DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S2-26-12 
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850 
 
Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services 
 
CMCS Informational Bulletin 
 
 
DATE:   June 5, 2012 
 
FROM:  Cindy Mann, Director 
    Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) 
 
SUBJECT:  New Funding Opportunity - Aging and Disability Resource Center Program 
 
Last week Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the release of 
$25 million in funding authorized by the Affordable Care Act to help States strengthen and expand 
their ability to help seniors and people with disabilities access home and community-based long-term 
services and supports.  Under this initiative, which is jointly supported by Administration for 
Community Living (ACL), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Veterans 
Health Administration (VHA), funding will be available to help States support or improve their Aging 
and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs).  
 
These new grants will help States strengthen and expand their person-centered access programs to 
help consumers learn about and access the long term services and supports (LTSS) that best meet their 
needs.  Under the new Funding Opportunity, there are two unique funding options States can apply 
for: 1) a new three year grant (The Enhanced ADRC Options Counseling Program), and 2) a one 
year program expansion supplemental grant.   
 
Background 
 
Fifty-four States and territories have received Administration on Aging (AoA)/CMS ADRC grant 
funding since 2003.  In each State these programs are currently referred to by various names including 
one-stop shops and No Wrong Door/Single Entry Point (NWD/SEP) systems.  ACL, CMS, and 
VHA all support the goal of States developing sustainable NWD/SEP models for providing LTSS 
options counseling that streamline assessment, eligibility determination, enrollment, service initiation, 
data collection, and reporting across all public programs that pay for LTSS.  As States undergo health 
system transformation and long term care rebalancing activities, development of a sustainable 
infrastructure is critical to ensuring ongoing coordinated access to services.  States should consider 
how this Funding Opportunity can supplement existing State efforts to increase broader 
transformation of their health and LTSS delivery system through an enhanced ADRC Program model.  
Equally important, this Funding Opportunity will help states explore how to braid public resources 
(e.g. Medicaid FMAP, VHA funding, Older Americans Act dollars, state revenue programs, etc.) and 
private resources in a way that will truly sustain these models over time. 
  CMCS Informational Bulletin - Page 2 
One and Three Year Funding Opportunities 
 
States can apply for: 1) a new three year grant (Part A: 2012 Enhanced ADRC Options Counseling 
Program Funding Opportunity), and/or 2) a one year program expansion supplemental grant (Part 
B: 2012 ADRC Sustainability Supplemental).  All States and territories are eligible to apply for the 
Part A Funding Opportunity.  Only the existing 48 2009 ADRC grantees are eligible for funding 
under the Part B Funding Opportunity.  The three year grants will support a limited number of State-
run programs that can serve as high-performing national models for providing one stop shop access 
to all LTSS for all populations and payers.  These programs will streamline eligibility determinations 
for public LTSS programs and increase access to community-based alternatives that can help avoid 
institutional care and preserve personal resources, as appropriate.  States will use their ADRC 
Program as a key tool in rebalancing their LTSS systems and making their systems more person-
centered, more efficient, and more supportive of community living.  
 
ARDCs and the Balancing Incentive Program 
 
ADRC programs funded under this announcement, under the one- or three- year options, can be used 
to support the NWD/SEP statewide system change requirement that States must meet in order to 
qualify for enhanced federal match under CMS Balancing Incentive Program.  CMS encourages 
successful State applications under this Funding Opportunity to coordinate with the Balancing 
Incentive Program NWD/SEP structural change requirement and include relevant information in the 
Balancing Incentive Program structural change work plan.  More information about the Balancing 
Incentive Program is available at http://www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-
Topics/Long-Term-Services-and-Support/Balancing/Balancing-Incentive-Program.html. 
 
Opportunity for Additional Funding through the Veterans Health Administration 
 
This Funding Opportunity also provides a special opportunity to expand access to home and 
community-based services (HCBS) for Veterans.  The VHA has developed a partnership with HHS 
and has agreements with the Aging and Disability networks to provide Veteran Directed-HCBS.  The 
VHA will build on and expand this existing partnership by making additional investments in the 
States who receive awards under this announcement. The VHA funds will be disbursed through the 
Veterans Integrated Service Networks and the Veterans Administration Medical Centers to the 
ADRCs in the awarded States to help Veterans and their families access VHA-funded HCBS.   
 
Additional Information about Applying 
 
This Funding Opportunity, supported by Section 2405 of the Affordable Care Act, includes an 
appropriation of $10 million dollars each year from fiscal year (FY) 2010 to FY 2014 for the Assistant 
Secretary for Aging  who also operates within the ACL  to strengthen and expand ADRCs.  
Approximately $25.4 million is available for grant funds for the period FY 2012 through FY 2014.   
The number of awards approved by HHS depends on the scope and quality of the proposed programs.  
HHS anticipates funding 8 States at approximately $2.3 million each for a three year project period 
under the Enhanced Program option, and 40 States at an average of $175,000 each under the one year 
continuation option.  Under both options, States will be working with the State Medicaid Agency to 
evaluate how Medicaid can contribute to creating a financially sustainable infrastructure for the  CMCS Informational Bulletin - Page 3 
ADRC Options Counseling Program (please see Attachment G: Medicaid Support for ADRC 
Functions within the Funding Opportunity).  
 
HHS will accept only one application from each State for each funding option (i.e., a State may 
submit one application for a one-year program and one for a three-year program).   While we 
encourage States to apply for both funding opportunities, States can only receive funding under one 
option.  HHS expects that the designated lead agency will partner with other State agencies involved 
in serving seniors and people with disabilities; under the Enhanced Program option, the Office of the 
Governor must designate which agency will serve as the lead applicant. 
 
The grant period-of-performance begins upon application approval which will occur by September 30, 
2012.  For the Enhanced Program grants, continued funding will be awarded on an annual basis to the 
participating States, contingent upon progress, through September 29, 2015, or until the full 
appropriation has been expended.  
 
More information about this Funding Opportunity and Grant Instructions may be found on: 
 
  www.grants.gov,   
 
  http://www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-Topics/Long-Term-
Services-and-Support/Balancing/Balancing-Incentive-Program.html,  
 
  or at ACLs website at http://www.hhs.gov/acl.   
 
Funding Opportunity Title: The Aging and Disability Resource Center Program 
 
Funding Opportunity Numbers: HHS-2012-ACL-RO-1210 and HHS-2012-ACL-DR-1213 
 
Questions regarding this Informational Bulletin should be addressed to Effie George in the Division of 
Community Systems Transformation at Effie.George@cms.hhs.gov or (410) 786-8639.