# August 2023 OILP Monthly Newsletter

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Dear Colleagues,  

Welcome to the OILP Monthly Newsletter!  We are pleased to share recent updates from ACL, COVID/TA Resources, and other IL resources below.

To improve user friendliness, we have included a Table of Contents with links to each section. 

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# Table of Contents

***Reporting and Guidance***

***Conferences, Trainings and Technical Assistance***

***Employment Opportunities***

***Opportunities for Engagement***

***Transition Services***

***Sharing Your Stories***

***Resources***

# Reporting and Guidance

· ***OILP Monthly Newsletters Posted on Website:***The OILP newsletters from May 2023-present are now available on our website here under the heading of Office of Independent Living Programs Monthly Newsletters. 

· ***FY21 CIL PPR Data Posted on Website:***The FY21 CIL PPR data is now available on our website here under the heading of Annual Performance Data and Outcomes. 

· *CARES Act, CDC, and Public Health Workforce Funding Programmatic Performance Reports (PPRs):*Reports were due on 3/31/2023 for Cares Act, CDC, and Public Health Workforce Funding. All PPR instruments and instructions are found under the Program Performance Reporting tab located at https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/centers-independent-living#.

No PPRs are to be submitted in Grant Solutions. We ask that if you receive these funds directly, and that you submit the required reporting as soon as possible if you have not already done so. For those who have submitted, thank you! The Program Officers will follow up if they have any questions.

· ***CIL Fact Sheet Now Available on Website:***The CIL fact sheet has been published on ACL’s website here.

· ***SPIL Instrument and Instructions Posted on Website:***The updated SPIL instrument and instructions are now available on our website here under the heading of Submitting State Plans for Independent Living.

· *IL Grant Applications:*****Several of you have reached out to us at ACL wondering where this year’s grant application packets are, so we wanted to share the good news. This year you will automatically receive your annual CIL awards near the end of September and will no longer have to submit paperwork each year from this year on to all future years. In addition, the project awards will be granted with a 2-year project period (i.e., 9/30/2023 – 9/29/2025) and it is equivalent to an automatic one year no cost extension for those who are unable to spend their funds in one year’s timeframe. In September, you will receive notification regarding your FFY 2023 annual awards. Notices of Award (NoA) document will continue to be issued and saved in GrantSolutions.

· ***Audit Confirmation Requests:*** Many Centers for Independent Living have reached out to request verifications for their independent fiscal audits. Please be advised that audit confirmation requests should be sent to pmsoigaudit@psc.hhs.gov. Please cc Nicole Dunning at Nicole.Dunning@psc.hhs.gov.

· ***Indirect Cost Rates:***For questions regarding indirect cost rates, contact information can be found at https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/asa/psc/indirect-cost-negotiations/index.html.

· ***Allowable Expenses:***OILP has recently received questions from our grantees regarding allowable costs. For additional guidance, please consult 45 CFR 75.403 and contact the fiscal officer listed in your notice of award.

·  ***Public Health Workforce Funding:***The Public Health Workforce funding was released for both CIL and ILS Programs in March 2022.  The guidance is available here under Guidance for ACL Programs, subheading of Public Health Workforce Grants.  

· ***FY2024 SPIL Extension Reminder:***OILP disseminated guidance in October 2022 about the FY2024 SPIL extension.  As a reminder, SPIL amendments were due to your Program Officer by ***June 30th***. Please see the guidance available on our webpage at https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/statewide-independent-living-councils.  

# Conferences, Trainings and Technical Assistance

· ***DETAC Webinar on Evaluating Employment Outcomes in Diverse Communities:***Please join the Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) for “Evaluating Employment Outcomes in Diverse Communities: Lessons Learned from Community Collaborations for Employment (CCE) Grantees in Texas and Virginia” on ***August 14th from 4:00 P.M.— 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time.***

ACL awards CCE grants to help increase and enhance collaborations across systems to create a seamless experience for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) as they transition between school and work in the community. For more information and to register, please visit this link.

· *Save the Date: OILP Grantee Quarterly Connection Call:*Please join staff from the Office of Independent Living Programs for our next Grantee Quarterly Connection Call on ***August 30, 2023, from 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Eastern Time.***To register, please visit this link.

· ***Save the Date: 2023 APRIL Annual Conference:*** Registration is open for the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living’s (APRIL) 2023 Annual Conference on ***October 12-14, 2023***in Orange County, California. This year’s theme is *The Magic of IL.*For more information and to register, please visit here.

· ***2023 Rural Conversation Series: 3rd Wednesday of the Month at 1:00 p.m. Eastern***

The Rural Conversation Community series is provided by ILRU's IL-NET National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Independent Living and facilitated by APRIL, the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living. There are no presenters or designated speakers in these conversations; they are an informal time and space to gather with your peers and share about current events and ask your peers questions. Captioning and ASL are provided. Bring your questions for your peers and updates on your CIL’s creative solutions and activities to share.Click this link for more information.

· ***Youth Coordinator Connect Meetings: 1st Tuesday of the Month at 2:00 p.m. Eastern***

Join us to begin building a community of peer support and sharing for Youth Program Coordinators. Come share your experiences and tips and tricks and problem solve barriers to growing and implementing youth programs in your Center for Independent Living. Meet and learn from your colleagues throughout the country who are working towards the common goal of improving services for youth with disabilities.

Each month we will discuss a topic as it relates to youth programs and services.  These topics are chosen as a group.  We will also brainstorm solutions for barriers that may come up in your programs.Click Here for more information.

· ***Advocacy Committee Meetings: 1st Wednesday of the Month at 4:00 p.m. Eastern***

APRIL is a national membership organization dedicated to advancing the rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities in rural America.

APRIL is committed to an aggressive and culturally appropriate advocacy strategy tied to its Vision statement: “APRIL is the unified voice of independent living in rural America.” In furtherance of that Vision, APRIL has engaged hundreds of members and dedicated many hours aimed at developing a mission-focused system-change agenda to further the civil rights of all people with disabilities regardless of age, disability, income, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or nationality.

Equally important to us, is ensuring that young people with disabilities are integrated into all facets of program development and delivery. We are truly committed to the mantra “Nothing About Us, Without Us.”  The advocacy committee works to address APRIL’s advocacy priorities.Click Here for more information.

· ***Emergency Prep Committee: 2nd Monday of the Month at 3:00 p.m. Eastern***

APRIL began this committee to support CILs and SILCs in their efforts on emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. 

We are in a constant climate crisis. Disasters and emergencies are increasing in intensity and frequency. Persons with disabilities are 26% of the US population. Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by disasters and emergencies. We are 2-to-4 times more likely to die or be injured during a disaster. 

We are all first responders when disasters strike in our localities. Let’s get together to share good practices and strategies, information and resources, and peer support before, during, and after disasters and emergencies. 

Click Here for more information.

# Employment Opportunities

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· ***NADTC/USAging Seeking a Transportation Training and Technical Assistance Specialist:***NADTC/USAging******is seeking a Transportation Training and Technical Assistance Specialist who will be a key player on the transportation team! Click here for more information and how to apply.

# Opportunities for Engagement

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· ***Identifying Excellence in Person-Centered Practices in HCBS:***The NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Person-Centered Outcomes and Measurements is conducting a study to learn about and improve the implementation of person-centered practices in HCBS. As part of the study, the project seeks nominations of organizations that do an excellent job in delivering person-centered services, either in a specific area or way, or overall. Individuals who receive services from or work for an organization can submit a nomination through the nomination form. 

Individuals may nominate more than one organization by filling a separate form for each nominated organization. For more information, contact Niveda Tennety at ntennety@sralab.org. 

· ***Input needed: Proposed Rule – Older Americans Act:***The U.S. Administration for Community Living***is seeking input*******on proposed updates to the regulations for its Older Americans Act (OAA) programs.

More information, including an expanded fact sheet which summarizes key provisions of the proposed rule, can be found on ACL’s website.

Instructions for submitting comments can be found in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which was posted on the Federal Register website. Comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern) on ***August 15, 2023.***

· *2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule:*****CILs are included in the following proposed rule around physician billing codes and services addressing health-related social needs - the rule is open for public comment:

2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule- For CY 2024, CMS is proposing coding and payment changes to better account for resources involved in furnishing patient-centered care involving a multidisciplinary team of clinical staff and other auxiliary personnel. Specifically, they are proposing to pay separately for Community Health Integration (CHI), Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Risk Assessment, and Principal Illness Navigation (PIN) services to account for resources when clinicians involve community health workers, care navigators, and peer support specialists in furnishing medically necessary care. CHI and PIN services involve a person-centered assessment to better understand the patient’s life story, care coordination, contextualizing health education, building patient self-advocacy skills, health system navigation, facilitating behavioral change, providing social and emotional support, and facilitating access to community-based social services to address unmet SDOH needs. Comments due by 5pm on ***September 11, 2023***. For more information: 2023-14624.pdf (federalregister.gov). 

· ***Ongoing Recruitment of CILs and SILCs for COVID Test Distribution:*** CILs and SILCs are encouraged to participate in the Administration for Community Living and the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) which provides COVID 19 tests to be distributed freely in your communities. For more information, please contact Ed Ahern.   

· ***Seeking your Public Health Work Force funding ideas!***The Office of Independent Living Programs (OILP) is working to compile information on how Public Health Workforce funding is being utilized as a resource in developing programs for Centers and we would love to hear from you! 

If interested, please contact Ed Ahern with your experience on new programs, promising practices, obstacles, or other issues related to using this funding. 

# *Transition Services*

· *New DOL Dialogue on Transition to Adulthood for Youth with Disabilities:*The Department of Labor (DOL), in collaboration with partners across federal agencies, has launched an ePolicyWorks dialogue, Our Future Matters: Informing the Federal Interagency Strategy, to gather ideas and experiences that may improve policies and practices leading to a smooth transition to adulthood for youth with disabilities. These young people face unique challenges that may complicate their educational trajectories as well as their plans for school, training, and work. As a result, they may have poorer adult educational and employment outcomes than their peers without disabilities and may have difficulty achieving maximum independence. Anyone with a personal or professional interest in supporting the aspirations of youth and young adults with disabilities to live, work, and thrive in their communities is invited to participate in this virtual public engagement event. Registration is free but required to submit ideas or to vote or comment on submitted ideas.

· ***NIDILRR Funded Study: Impact of a summer work experience program on employment outcomes for youth who are blind or have low vision:***This NIDILRR-funded study examined the impact of a vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency-sponsored summer work experience program on employment outcomes for transition-age youth who are blind or have low vision (B/LV). Access the full abstract and ordering information in REHABDATA.

· ***Blog on Transition Aged Youth:***Please see this blog post from Mathematica on employment opportunities for youth with disabilities.

# Sharing Your Stories

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· ***South Carolina found to violate rights of mentally ill in group homes:***Please see the article here. 

· ***Climate Change and Persons with Disabilities:***Please see this article for more information.

· ***OILP is Seeking Success Stories:***The Office of Independent Living Programs wants to highlight examples of the amazing work of our CIL and ILS colleagues! Therefore, we are asking you, our colleagues, to help us share your stories by copying your Program Officer on any press releases that are distributed. Please visit our website at https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/centers-independent-living# to view the contact list for the Office of Independent Living Programs. We appreciate your support!

· ***CILs and the Caregiving Community:***We want to hear about the roles CILs are playing in the caregiving community and how you might be helping to integrate Independent Living philosophy into caregiving. If you have any resources or previous experience, please reach out to Ed Ahern.  

# Resources

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· ***Continuing the Fight to Fulfill the Promise of the ADA:***Please see this blog post by Alison Barkoff, Senior official performing the duties of the Administrator and the Assistant Secretary for Aging commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

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· ***Blog: All Hands on Deck: Medicaid Beneficiaries Must Take Action to Keep Their Coverage:***More information is available here.

· ***Readout of Vice President Harris’s Convening on Transportation Accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):***Please see the full press release. 

· ***New Issue Brief & Fact Sheet—HCBS Equity Framework:***Justice in Aging developed an HCBS Equity Framework to support policymakers, payers, providers, advocates, and consumers in making equity a primary focus at every stage of HCBS program design and implementation.  

Their new issue brief,******An Equity Framework for Evaluating and Improving Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services, describes how inequities can be embedded in various aspects of program design, provider availability, program awareness and enrollment, assessments and authorization of services, and provision of HCBS. It includes examples of how these inequities show up in existing HCBS programs and offers tips for stakeholders to begin to evaluate and improve programs in their state.

A companion Fact Sheet can also be found here.

· ***A Partnership Guide between CILs and Local Public Health Departments Released:***The CDC Foundation has released a *Partnership Guide for Centers for Independent Living and State and Local Health Departments*. This publication is designed to help disability-led organizations and health departments understand each other’s structures and goals while providing tips and best practices for creating strong partnerships to better serve the needs of people with disabilities. The CDC Foundation produced the guide in partnership with Centers for Independent Living. 

· ***Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Tools to Lower Prescription Drug Costs:***The Biden-Harris Administration announced the June 12, 2023, release of a new fact sheet about new tools that can lower******prescription drug costs for low-income older adults and people with disabilities.

· ***New Federal Initiative on Unsheltered Homelessness:***The Biden-Harris administration has announced the launch of ALL INside, a first-of-its-kind initiative to address unsheltered homelessness across the country. Through the initiative, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and its 19 federal member agencies will partner with state and local governments to strengthen and accelerate local efforts to get unsheltered people into homes in six places: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix Metro, Seattle and the State of California. 

For more information on this initiative and available resources, please visit here. 

· ***OILP Program Officers:***The Office of Independent Living Programs has recently undergone a realignment of our regions due to the addition of staff. To verify the current name and contact information for your Program Officer, please view the OILP staff list on ACL’s website.

· ***Center on Youth Voice Youth Choice:***The Center on Youth Voice Youth Choice recently published *What Do You Need to Know About Guardianship?* The publication is available here. In addition, we invite you to read Jordan's story which demonstrates the impact of supported decision making. 

· ***Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL):***Several of our CILs have raised concerns around long COVID testing, diagnosis, and treatment. To educate our federal partners on the impact of long COVID on the disability community, consumers impacted by long COVID are encouraged to contact the Disability Information & Access Line (DIAL) so that data may be collected. DIAL will also connect the consumer to local information and resources, where available.  For any consumers who may have questions about Medicaid flexibilities and other issues that have arisen because of the end of the public health emergency may reach out to DIAL. Information on DIAL with contact info is here:  https://acl.gov/DIAL. 

· ***Disability, Diversity, and Intersectionality in CILs:***For research, training, and technical assistance resources, please visit ILRU’s website at https://www.ilru.org/projects/cil-diversity. 

As always, please feel free to contact our office if you have questions.