[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 86 (Thursday, May 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35831-35832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09542]


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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 
Puerto Rico Disaster Assistance Grant Program

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 Puerto Rico Ombudsman Office for the Elderly 
(PROOE) for the project Puerto Rico Disaster Assistance Grant which is 
through the Older Americans Act, Disaster Assistance for State Units on 
Aging (SUAs) and Tribal Organizations in Major Disasters Declared by 
the President and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.

DATES: The supplement award will be issued to extend the project period 
to May 1, 2023, through September 30, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Votava, U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Center 
for Regional Operations: telephone (202) 795-7603; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this program, as set forth in 
Section 310(a)(1) of the Older Americans Act (OAA) is to provide 
funding to the aging network for disaster-related items in areas 
receiving a Major Disaster Declaration by the President under the 
Robert T. Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, where funds may only be 
used in those areas designated in the Disaster Declaration. These funds 
are used by the aging network in recovery so that they can resume 
operations to support older adults and their caregivers. The overall 
goals of the program are as follows:
    1. Provide disaster relief reimbursements to States/Territories (or 
to any tribal organization receiving a grant under title VI), upon 
application, for funds such State makes available to area agencies on 
aging (and/or aging network) in such State (or funds used by such 
tribal organization) for the delivery of supportive services (and 
related supplies) during any major disaster declared by the President 
in accordance with the Robert T. Stafford Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act. In addition, provide disaster relief reimbursements for 
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricanes Fiona and Ian.
    2. Provide funds for the aging network to deliver the following 
Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III types of gap-filling services 
following a disaster: emergency meals and medications, outreach, 
information and assistance, counseling, case management, advocacy on 
behalf of older persons unable or reluctant to speak for themselves, 
and transportation.
    3. Assist the aging network in restoring their capacity and 
operations after a disaster in order that they may be able to help 
older adults and caregivers in their communities.
    The administrative supplement for FY 2024 will be in the amount of 
$7,809,231, bringing the total awards made in FY 2023 and FY 2024 to 
$9,779,231. The supplement will provide sufficient resources to enable 
the grantee, PROOE, and their partners to continue to address the 
significant

[[Page 35832]]

needs of Hurricane Fiona older adult survivors living in Puerto Rico 
and expand the reach and effectiveness of this project by:
     Expanding the grantee's project to restore operations 
impacted by Hurricane Fiona to additional multipurpose senior centers, 
including installing solar panels, generators, and cisterns, as well as 
replenishing the supply of emergency meals for older adults;
     Advancing the capacity of the broader aging services 
network to deliver services to older adults and their caregivers who 
were impacted by Hurricane Fiona by continuing to identify and address 
the most critical needs; and
     Increasing outreach, evaluation, technical assistance, and 
sub-grantee monitoring and financial oversight activities.
    The supplement will accomplish the goals of the program using the 
following approaches:
     Partnerships are essential for delivering programs and 
services vital to help older adults remain in their communities. 
PROOE's partnership with the aging network, including multipurpose 
senior centers, is critical to allow services and programs to be 
provided in communities at the local level, especially in recovery from 
disasters.
     Community-based resources, such as multipurpose senior 
centers, provide congregate meals, home delivered meals, evidence-based 
disease prevention and health promotion services, outreach, information 
and referral services, socialization as well as many other supports for 
older adults in their local communities. In Puerto Rico, these centers 
often provide an access point for healthcare, including offering 
nursing care to and housing medications that need refrigeration for 
community-dwelling older adults.
     Stewardship is key to any project. The supplement will 
enable PROOE to increase stewardship over the sub-grant process to 
manage expanded work and enhance program oversight, monitoring, 
evaluation, and additional activities proportional to the increased 
funding and expectations resulting from this supplement.
    Program Name: Puerto Rico Disaster Assistance Grant.
    Recipient: Puerto Rico Ombudsman Office for the Elderly (PROOE).
    Period of Performance: The supplement award will be issued to 
extend the project period to May 1, 2023, through September 30, 2025.
    Total Award Amount: $ 9,779,231.
    Award Type: Cooperative Agreement Supplement.
    Basis for Award: The Puerto Rico Ombudsman Office for the Elderly 
(PROOE), the State Unit on Aging (SUA), is currently funded to carry 
out the objectives of the project entitled Puerto Rico Disaster 
Assistance Grant for the period of May 1, 2023, through September 30, 
2024. Since project implementation began in 2023, the grantee has 
accomplished a great deal. This supplement will enable the grantee to 
carry their work even further, serving more older adult survivors of 
Hurricane Fiona by expanding their project to additional senior centers 
in local communities. The additional funding will not be used to begin 
new projects or activities. The PROOE is uniquely positioned to 
complete the work called for under this project. PROOE is the 
designated SUA and administers the Older American Act programs and 
services to support older adults living in the community as well as 
their caregivers. PROOE's partners include the Territory's network of 
senior centers and local communities, many of which are in rural areas. 
Establishing an entirely new grant project at this time would be 
potentially disruptive to the current work already well under way. More 
importantly, the older adults being served by this project could be 
negatively impacted by a disruption, thus posing the risk of re-
traumatization and further negative impacts on health and wellbeing in 
their recovery from Hurricane Fiona. If this supplement is not 
provided, the project would be less able to address the significant 
unmet health and social support needs of additional older adult 
survivors and their caregivers. Similarly, the project would be unable 
to expand its current reach. Finally, providing this supplement to 
PROOE will allow for the greater realization of Congress' intent in the 
Older Americans Act which includes targeting older individuals with 
greatest economic need (including low- income minority individuals and 
older individuals residing in rural areas) and older individuals with 
greatest social need (including low-income minority individuals and 
older individuals residing in rural areas) to receive services under 
this Act, as well as targeting of services to older adult individuals 
at risk for institutional placement to permit such individuals to 
remain in home and community-based settings.
    Statutory Authority: 42 U.S.C. 3030; Pub. L. 117-328, 136 Stat. 
4459.

    Dated: April 29, 2024.
Allison Barkoff,
Principal Deputy Administrator for the Administration for Community 
Living, performing the delegable duties of the Administrator and the 
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2024-09542 Filed 5-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P