementation of innovative approaches to improve programming.
These included the Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services – Demonstration , the Small Business Innovation Research Program, and Grants to Enhance State Adult Protective Servicesdemonstration addresses gaps and challenges in state APS systems through innovations and improvements in practice, services, data collection, and reporting. ACL also funded challenge competitions to spur development of the interoperable, statewide referral and analytics platforms needed to enable these partnerships and to combat the social isolation and loneliness that older adults, people with disabilities and veterans often experience . Access to Respite Care and Help provides training and technical assistance to the Lifespan Respite Network with a focus on performance measurement, sustainability, best practices, and research. ACL has funded 33 states and the District of Columbia to establish or enhance Statewide Lifespan Respite systems and ARCH provides training and technical assistance to them as well. The National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center supports grantees as they implement evidence-based interventions and innovative practices designed to empower and assist caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
ACL funding is released in five year cycles, with the next five year grant expected to be awarded in 2020. In 2020, ACL awarded grants for demonstrations in Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services to support the documentation of innovative projects that enhance the quality, effectiveness, and other proven outcomes of nutrition services programs within the aging services network. The goal of this funding opportunity is to support projects that can demonstrate potential for broad implementation throughout the aging services network, and with demonstrated value, i.e., improvements in participant well-being, cost savings, etc. ACL's Office of Performance and Evaluation budget for evaluation was $10.4 million in FY20 and there were no significant changes to the evaluation budget since the previous year. In 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 OPE added approximately $1.0 million, $1.7 million, $3.2 million, and $1.2 million from these programs to its evaluation budget respectively.
In addition to these funds, ACL allocated $11.8 million for technical assistance and other activities, such as prize competitions, to support strong evidence building. The Department of Health and Human Services announced $955 million in grants from the Administration for Community Living to help meet the needs of older adults and people with disabilities as communities implement measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The grants will fund home-delivered meals, care services in the home, respite care and other support to families and caregivers, information about and referral to supports and more. While much of ACL's funding is based on formula grants, and therefore cannot be reallocated to other programs, evaluation staff work closely with program staff to identify ways to translate evaluation findings into technical assistance and other types of program support. For example, based on early results from an evaluation of the Tribal Grant program, ACL has developed new program support materials to improve the delivery of Tribal Caregiver programs.
Independent Living NOFAs describe evaluation criteria including plans for technical assistance to enhance grant effectiveness and the provision of information developed about best practices (full announcement (p. 21)). To continue receiving CIL program funding, eligible centers must provide evidence that they have previously had an impact on the goals and objectives for this funding. ACL is a funder of The John A. Hartford Foundation 2020 Business Innovation Award which recognizes aging and disability community-based organizations for their innovative approaches to reducing health care costs and improving the well-being of older adults and people with disabilities through strategic partnership with health care entities. ACL's agency-wide evaluation plan was submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services in support of HHS' requirement to submit an annual evaluation plan to OMB in conjunction with its Agency Performance Plan. ACL's annual evaluation plan includes the evaluation activities the agency plans related to the learning agenda and any other "significant" evaluation, such as those required by statute. The plan describes the systematic collection and analysis of information about the characteristics and outcomes of programs, projects, and processes as a basis for judgments, to improve effectiveness, and/or inform decision-makers about current and future activities.
The Director of the Office of Performance and Evaluation serves as the Administration for Community Living evaluation officer. The purpose of the project is to establish, enhance, or grow volunteer programs for over-burdened family caregivers, older adults, and persons with disabilities. A wide range of nonprofit entities, such as faith- and community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and service organizations, as well as state, county, and local governments are encouraged to apply. Community Care Corps seeks to fund local models that represent a diverse cross section of the nation reflective of demographics and geography, urban/rural/frontier, and Tribal communities, underserved and limited English-speaking populations, communities with limited support programs, and more. UCEDDs are a nationwide network of independent but interlinked centers, representing an expansive national resource for addressing issues, finding solutions, and advancing research related to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
State Councils on Developmental Disabilities are charged with identifying and addressing the most pressing needs of people with developmental disabilities in their state and territory. Councils work with different groups in many ways, including educating communities to welcome people with developmental disabilities; funding projects to show new ways that people with disabilities can work, play, and learn; and seeking information from the public as well as state and national sources. The Older Americans Act, which funds ACL's Administration on Aging, allows ACL to use up to 1% of its appropriations for nutrition innovation demonstrations designed to develop and implement evidence-based practices that enhance senior nutrition. One result is that, consistent with the Administrator's focus on identifying new ways to efficiently improve direct service programs, ACL is using $3.5 million to fund nutrition innovations and test ways to modernize how meals are provided to a changing senior population.
As part of ACL's performance strategy and learning agenda approach OPE staff present performance data to ACL leadership several times a year. In addition, ACL leadership review performance data as part of the budget justification process that informs program funding decisions. OPE staff conduct annual meetings with ACL staff to report performance measure data and results to discuss methods for incorporating performance and evaluation findings into funding and operational decision-making.
As part of annual evaluation planning efforts, staff from ACL's Office of Performance and Evaluation consult with ACL center directors to identify evaluation priorities and review proposed evaluation approaches to ensure that the evaluation questions identified will provide information that will be useful for program improvement. Caregiver Action Network is the nation's leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age. CAN serves a broad spectrum of family caregivers ranging from the parents of children with significant health needs, to the families and friends of wounded soldiers; from a young couple dealing with a diagnosis of MS, to adult children caring for parents with Alzheimer's disease. CAN is a 501 non-profit organization providing education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge. Disability Network Northern Michigan is committed to making its website accessible to the widest possible audience.
This website has been developed to comply under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which was enacted to eliminate barriers to information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities and to encourage the development of new technologies to help achieve these goals. This law requires that all individuals with disabilities have access to information and data comparable to that which is available to individuals without disabilities. In 2020, ACL expects to award grants for demonstrations in Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services to support the documentation of innovative projects that enhance the quality, effectiveness, and other proven outcomes of nutrition services programs within the aging services network. To provide independent living services to individuals with significant disabilities to assist them to function more independently in family and community settings, by developing and supporting a statewide network of centers for independent living. ACL awards grants to states and organizations that provide services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities, conduct research, and develop innovative approaches to doing both.Learn more about the differences in grant types and how to apply.
Oasis founded in 1982, is a national nonprofit organization that is active in over 250 communities and reaches more than 50,000 individuals each year. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Oasis is dedicated to promoting healthy aging for older adults through lifelong learning, active lifestyles, and volunteer engagement. Oasis enables adults age 50 and over across the country to pursue vibrant, healthy, productive, and meaningful lives through in-person and online classes covering a variety of topics including arts and humanities, exercise, and more.
Oasis's flagship Intergenerational Tutoring program works in partnership with school districts across the country to pair volunteer tutors with struggling readers in grades K-3 who teachers feel would benefit from a caring, one-on-one mentoring relationship. More recently, the growing caregiving crisis has steered Oasis toward development and implementation of strategies to support caregivers, caregiver families and caregiver organizations as a part of our mission to enhance the lives of older adults. Community Care Corps is funded by the Administration for Community Living and administered by the Oasis Institute in cooperation with Caregiver Action Network, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and Altarum. Community Care Corps is a national program that aims to foster innovative models in which local volunteers assist family caregivers, older adults, or persons with disabilities with non-medical care in their own homes to maintain independence. The Administration for Community Living was created around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose and with the ability to participate fully in their communities. By funding services and supports provided by networks of community-based organizations and with investments in research, education and innovation, the Administration for Community Living helps make this principle a reality for millions of Americans.
OAA Title III-D funding may be used only for programs and activities demonstrated to be evidence-based. Consistent with the Administrator's focus on identifying new ways to efficiently improve direct service programs, ACL is using its 1% Nutrition authority to fund $3.5 million for nutrition innovations and to test ways to modernize how meals are provided to a changing senior population. States that receive Older Americans Act Home and Community-Based Supportive Services Title III-D funds are required to spend those funds on evidence-based programs to improve health and well-being, and reduce disease and injury. In order to receive funding, states must utilize programs that meet ACL's definition of evidence-based or are defined as evidence-based by another HHS operating division. Under the Older American Act, caregiver support programs are required to track and report on their use of evidence-based caregiver support services. As previously mentioned, NIDILRR's research and development activities are guided by the Stages of Research Framework and the Stages of Development Framework.
NIDILRR grantees conducting research projects must identify the stage of research their projects are in while grantees conducting development projects must identify the stage of development their projects are in. The stage a research project is in depends upon what is known and what is not known about a particular disability problem or topic. Research projects where relatively little is known, or the topic area is emerging, would be classified in the Exploration and discovery stage.
Over time, as more becomes known, research projects progressively move into the Intervention Development phase. The next phase, known as Intervention Efficacy, means the stage of research during which a project evaluates and tests whether an intervention is feasible, practical, and has the potential to yield positive outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The final stage, known as Scale-Up Evaluation, means the stage of research during which a project analyzes whether an intervention is effective in producing improved outcomes for individuals with disabilities when implemented in a real-world setting. Starting in FY20, ACL is also conducting an evaluation of the fidelity with which ACL and its grantees under the Older Americans Act are implementing the required evidence-based programs. This will result in a report documenting the information collected and providing clear, actionable recommendations for ensuring the effective use of evidence-based programming. Recommendations will address what ACL, its grantees, and sub-grantees can do to improve the selection, implementation, and monitoring of evidence-based programming.
The report will also include the development of a standardized tool for use by ACL and its OAA state grantees that assesses evidence-based program fidelity. This tool will greatly enhance ACL's ability to ensure that evidence-based practices are used in the field. In June 2020 ACL launched MENTAL Health Challenge to create an online tool that connects socially isolated people to resources. The Inventive Solutions to Address the Direct Support Professional Crisis has the goal of improving the overall quality of home- and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The Disability Employment Challengesought innovative models that can be shared to help businesses across the country reach a wider talent pool and to create more opportunities for employment for people with disabilities.
The goal of all the prize competitions is to encourage effective and efficient methods for meeting ACL's mission and improving services to its target populations. The Pennsylvania Department of Health , Bureau of Family Health has been awarded the Administration for Community Living Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Program Mentor Grant. This funding opportunity will allow for the BFH to develop a NeuroResource Facilitation Program. The program will connect families and individuals with TBI to services and resources through case management. The BFH will also fund brain injury education and training to increase knowledge of TBI with a focus on TBI screening in the juvenile justice and the older adult population.
