[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 17843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06999]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Intent To Award a Single-Source Supplement for the National 
Association of Area Agencies on Aging

AGENCY: Community Living Administration, Department of Health and Human 
Services.

ACTION: Announcing the intent to award a single-source supplement for 
the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging for the Eldercare 
Locator cooperative agreement.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces the 
intent to award a single-source supplement to the current cooperative 
agreement held by the National Area Agencies on Aging for the Eldercare 
Locator. Older adults are at greater risk of requiring hospitalization 
or dying if diagnosed with COVID-19, therefore ensuring that this 
population is vaccinated in an imperative. In addition, we recognize 
that the COVID-19 pandemic has birthed many challenges for people with 
disabilities and linking this population to vaccination resources is 
also critically important. The purpose of this project is to increase 
the capacity of the current Eldercare Locator call center to assist 
additional older adults in obtaining information and linkages to state 
and local organizations for the purpose of obtaining COVID-19 vaccines. 
In addition, utilizing the Eldercare Locator platform to develop a call 
center to assist people with disabilities with state and local 
resources to obtain links to vaccines and community resources.
    Program Name: The Eldercare Locator.
    Recipient: The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
    Period of Performance: The supplement award will be issued for the 
third year of the five-year project period of June 1, 2018, through May 
31, 2023.
    Total Award Amount: $5,140,000 FY 2021.
    Award Type: Cooperative Agreement Supplement.
    Statutory Authority: This program is authorized under Section 202 
of the Older Americans Act.
    Basis for Award: The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging 
is currently funded to carry out the objectives of this program, 
entitled The Eldercare Locator. Older adults and their caregivers face 
a complicated array of decisions regarding home and community-based 
services. For almost 30 years, the Eldercare Locator has helped older 
adults and their families navigate this complex environment by 
connecting those needing assistance with State and local agencies on 
aging that serve older adults and their caregivers. The Eldercare 
Locator serves approximately 450,000 people a year through the call 
center. To ensure that the needs of those who contact the Eldercare 
Locator are carefully matched with the appropriate resources, 
information specialists are trained to listen closely to callers, 
identify relevant local, state and/or national resources and, when 
needed, provide a transfer to a particular resource.
    As a trusted national resource, the supplement to the Eldercare 
Locator will be used to expand the capacity of the service to link a 
larger number of older adults and their caregivers seeking COVID-19 
vaccines with local organizations that can assist in making the 
appropriate connections and appointments. With the supplemental 
funding, ACL will fund the expansion of the Eldercare Locator Call 
Center to support an increase of 500,000 calls from older adults and 
their caregivers. In addition, the Call Center will utilize and 
maintain a list of trusted resources, such as the CDC Vaccine Finder, 
to assist callers in making appropriate local COVID-19 vaccine 
connections.
    Some people with disabilities might be at a higher risk of COVID-19 
infection or severe illness because of their underlying medical 
conditions. Having to sift through countless websites and make multiple 
phone calls to gain education and access to vaccine resources is a 
significant issue. Having a one-stop call center quickly set-up to 
provide accurate and up-to-date state and local specific information 
and referrals regarding COVID-19 vaccines and information regarding 
local community resources for people with disabilities it critically 
needed. Using the established Eldercare Locator infrastructure, this 
supplement will be used for the rapid development of a call center to 
assist people with disabilities to make appropriate state and local 
linkages to COVID-19 vaccines and other resources. The grantee, working 
with appropriate national disability organizations, will establish a 
call center with a dedicated line and trained information specialists 
to serve approximately 500,000 people with disabilities.
    For More Information Contact: For further information or comments 
regarding this program supplement, contact Sherri Clark, U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community 
Living, Administration on Aging (202)-795-7327; email 
[email protected].

    Dated: March 31, 2021.
Alison Barkoff,
Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2021-06999 Filed 4-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P