Availability of Program Application Instructions for Title VII, Part C of the Rehabilitation Act, Centers for Independent Living (CILs) for Disaster Recovery Assistance in Florida and Puerto Rico, 16258-16259 [2023-05328]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Administration for Community Living

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 51 (Thursday, March 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16258-16259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05328]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Availability of Program Application Instructions for Title VII, 
Part C of the Rehabilitation Act, Centers for Independent Living (CILs) 
for Disaster Recovery Assistance in Florida and Puerto Rico

    Title: Disaster Assistance for Centers for Independent Living in 
Florida and Puerto Rico.
    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Statutory Authority: The statutory authority for grants under this 
program announcement is through the Public Health and Social Service 
Emergency Fund (Pub. L. 117-2) and awards authorized under Part C of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29. U.S.C. 796f et seq.), Centers for 
Independent Living shall be provided funding under this opportunity.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.432.

DATES: The deadline date for the submission of the Disaster Assistance 
for Disability Programs in Florida and Puerto Rico: Centers for 
Independent Living is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time April 17, 2023.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces a new 
funding opportunity to address the needs of people with disabilities 
impacted by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian. People with disabilities often 
have unique needs during a crisis. For example, they may have a wider 
variety of functional limitations, sometimes requiring more supports, 
many of which are often in short supply during and after a crisis 
event. It is critical that individuals, service providers, and 
communities actively engage in emergency planning and response that is 
inclusive of people with disabilities to ensure they continue to be 
supported in their communities and not in institutions. Effective 
emergency and disaster response and recovery promotes and protects the 
health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work, and 
play. The disability networks funded by ACL play essential roles in 
that work. As the nation's visible and trusted network of programs, 
these organizations provide a variety of services, including those 
related to assisting with emergency and disaster recovery efforts, such 
as offering case management support, relocating impacted individuals to 
safe housing in the community, and ensuring state and local services 
provided are accessible to people with disabilities. Understanding the 
resources available and the needs of people with disabilities in their 
areas, these networks have over 50 years of community experience and 
possess intimate knowledge of how to address emergencies and disasters.
    Puerto Rico and Florida were directly impacted by major category 4 
hurricanes which significantly affected the vital services and programs 
that support older adults, people with disabilities, and their family 
caregivers to live as independently as possible in their own 
communities. The Aging and Disability Network has been attempting to 
meet an increased need for services in impacted communities with 
current Older Americans Act (OAA) funding, Rehabilitation Act funding, 
and Developmental Disabilities Act funding. None of these authorities 
include direct funding for disaster related activities and programs are 
redirecting funds intended for other activities to address immediate 
needs caused by the Hurricanes. This funding is intended for the ACL 
Aging and Disability Network in Florida and Puerto Rico to help advance 
recovery and response efforts that are inclusive of people with 
disabilities and provide gap-filling services for older adults, people 
with disabilities, and their family caregivers for immediate and long-
term disaster response and recovery.
    Specifically, this program aims to fund CILs to support the needs 
of people with disabilities who were impacted by Hurricane Ian in 
Florida and Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico to ensure their health, 
wellness, and safety. Eligible entities, Centers for Independent Living 
(CILs) under the Rehabilitation Act (Rehab Act), shall be provided 
funding for allowable activities that are targeted for recovery and 
response efforts for the disability community.
    Allowable costs include program and staffing costs to support 
response and recovery efforts; program materials and supply costs to 
support response and recovery efforts; general outreach and information 
and referral regarding disaster and recovery assistance for people with 
disabilities; monitoring emergency shelters and temporary dwellings for 
accessibility, health, wellness, and safety; coordination with 
emergency response, recovery partners, and other state, local, and 
tribal agencies to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are 
met; accessible housing location, home modification, and transition 
assistance for those placed in institutional settings or in need of 
safe housing; food assistance and home delivered groceries/meals; 
assistance with personal care attendants and transportation; and 
replacement and distribution costs of critical supplies, including 
personal hygiene items, durable medical equipment, and medication not 
covered through insurance. As needed, funds may also support rebuilding 
of damaged offices of ACL grantees, including CILs. Although not 
required for funding, grantees are encouraged to explore options for 
funding to sustain emergency response activities after the end of the 
grant. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for this 
funding.
    Award recipients will be required to submit an annual progress 
report in the form of a written summary on the activities and/or 
staffing funded to support emergency and disaster response and recovery 
efforts and the results of these efforts, including number of people 
supported, number of partners involved, and the outcomes of these 
efforts.
    To be eligible to receive this grant, the eligible entity must 
submit:
     an action plan (maximum 5-10 pages in 12-point, Times New 
Roman font). The action plan should define the need they plan to 
address and how they intend to implement authorized activities to 
address the needs of people with disabilities impacted by Hurricanes 
Fiona or Ian.
     a budget request (5 pages maximum) with justification for 
how the funds would be used to support disaster recovery efforts.
     a Letter of Assurance to ACL (see below, ``Section III. 
Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements'' and ``Section IV. 
Submission Information'').
    Collaboration with other entities that serve people with 
disabilities in the plan and the budget is encouraged. Eligible 
entities that do not submit an action plan, a budget request with 
justification, and a Letter of Assurance will not be considered for 
funding.

II. Award Information

1. Funding Instrument Type

    These awards will be made in the form of new grants to eligible 
entities.

2. Anticipated Total Funding per Budget Period

    Awards made under this announcement have an estimated start

[[Page 16259]]

date of October 1, 2022, and an estimated end date of September 30, 
2024, for a two-year budget and performance period.
    The total available funding for this opportunity is $4 million for 
recovery efforts in Florida, and $1 million for recovery efforts in 
Puerto Rico. The final grant amount awarded to each grantee will vary 
based on individual budget requests; the reasonableness and rationale 
of the submitted plan and budget to meet the needs of individuals with 
disabilities; and availability of funding.

III. Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements

1. Eligible Entities

    The eligible entity for these awards is designated by ACL as 
Centers for Independent Living under Part C of the Rehabilitation Act 
that are supporting recovery efforts of Hurricane Fiona or Ian in 
Puerto Rico and Florida.

2. Match

    Cost Sharing or Matching is not required.

3. Other Requirements

A. Letter of Assurance
    A Letter of Assurance is required to be submitted by the eligible 
entity in order to receive an award. The Letter of Assurance must 
include the following:
    1. Assurance that the award recipient is an entity designated as a 
Part C funded CIL under the Rehab Act.
    2. Assurance that funds will be spent in ways consistent with the 
purpose of the funding.
    3. Assurance to provide annual federal financial reports.
    4. Assurance to provide annual program reports in the form of a 
written summary on the activities and/or staffing funded to support 
emergency and disaster response and recovery efforts and the results of 
these efforts, including number of people supported, number of partners 
involved, and the outcomes of these efforts.
B. Action Plan
    To be eligible to receive this grant, the eligible entity must 
submit an action plan detailing the need(s) they plan to address of 
people with disabilities impacted by Hurricanes Ian or Fiona and how 
they intend to implement authorized activities to address these needs. 
The plan must include a budget request with a budget justification for 
how the funds would be used to support disaster recovery efforts.
C. Intergovernmental Review
    Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, is not applicable to these grant applications.

IV. Submission Information

1. Application Packet

    To receive funding, eligible entities must submit: a Letter of 
Assurance containing all the information outlined in Section III above; 
an Action Plan that details the identified need and how the entity 
proposes to address the need; and a budget request includes a breakdown 
of the budgetary costs with supporting justification that fully 
explains and justifies the costs for each major budget item.
    Applications should be submitted electronically to the OILP Program 
Officer assigned to that region. For Florida, it is Veronica Hogan, 
[email protected] and for Puerto Rico it is Jennifer Martin at 
[email protected].

2. Submission Dates and Times

    To receive consideration, Application packets must be submitted by 
11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 17, 2023. Letters of Assurance should 
be submitted electronically via email and have an electronic time stamp 
indicating the date/time submitted.

VII. Agency Contacts

1. Programmatic and Submission Issues

    Direct programmatic and submission inquiries to 
[email protected].
    Statutory Authority: The statutory authority for grants under this 
program announcement is through the Public Health and Social Service 
Emergency Fund (Pub. L. 117-2) and awards authorized under Part C of 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29. U.S.C. 796f et seq.), Centers for 
Independent Living shall be provided funding under this opportunity.

    Dated: March 10, 2023.
Alison Barkoff,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2023-05328 Filed 3-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P