[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 51 (Thursday, March 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16263-16264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05327]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Availability of Program Application Instructions for Disaster 
Recovery Assistance for the Florida Protection and Advocacy System 
(P&A)

    Title: Disaster Assistance for the Florida Protection and Advocacy 
System.
    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.630.

DATES: The deadline date for the submission of the Disaster Assistance 
for the Florida Protection and Advocacy System 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 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 the 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.
    Florida was directly impacted by a major category 4 hurricane 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 Assistance and Bill of Right 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 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 the P&A to support the 
needs of people with disabilities who were impacted by Hurricane Ian in 
Florida to ensure their health, wellness, and safety. Eligible 
entities, Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As) under Subtitle C of 
the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 
2000 (DD 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

[[Page 16264]]

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 P&As. 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 Hurricane 
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 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. 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 the state designated 
Protection and Advocacy System under Subtitle C of the Developmental 
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act) that is 
supporting recovery efforts of Hurricane Ian in 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 the state designated P&A 
under Subtitle C of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill 
of Rights Act of 2000 (DD 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 Hurricane Ian 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 P&A Program 
Officer, Melvenia Wright, [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 Subtitle C of the Developmental 
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act), 
Protection and Advocacy Systems shall be provided funding under this 
opportunity.

    Dated: March 10, 2023.
Alison Barkoff,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2023-05327 Filed 3-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P