[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 66 (Thursday, April 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18287-18289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07208]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Aging and Disability Resource Center/No Wrong Door System COVID-
19 Vaccine Access Supplemental Funding

    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Statutory Authority: The statutory authority for grants under this 
funding opportunity is contained in Title II of the Older Americans Act 
of 1965 (OAA) [as amended through P.L. 116-131] (42 U.S.C. 3012). Title 
II Section 202b(8), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
(CARES) Act of 2020, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief 
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021. The Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention has the authority under Section 301 of the Public Health 
Service Act and Division M, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, 
Public Law 116-260.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.048.

DATES: The deadline for submission of the supplemental funding request 
is 11:59 p.m. EST April 9, 2021.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    This funding opportunity is to support a new effort to get the 
nation's most vulnerable and at-risk seniors and people with 
disabilities vaccinated. Among some of the hardest to reach are seniors 
and people with disabilities who are unable to leave their home without 
assistance or are homebound, are socially isolated, live independently 
but are medically fragile, or have cognitive impairments. These 
individuals are at particular risk because they may depend on people 
coming into their homes to provide services, including personal care 
assistance. To assist in getting these particularly vulnerable and at-
risk older adults and people with disabilities vaccinated, the Biden-
Harris Administration has announced new funding to reach these 
important communities. The Administration for Community Living, in 
partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
provides this supplemental funding opportunity specifically for current 
Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)/No Wrong Door (NWD) COVID-
19 CARES Act funding grantees.

Use of Funds

    These grants will provide assistance with scheduling vaccine 
appointments, transportation to vaccine sites, direct support services 
needed to attend vaccine appointments, connection to in-home 
vaccination options, and education about the importance of receiving 
the vaccine to older adults and people with disabilities. In addition, 
these grants will enable the aging and disability networks to identify 
people who are unable to independently travel to vaccination sites and 
to provide technical assistance to local health departments on 
improving access to vaccines for people with disabilities and older 
adults.
    This funding is specific to vaccine access support and is 
encouraged to support all ADRC/NWD partner agencies and community based 
organizations who may be able to reach the most at-risk individuals. 
Grantees are strongly encouraged to partner and coordinate with state 
and local agencies for this effort.
    Expected activities to be performed under this funding opportunity 
include:
     Public outreach and education about COVID-19 vaccinations 
(e.g. public announcements, targeted marketing push, sharing 
information on ADRC/NWD website) including ways to address vaccination 
hesitancy.
     Individual outreach and awareness (e.g., direct calls or 
in-person visits to individuals who may be eligible).
     Vaccine registration support, including through statewide 
websites, 211 or in-person.
     Transportation assistance to and from vaccination sites, 
including support during wait times at the vaccination site.
     Support for unique vaccine distribution methods including 
arranging for in-home vaccinations for individuals enrolled in state 
funded long term services and supports (LTSS) programs who may have 
difficultly leaving the home.
     Addressing accessibility needs at vaccination sites or 
post vaccination recovery needs (e.g., coordinating with AT programs.)
    Key requirements for grantees under this emergency FOA will 
include:
     Grantees are expected to regularly participate in updates 
or touchpoints with all ADRC/NWD partners and sub-grantees to discuss 
progress, challenges, and potential solutions related to vaccination 
access for older adults and people with disabilities.
     Grantees will report to ACL on a semi-annual basis on 
challenges and successes that have been experienced by all partners and 
sub-grantees and will share ideas and receive technical assistance to 
address challenges.
     Grantees will submit annual progress reports on the 
activities conducted, challenges, successes, and lessons learned and 
provide a written summary.
     Grantees are expected to spend funds in reasonable 
timeframe. Grantees who have not drawn funds from the initial ADRC-
COVID grant must explain how they will spend this supplemental funding 
in a prudent manner.

II. Award Information

1. Funding Instrument Type
    These grants are discretionary, supplemental grants, authorized by 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under Section 301 of the 
Public Health Service Act and Division M, Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260 and appropriated through the Coronavirus 
Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021.
2. Anticipated Total Priority Area Funding per Budget Period
    The total available funding for this opportunity is $26,000,000. 
ACL intends to make available, under this program announcement, 
supplemental awards to ADRC-COVID grantees. The period of performance 
for these grants during which grant activities must occur is estimated 
to be April 1, 2021 and is projected to end on September 30, 2022. 
ADRC-COVID grantees are eligible to apply for and receive the amount of 
funding in the table below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Available
                     State/territory                          amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AK......................................................        $159,812
AL......................................................         395,251
AR......................................................         238,292
AS......................................................         159,812
AZ......................................................         578,369
CA......................................................       1,572,442
CM......................................................         159,812
CO......................................................         395,251
CT......................................................         238,292
DC......................................................         159,812
DE......................................................         159,812
FL......................................................       1,572,442
GA......................................................         892,287
GU......................................................         159,812
HI......................................................         159,812
IA......................................................         238,292
ID......................................................         159,812
IL......................................................         892,287
IN......................................................         578,369
KS......................................................         238,292
KY......................................................         395,251
LA......................................................         395,251
MA......................................................         578,369
MD......................................................         395,251
ME......................................................         159,812

[[Page 18288]]

 
MI......................................................         892,287
MN......................................................         395,251
MO......................................................         578,369
MS......................................................         238,292
MT......................................................         159,812
NC......................................................         892,287
ND......................................................         159,812
NE......................................................         159,812
NH......................................................         159,812
NJ......................................................         578,369
NM......................................................         238,292
NV......................................................         238,292
NY......................................................       1,572,442
OH......................................................         892,287
OK......................................................         395,251
OR......................................................         395,251
PA......................................................       1,572,442
PR......................................................         395,251
RI......................................................         159,812
SC......................................................         395,251
TN......................................................         578,369
TX......................................................       1,572,442
UT......................................................         238,292
VA......................................................         578,369
VT......................................................         159,812
WA......................................................         578,369
WI......................................................         395,251
WV......................................................         238,292
WY......................................................         159,812
------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements

    1. Eligible Applicants for this award are existing ADRC/NWD COVID-
19 CARES Act grantees that received funding on April 1, 2020.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching is not required.
    3. Grantees must submit a project narrative through an online form 
and complete an application in GrantSolutions. Submission instructions 
will be shared by the ACL Project Officer. The online application form 
is as follows:

ADRC/NWD COVID-19 Vaccine Access Supplemental Funding Project Narrative

Current Need

    1. Briefly describe how your state/territory's ADRC/NWD System is 
involved in increasing access to COVID-19 vaccines and how these 
supplemental funds will support these activities. Please also share any 
quantitative data (i.e. increased number of volunteers by X number of 
individuals, dedicated X number of staff for vaccine rollout activities 
only, increased staff hours by X amount, increase in X number of calls, 
etc.) or anecdotal stories that demonstrate increase in demand for 
services and support due to vaccine-related needs (e.g., education and 
outreach, scheduling vaccine appointments).

Use of Funds

    2. How many ADRC/NWD entities, or sub-grantees, will be supported 
by this funding?
    2a. Please indicate the number of anticipated ADRC/NWD entities or 
sub-grantees by organization type. If an entity/sub-grantee falls into 
more than organization type, please use your judgement to select the 
most appropriate.

[square] AAA
[square] ADRC
[square] Advocacy partner
[square] Assistive Technology (AT)
[square] CIL/ILC
[square] Other Disability partner
[square] Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) partners
[square] Veteran or Military partner organizations
[square] Other CBO
[square] Other Local Government partner
[square] Tribal Partner
[square] University Partner
[square] Other (please explain)

    3. Please select all of the following ways the supplemental funding 
will be used.

[square] Public outreach and education (e.g. public announcements, 
targeted marketing push, sharing information on ADRC/NWD website)
[square] Individual outreach and awareness (e.g., direct calls or in-
person visits to individuals who may be eligible)
[square] Vaccine registration, including through statewide websites, 
211 or in-person
[square] Transportation
[square] Vaccine distribution site
[square] Addressing accessibility needs (e.g., by coordinating with AT 
programs)
[square] Other, please describe

    4. Do you anticipate this supplemental funding meeting demand in 
any of the following areas?

[square] Increasing number of volunteers
[square] Increasing number of staff for vaccine access activities only
[square] Increasing staff hours
[square] Increasing call volume
[square] Increasing marketing activities (i.e. developing outreach and 
education materials, flyers, hosting virtual townhalls, radio spots, 
infomercials, etc.)
[square] Other (please explain)

    5. Which of the following state-level partners do you plan to 
coordinate with for vaccine access activities?

[square] Developmental Disabilities Councils
[square] State Department or Division of Disabilities
[square] State Assistive Technology Act Programs
[square] State health department
[square] State Labor and Workforce Development agency
[square] State Transportation agency
[square] State Medicaid Agency
[square] State Departments supporting Military or Veteran programs
[square] University Centers for Excellence in Developmental 
Disabilities (UCEDDs)
[square] Other (please explain)

    6. Which of the following local partners do you plan to coordinate 
with for vaccine access activities?

[square] Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)
[square] Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs)
[square] Home health agencies
[square] Health Plans
[square] Local health departments
[square] Local transportation providers
[square] Housing and Urban Development Service Coordinators
[square] Residential providers
[square] Employment centers
[square] Faith-based organizations
[square] Centers for Independent Living (CILs)
[square] Other Disability partner
[square] Advocacy partners
[square] Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) partners
[square] Tribal partners
[square] Other local government partner
[square] Other community based organizations (CBOs)
[square] Other (please explain)

Demographics/Population Reach

    7. Include a projection for number of people served, by 
demographic, with vaccine access support through this supplemental 
funding:

[square] Individuals Age 60+
[square] Individuals Aged 21 to 59
[square] Individuals Age 20 and below
[square] Individuals with any type of disabilities
[square] Individuals enrolled in state funded long term services and 
supports (LTSS) programs who may have difficultly leaving the home

Technical Assistance Needs

    8. In which of the following vaccine-related technical assistance 
support do you anticipate needing?

[square] Support in coordinating with public health departments or 
other state/local partners and agencies
[square] Addressing staff capacity and time to meet demand
[square] Support for recruiting volunteers to support staff
[square] Reaching people in priority groups for vaccine access)
[square] Reaching minority and underserved communities
[square] Addressing lack of access to transportation services
[square] Addressing vaccine hesitancy through education and other 
outreach strategies

[[Page 18289]]

[square] Other, please explain
4. DUNS Number
    All grant applicants must obtain and keep current a D-U-N-S number 
from Dun and Bradstreet. It is a nine-digit identification number, 
which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. The D-U-
N-S number can be obtained from: https://iupdate.dnb.com/iUpdate/viewiUpdateHome.htm.
5. Intergovernmental Review
    Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, is not applicable to these grant applications.

IV. Submission Information

    1. Instructions for completing the application will be available 
from the ACL Project Officer.
    2. Submission Dates and Times.
    To receive consideration, applications must be submitted by 11:59 
p.m. Eastern Time on April 09, 2021, through www.GrantSolutions.gov.

VII. Agency Contacts

    Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Ami Patel
Phone: 202.795.7376
Email: [email protected]

    Dated: April 2, 2021.
Alison Barkoff,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2021-07208 Filed 4-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P