The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday $25 million in funding for states' Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs).
The funding initiative, called the Aging and Disability Resource Center program, will provide support to states' ADRCs so that they can strengthen and expand their programs and coordinate state and federal long-term service and support programs.
The program is being organized through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Veterans' Affairs' Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
The funding is the last of the $50 million in appropriations mandated by the Affordable Care Act for ADRCs.
The funding initiative will offer funding to up to 40 states next year to support their ADRC programs. Through a competitive grant program, up to eight states will be selected for funding to maintain high-performing ADRC options counseling programs designed to help individuals and caregivers get access to "the right services at the right time in the right setting."
The intent of the options counseling grant program is that the ADRCs in the selected states will become national models for other states. "We want these programs to serve as high-performing 'one-stop shop' models across the country," said Marilyn Tavenner, CMS' acting administrator, in a press release announcing the funding.
The VHA is making an additional $27 million in funding available over three years to the states selected for the counseling grant program. The VA funding, said HHS in a press release, is for the purpose of increasing access to home and community-based services for veterans through the states' ADRC programs.
Click here for more information about the funding program and to download instructions for the grant application. An open information teleconference for applicants takes place on June 12 at 1 p.m. EST. Call (800) 369-3160 and use pass code: 1683139.