[Federal Register: April 23, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 79)]
[Notices]
[Page 22061-22064]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23ap04-91]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Administration on Aging
RIN 0938-ZA48
Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant Program
ACTION: Notice.
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Part 1. Overview Information
Funding Opportunity Title: Aging and Disability Resource Center
Grant Program.
Program Announcement Nos.: AoA-03-05 and CMS-2196-N.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No.: 93.048 (AoA) and
93.779 (CMS).
DATES: Deadline for Submitting the Signed Cooperative Agreement: Fiscal
Year (FY) 2004 Qualified Applicants (see ``Definition of Qualified
Applicants'' in Part 2, section III.1 of this notice) who plan to
accept a grant award in FY 2004 must submit the signed Cooperative
Agreement (that was enclosed with their written notification dated
April 23, 2004) no later than May 24, 2004. FY 2004 Qualified
Applicants who fail to submit a signed Cooperative Agreement on or
before May 24, 2004, will not receive funding, and those funds may be
reallocated to the next highest-ranked Qualified Applicant.
Because funding for this program appears as part of the
Administration on Aging (AoA) and CMS' FY 2004 budgets, all awards will
be made before October 1, 2004. All grantees receiving awards under
this funding opportunity will have a budget period of 36 months and a
start date of no later than September 30, 2004.
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Background
The Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) announce the continuation in funding of the
joint AoA and CMS Aging and Disability Resource Center grants program.
These discretionary grants to be issued as cooperative agreements will
fund 12 projects at a Federal share of up to $800,000 over 3 years (11
grants at approximately $800,000 each, and 1 grant at $200,000). The
Aging and Disability Resource Center grants are designed to assist
States in developing citizen-centered, ``one-stop'' entry points into
the long-term support system and will be based in local communities.
AoA and CMS plan to continue to process the ranked applications
submitted in FY 2003, beginning with the highest-ranked applications
that were not funded in FY 2003. This notice also contains information
about the manner in which we will continue the award process that
originated in FY 2003. We will not accept any new applications for
Aging and Disability Resource Center grants in FY 2004.
AoA's authority for these grants is under the Older Americans Act,
(Pub. L. 106-501).
CMS' legislative authority for these grants is under section 1110
of the Social Security Act (the Act). Funding and Congressional
language for the CMS Real Choice Systems Change Grants was provided in
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Pub. L. 108-199). Although
the Congress appropriated $40 million in funding for Real Choice
Systems Change activities, the Congress also passed an across-the-board
rescission of 0.59 percent and a second rescission of 0.6864 percent
leaving a total appropriation of $39,491,060. Some of these funds will
be used for FY 2004 Aging and Disability Resource Center grants that
CMS will fund in collaboration with the AoA. A separate Federal
Register notice, Medicaid Program; Real Choice Systems Change Grants
(CMS-2189-N), will be published regarding the remaining Real Choice
Systems Change Grand funds.
AoA and CMS are the designated agencies with administrative
responsibility for their respective portion of funding for this joint
effort.
Purpose of Grant Awards: The awards are to be used by States to
develop Aging and Disability Resource Center programs that will provide
citizen-centered, ``one-stop'' entry points into the long term support
system and will be based in local communities accessible to people who
may require long term support. Aging and Disability Resource Centers
will serve individuals who need long-term support, their family
caregivers, and those planning for future long-term support needs.
These Aging and Disability Resource Center grants, to be awarded by AoA
and CMS as cooperative agreements, are a part of the President's New
Freedom Initiative.
The Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant Program is part of
AoA's Research and Demonstration efforts under Title IV of the Older
Americans Act and is one of several demonstration opportunities in
support of the New Freedom Initiative.
CMS has restructured its research and demonstration efforts under
section 1110 of the Act into eight themes. The Aging and Disability
Resource Center Grants are part of CMS' Research and Demonstration
efforts under Theme 5; Strengthening Medicaid, State Children's Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP), and State Programs. This effort includes
research and demonstrations on ways to improve access to and delivery
of health care to the persons served by Medicaid. The New Freedom
[[Page 22062]]
Initiative calls for the removal of barriers to community living for
people with disabilities. CMS is the designated Department of Health
and Human Services agency with administrative responsibility for the
Real Choice Systems Change Grant program.
2. Fiscal Year 2003 Aging and Disability Resource Center Grants
On May 29, 2003, AoA and CMS jointly published a Notice of Funding
Availability for the Aging and Disability Resource Center Grants in the
Federal Register (68 FR 32053). Under this notice, AoA and CMS invited
proposals from States, in partnership with their disability and aging
communities, to design and implement effective and enduring
improvements in community long term support systems. Grant applications
were due on July 28, 2003. To view a copy of the Federal Register
notice and Program Announcement from FY 2003, please visit the
respective AoA and CMS Web sites at: http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aging_dis.asp and http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/resctrannappinst.pdf.
dom/resctrannappinst.pdf.
interest on the part of States and their citizens to improve their
community-based systems, and a vital role for Federal technical and
resource assistance. We received 37 applications: 36 applications were
from States and 1 application was from a Territory.
On September 22, 2003, we announced the award of 12 FY 2003 Aging
and Disability Resource Center Grants to States totaling $9.3 million
(see section VIII of this notice for a list of FY 2003 grantees). For
further information regarding the FY 2003 grantees, please visit the
respective AoA and CMS Web sites at: http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aging_dis.asp or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom.
Since we received far more applications in FY 2003 than we were
able to fund, we will not accept any new applications in FY 2004.
Instead, we have used the independent review panel scores from FY 2003
to determine the ranking of all applications and will continue to
process the ranked applications submitted in FY 2003, beginning with
the highest-ranked applications that were not funded in FY 2003 (for a
listing of FY 2004 Qualified Applicants, see Table 2). In this way, we
will attempt to provide funding for applications where funding was
previously unavailable. On the day of publication of this Federal
Register notice, we will contact the 12 FY 2004 Qualified Applicants by
phone to advise them of the grant award. In addition, we will send to
the FY 2004 Qualified Applicants a notice of the grant award, terms and
conditions of award, and a Cooperative Agreement.
We note that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
(CNMI) is one of 12 awardees of the 2004 Aging and Disability Resource
Center grants. Due to CNMI's smaller, less complicated State government
service structure, and a considerably smaller grant target population,
the goals of the Aging and Disability Resource Center grant can be
achieved with less funding. To illustrate, the total CNMI population is
69,221, of which 1,047 are elderly (65 years and older), and 66 persons
are 85 years and older. Of the total population, approximately 1,928
are individuals with a known disability (data source: 2000 Census).
Therefore, the recommended funding level for CNMI is $200,000 of the
requested $756,114.
We reserve the right to ensure reasonable balance in awarding
grants in FY 2004, in terms of key factors (such as geographic
distribution and broad target group representation), as noted in the FY
2003 Program Announcement (see section I.2 of this notice for the Web
site address). We reserve the right to reallocate those funds to the
next highest-ranked FY 2004 Qualified Applicant(s), if a FY 2004
Qualified Applicant is subsequently determined not to have met all of
the requirements of our FY 2003 Notice of Funding Availability for the
Aging and Disability Resource Center Grants (68 FR 32053), the grant
terms and conditions, or otherwise fail to submit a signed Cooperative
Agreement to us by the date indicated above in the DATES section of
this notice.
II. Award Information
1. Funding Available
Using FY 2004 funds, AoA and CMS will fund 12 Aging and Disability
Resource Center Grants that total approximately $8.97 million (11
grants at approximately $800,000 each and 1 grant at $200,000).
2. Description of Grant Opportunities
As previously mentioned, this notice contains information about the
manner in which we will continue the award process that originally
started in FY 2003. We will not accept any new applications for Aging
and Disability Resource Center grants in FY 2004. As previously stated,
to view a copy of the Federal Register notice and Program Announcement
from FY 2003, please visit the respective AoA and CMS Web sites at:
http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aging_dis.asp and http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/resctrannappinst
.pdf.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Definition of Qualified Applicants
We will not accept any new applications in FY 2004, due to the
number of quality, unfunded applications received in FY 2003. Instead,
we will continue to process the ranked applications submitted in FY
2003, beginning with the highest-ranked applications that were not
funded in FY 2003. We will offer funding to those FY 2004 Qualified
Applicants on the day that this notice is published in the Federal
Register.
FY 2004 Qualified Applicants are those Applicants who (1) submitted
an application in FY 2003; and (2) received from us written
notification dated November 18, 2003 that advised the applicant that
his or her application received a score from the review panel in a
range that would permit us to make an award ``subject to the
availability of funding in FY 2004.'' Through our technical assistance
efforts, we will continue to work with all States and Territories to
improve community-integrated long-term services and supports.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
As stated in the FY 2003 Program Announcement, ``Grantees are
required to provide at least 5 percent of the project's total cost with
non-Federal cash or a non-financial recipient contribution (match) in
order to be considered for the award'' (see 68 FR 32054). A full
description of the cost sharing or matching requirements for the Aging
and Disability Resource Center Grants is included in the FY 2003
Program Announcement (see ``Eligibility for grant awards and other
requirements'' at 68 FR 32054.)
3. Eligibility Threshold Criteria
See ``Qualified Applicants'' in part 2, section III.1 of this
notice.
IV. Application and Submission Information
As previously noted, we will not accept new applications for
funding in FY 2004, as we will continue to process the ranked
applications submitted in FY 2003, beginning with the highest-ranked
applications that were not funded in FY 2003.
1. Address to Request Application Package
N/A.
[[Page 22063]]
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
N/A.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Cooperative Agreement: The addresses for submitting signed
Cooperative Agreements are listed in order by our preferred means of
receipt; they are as follows: (1) Facsimile to Margaret Tolson at (202)
357-3466; or (2) mail to Margaret Tolson, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Administration on Aging, Office of Grants Management,
Washington, DC 20201. Signed Cooperative Agreements mailed through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial delivery service will be considered
``on time'' if received by close of business on the closing date, or
postmarked (first class mail) by the date specified and received within
5 business days. If express, certified, or registered mail is used, the
FY 2004 Qualified Applicant should obtain a legible dated mailing
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks are not
acceptable as proof of timely mailings. Cooperative Agreements that do
not meet the above criteria will be considered late.
FY 2004 Qualified Applicants who would like to obtain an electronic
copy of the Cooperative Agreement or have questions regarding the
Cooperative Agreement, please contact Greg Case at (202) 357-3442 or e-
mail at greg.case@aoa.gov.
4. Funding Restrictions
Reimbursement of indirect costs under this notice is governed by
the provisions of OMB Circular A-87 and the regulations of the U. S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (45 CFR 92--States),
Grants Policy Directive (GPD) Part 3.01: Post-Award--Indirect Costs and
Other Cost Policies. A copy of OMB Circular A-87 is available online
at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a087/a087.html. Additional
information regarding the Department's internal policies for indirect
rates is available online at: http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/adminis/gpd/gpd301.htm
.
5. Other Submission Requirements
N/A.
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
N/A.
2. Review and Selection Process
N/A.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive two Notices of Grant Award
(NGA). One will be signed and dated by the AoA Grants Management
Officer, and one will be signed and dated by the CMS Grants Management
Officer. The NGA is the document that authorizes the grant award, and
it will be sent through the U.S. Postal Service to the applicant
organization. Any communication between either AoA or CMS and
applicants before the issuance of the NGA is not an authorization to
begin performance of a project. The notices of grant award will be
concurrently issued with the publication of the Federal Register
notice.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
A full description of the administrative and national policy
requirements for Aging and Disability Resource Center Grants are
described in the May 29, 2003, Federal Register (68 FR 32053) and the
FY 2003 Program Announcement.
This funding opportunity will lead to awards with AoA's and CMS'
standard terms and conditions and may lead to awards with additional
``special'' terms and conditions. FY 2004 Qualified Applicants should
be aware that special requirements could apply to particular awards
based on the particular circumstances of the effort to be supported
and/or deficiencies identified in the application by AoA and CMS (for
example, failure to supply an acceptable work plan or detailed 36-month
budget).
3. Reporting
Grantees must agree to cooperate with any Federal evaluation of the
program and provide semi-annual and final reports in a form prescribed
by AoA and CMS (including the SF-269a, ``Financial Status Report'').
These reports will describe how grant funds were used, program
progress, any barriers to project implementation, and measurable
outcomes. AoA and CMS will provide a format for reporting and technical
assistance necessary to complete required report forms. Grantees must
also agree to respond to requests that are necessary for the evaluation
of the national Real Choice Systems Change Grants efforts and provide
data on key elements of their Real Choice Systems Change Grant
activities.
VII. Agency Contacts
To obtain additional information about the Aging and Disability
Resource Center Grants, please visit our respective Web sites at:
http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aging_dis/aging_dis.as or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/default.asp.
To obtain additional
in additional
please visit the CMS Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/default.asp
.
Programmatic questions concerning the Aging and Disability Resource
Center Grants may be directed to: Greg Case, U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Administration on Aging, Center for Planning and
Policy Development, Washington, DC 20201, telephone: (202) 357-3442 or
e-mail: greg.case@aoa.gov. Questions about the Real Choice Systems
Change Grant Program and this notice may be directed to: Mary Guy, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, Center for Medicaid and State Operations, DEHPG/
DCSI, Mail Stop: S2-14-26, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-
1850, (410) 786-2772, or e-mail: RealChoiceFY04@cms.hhs.gov.
Administrative questions about the Aging and Disability Resource
Center Grants may be directed to: Margaret Tolson, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, Office of Grants
Management, Washington, DC 20201, 202-357-3440 (voice), 202-357-3466
(facsimile) or by e-mail by at Margaret.tolson@aoa.gov or Judith L.
Norris, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, OICS/Acquisition and
Grants Group, Mail Stop C2-21-15, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore,
MD 21244-1850, 410-786-5130 (voice), 410-786-9088 (fax), or by e-mail
at Jnorris1@cms.hhs.gov.
VIII. Other Information
[[Page 22064]]
Table 1.--Existing Awards--Below Are the Grantees That Accepted Awards in FY 2003 as Described in Part 2,
Section I.2 of This Notice
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State Agency Total award
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Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant Program Fiscal Year 2003 Awards
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Louisiana................................ Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs................. $799,998
Maine.................................... DHS Bureau of Elder and Adult Services............... 767,205
Maryland................................. Department of Aging.................................. 800,000
Massachusetts............................ Executive Office of Elder Affairs.................... 750,000
Minnesota................................ Board on Aging....................................... 739,136
Montana.................................. DPHHS Senior and Long-Term Care Division............. 699,284
New Hampshire............................ University of New Hampshire.......................... 800,000
New Jersey............................... Department of Health & Senior Services............... 798,041
Pennsylvania............................. Department of Aging.................................. 764,000
Rhode Island............................. Department of Elderly Affairs........................ 749,000
South Carolina........................... DHHS Bureau of Senior Services....................... 800,000
West Virginia............................ Bureau of Senior Services............................ 798,975
---------------
Total................................ ..................................................... 9,265,639
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Table 2.--New Awards--Below Are the Qualified Applicants That Were Offered New Awards in FY 2004 as Described in
Part 2, Section I.2 of This Notice.
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Agency Address Award amount
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Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant Program Fiscal Year 2004 Qualified Applicants
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Arkansas........................... Arkansas Department of Human P.O. Box 1437, Slot S530, $793,262
Services, Division of Aging Little Rock, AR 72203-1437.
and Adult Services.
CNMI............................... Commonwealth of the Northern Caller Box 10007, Saipan, MP 200,000
Mariana Islands, Department 96950.
of Community & Cultural
Affairs.
Iowa............................... State of Iowa, Department of Clemens Building, 3rd Floor, 799,950
Elder Affairs. 200 10th Street, Des
Moines, IA 50309-3609.
North Carolina..................... North Carolina Department of 2101 Mail Services Center, 800,000
Health & Human Services, Raleigh, NC 27699-2101.
Office of Long Term Care.
Georgia............................ Georgia Department of Human Two Peachtree St., NW., 799,998
Resources, Division of Aging Suite 9.398, Atlanta, GA
Services. 30303-3142.
Illinois........................... Illinois Department on Aging, 421 East Capitol Avenue, 800,000
Division of Older American 100, Springfield,
Services. IL 62701-1789.
New Mexico......................... New Mexico Aging and Long- 228 East Palace Ave., Santa 798,900
Term Care Dept., Consumer Fe, NM 87501.
and Elder Rights Division.
Wisconsin.......................... State of Wisconsin, 1 West Wilson Street, P.O. 799,999
Department of Health and Box 7850, Madison, WI 53707-
Family Services. 7850.
Alaska............................. Alaska Housing Finance P.O. Box 101020, Anchorage, 799,581
Corporation. AK 99510-1020.
Indiana............................ Indiana Division of P.O. Box 7083, Indianapolis, 778,810
Disability, Aging & IN 46207-7083.
Rehabilitative Services,
Bureau of Aging and In-Home
Services.
California......................... State of California 1600 K Street Sacramento, CA 799,998
Department of Aging, 95814.
Director's Office.
Florida............................ Florida Department of Elder 4040 Esplanade Way, 799,945
Affairs Planning and Tallahassee, FL 32399-7000.
Evaluation Unit.
Total.......................... ............................. ............................ 8,970,443
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IX. Information Collection Requirements
In summary, this notice informs applicants of the ``AoA and CMS
Aging and Disability Resource Center Grants Program'' that CMS will not
accept any new applications but plans to continue to process the ranked
applications submitted in FY 2003, beginning with the highest-ranked
applications that were not funded in FY 2003. This notice also informs
grantees that they must agree to cooperate with any Federal evaluation
of the program, provide semi-annual and final reports in a form
prescribed by AoA and CMS, and respond to requests that are necessary
for the evaluation of the national Real Choice Systems Change Grants
efforts.
These information collection requirements are subject to the PRA;
however, the burden associated with these requirements are currently
approved under OMB control number 0938-0903 entitled ``AoA Grant
Solicitation'' with a current expiration date of 2/28/2007.
Dated: April 2, 2004.
Josefina G. Carbonell,
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
Dated: March 19, 2004.
Dennis G. Smith,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 04-8830 Filed 4-16-04; 8:45 am]
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