Announcing the Intent To Award a Single-Source Supplement for the National Volunteer Care Corps Program, 44807-44808 [2023-14830]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 133 / Thursday, July 13, 2023 / Notices Dated: July 10, 2023. Marquita Cullom, Associate Director. [FR Doc. 2023–14869 Filed 7–12–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160–90–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Community Living Announcing the Intent To Award a Single-Source Supplement for the Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce: A Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Initiative ACTION: Notice. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces the intent to award a single-source supplement to the current cooperative agreement held by the National Council on Aging for the Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce: A Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Initiative. The administrative supplement for FY 2023 will be in the amount of $1,974,846, bringing the total award for FY 2023 to $3,269,466. The supplement will provide sufficient resources to enable the grantee and their partners to increase funding for technical assistance (TA) to state aging and disability partnerships to collaborate with workforce entities to strengthen the Direct Care Workforce (DCW). The funding will enable the grantee to support additional states, including at more robust levels than originally planned. The funding will also enable additional work to strengthen the self-direction workforce by identifying gaps in knowledge and highlighting best practices to support and sustain those who self-direct, for dissemination via the DCW resource hub to a national audience. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or comments regarding this program supplement, contact Caroline Ryan, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, at caroline.ryan@acl.hhs.gov or (202) 795–7429. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through this initiative, ACL seeks to advance capacity to recruit, train and retain a high-quality, competent, and effective direct care workforce of professionals capable of meeting the growing needs that older adults and people with disabilities have for such supports. The purpose of this program is to catalyze change at a systems level that will address the insufficient supply of ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:24 Jul 12, 2023 Jkt 259001 trained DCWs, promote promising practices at all levels of the service system and improve data collection to enable a full understanding of the workforce issue. The outcomes of the initiative are as follows: 1. Increase the availability and visibility of tools and resources to attract, train and retain the direct care workforce in quality jobs where they earn livable wages and have voice in their working environment, and have access to benefits and opportunities for advancement. 2. Increase the number of states that develop and sustain collaborations across state systems and workforce agencies to implement strategies that will improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of high quality DCW jobs. Program Name: Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce: A Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Initiative. Recipient: The National Council on Aging. Period of Performance: The supplement award will be issued for the second year of the five-year project period of September 30, 2022 through September 29, 2027. Total Award Amount: $3,269,466 in FY 2023. Award Type: Cooperative Agreement Supplement. Statutory Authority: Section 411(13) of the Older Americans Act, Section 161 (2) of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, and Section 21 program of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Basis for Award: The National Council on Aging is currently funded to carry out the objectives of the project entitled Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce: A Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Initiative the period of September 30, 2022 through September 29, 2027. This supplement will enable the grantee to carry their work even further, providing technical assistance to more state partnerships and support additional work to strengthen the self-direction workforce. The NCOA is uniquely positioned to complete the work called for under this project. NCOA’s partners on this project include the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration (ICI), National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), DiverseAbility, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Paula J. Carter Center on Minority Health and Aging (PJCCMHA), Green House Project Center for Innovation (GHP), Housing PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 44807 Innovations (HI), National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), the Rockingstone Group (Rockingstone), and Social Policy Research Associates (SPR). Establishing an entirely new grant project at this time would be potentially disruptive to the current work already well under way. If this supplement is not provided, the project would be unable to expand its current technical assistance and training efforts to reach more state partnerships across aging, disability and workforce stakeholders to work together to strengthen the direct care workforce. Dated: July 8, 2023. Alison Barkoff, Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging. [FR Doc. 2023–14828 Filed 7–12–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4154–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Community Living Announcing the Intent To Award a Single-Source Supplement for the National Volunteer Care Corps Program ACTION: Notice. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces the intent to award a single-source supplement to the current cooperative agreement held by the Oasis Institute for the project National Volunteer Care Corps. SUMMARY: For further information or comments regarding this program supplement, contact Sherri Clark Link, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging, Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services: telephone (202)– 795–7327; email sherri.clark@ acl.hhs.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The purpose of this program was to establish a new grant program that will test models of programming designed to place volunteers in communities to assist caregivers, older adults, and persons with disabilities in maintaining independence by providing nonmedical care. The overall goals of the program are to: • Add to the nation’s capacity to support volunteer programs that provide non-medical care to assist caregivers, older adults, and/or persons with disabilities; and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM 13JYN1 44808 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 133 / Thursday, July 13, 2023 / Notices • Advancing innovative models that support local volunteer programs that provide non-medical care to assist caregivers, older adults, and/or persons with disabilities. Since inception of the National Volunteer Care Corps project, the Oasis Institute has supported 75 local projects around the country providing services to over 22,000 people. Several innovative models have emerged since the establishment of the program. ACL is interested in concentrating attention on a special volunteer model that is focused around building a network of screened and trained volunteer chaperones to accompany older adults and adults with disabilities in need to and from non-emergency medical appointments and outpatient procedures. The administrative supplement for FY 2023 will be in the amount of $1,337,500 and will provide sufficient resources to enable the grantee to establish a grant category that will fund efforts that target the volunteer chaperone volunteer model. Dated: July 8, 2023. Alison Barkoff, Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging. [FR Doc. 2023–14830 Filed 7–12–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4154–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Community Living Announcing the Intent To Award a Single-Source Supplement for the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (NCBOE) ACTION: Notice. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces the intent to award a single-source supplemental to the current cooperative agreement held by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) for the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (NCBOE). The purpose of the NCBOE is to provide technical assistance to states, Area Agencies on Aging, Aging and Disability Resource Centers and service providers who conduct outreach and low-income benefits enrollment assistance, particularly to older individuals with greatest economic need for federal and state programs. The administrative supplement for FY 2023 will be for $1,932,521, bringing the total award for FY 2023 to $13,432,521. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or comments ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:24 Jul 12, 2023 Jkt 259001 regarding this program supplement, contact Margaret Flowers, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center for Innovation and Partnership, Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling; telephone (202) 795–7315; email Margaret.flowers@acl.hhs.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This supplemental funding will expand the NCBOE’s outreach and education efforts targeting older adults with the greatest economic need, especially people from underserved communities. The NCBOE will build on current efforts to reach and assist beneficiaries, including expanding the work of the Benefits Enrollment Centers, making enhancements to the benefits eligibility and screening tool, and expanding the capacity of the benefits call center. With this supplemental funding, the NCBOE will develop specialized training and tools related to retirement security for older adults with low and moderate incomes. This work will build on current efforts to reach and assist beneficiaries with benefits by expanding on the retirement security project begun in 2023. This may include but is not limited to activities such as developing materials, providing technical assistance, and conducting a pilot with select community-based organizations. As part of this work, the NCBOE should reflect on the equity assessment conducted in 2021 to identify specific strategies to reach and enroll beneficiaries in rural communities, who are under 65, with limited English proficiency, from tribal communities, from communities of color, and/or from other historically underserved and marginalized communities. The NCBOE should collaborate with ACL and the administration to coordinate planned and emerging efforts to help older adults with low and moderate incomes with retirement planning. The NCBOE will continue, expand, and complete the work they are currently undertaking with the NCBOE award without disrupting services. Program Name: The National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (NCBOE). Recipient: National Council on Aging (NCOA). Period of Performance: The award will be issued for the current project period of September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024. Total Award Amount: $13,432,521 in FY 2023. Award Type: Cooperative Agreement Supplement. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority is contained in the 2006 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, and reauthorized by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, and Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. Basis for Award: The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is currently funded to carry out the NCBOE Project for the period of September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2025. Much work has already been completed and further tasks are currently being accomplished. It would be unnecessarily timeconsuming and disruptive to the NCBOE project and the beneficiaries being served for ACL to establish a new grantee at this time when critical services are presently being provided in an efficient manner. NCOA is uniquely placed to complete the work under the NCBOE grant. Since 2001, NCOA has been the national leader in improving benefits access to vulnerable older adults. They have an unparalleled history of working with community-based organizations to develop and replicate outreach and enrollment solutions while maintaining and enhancing technology to make it easier and more efficient to find benefits. NCOA through NCBOE accomplishes its mission by developing and sharing tools, resources, best practices, and strategies for benefits outreach and enrollment via its online clearinghouse, electronic and print publications, webinars, and training and technical assistance. In addition, NCOA has BenefitsCheckUp which is, by far, the nation’s most comprehensive and widely-used web-based service that screens older and disabled adults with limited incomes and resources and informs them about public and private benefits for which they are very likely to be eligible. Since the BenefitsCheckUp was launched in 2001, nearly 9.9 million people have discovered over $42 billion in benefits. In addition to the focus on Low-Income Subsidy and Medicare Savings Programs, BenefitsCheckUp also includes more than 2,500 benefits programs from all 50 states and DC, including over 50,000 local offices for people to apply for benefits; and more than 1,500 application forms in every language in which they are available. NCOA is successfully meeting all programmatic goals under the current NCBOE grant. E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM 13JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 133 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44807-44808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14830]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Announcing the Intent To Award a Single-Source Supplement for the 
National Volunteer Care Corps Program

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces the 
intent to award a single-source supplement to the current cooperative 
agreement held by the Oasis Institute for the project National 
Volunteer Care Corps.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or comments 
regarding this program supplement, contact Sherri Clark Link, U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community 
Living, Administration on Aging, Office of Supportive and Caregiver 
Services: telephone (202)-795-7327; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this program was to establish 
a new grant program that will test models of programming designed to 
place volunteers in communities to assist caregivers, older adults, and 
persons with disabilities in maintaining independence by providing non-
medical care. The overall goals of the program are to:
     Add to the nation's capacity to support volunteer programs 
that provide non-medical care to assist caregivers, older adults, and/
or persons with disabilities; and

[[Page 44808]]

     Advancing innovative models that support local volunteer 
programs that provide non-medical care to assist caregivers, older 
adults, and/or persons with disabilities.
    Since inception of the National Volunteer Care Corps project, the 
Oasis Institute has supported 75 local projects around the country 
providing services to over 22,000 people. Several innovative models 
have emerged since the establishment of the program. ACL is interested 
in concentrating attention on a special volunteer model that is focused 
around building a network of screened and trained volunteer chaperones 
to accompany older adults and adults with disabilities in need to and 
from non[hyphen]emergency medical appointments and outpatient 
procedures. The administrative supplement for FY 2023 will be in the 
amount of $1,337,500 and will provide sufficient resources to enable 
the grantee to establish a grant category that will fund efforts that 
target the volunteer chaperone volunteer model.

    Dated: July 8, 2023.
Alison Barkoff,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2023-14830 Filed 7-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P
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