Mobilizing and Empowering the Nation and 

Technology to Address Loneliness & Social 

Isolation (MENTAL) Health Innovation 

Challenge

July 9, 2020
Agenda – July 9, 2020

I. Welcome & Introductions 

II. Partners 

III. Background 

IV. Overview of the Challenge 

V. Timeline 

VI. Resources & Organizations 

VII. Questions 

VIII. Next webinar—July 30, 2020 3:00 pm -4:00 pm EDT

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MENTAL Health 

Prize Challenge Partners

• The Administration for Community Living (ACL) 

• The Office for the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) 

• The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and 

• The Consumer Technology Association Foundation (CTA 

Foundation)

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Background / Problem 

· The number of people in the United States aged 65 or older will 

almost double from 49 million in 2020 to 95 million by the year 

2060 comprising nearly one quarter of the total US population.

· Approximately 25 percent of older adults in the United States are 

socially isolated and 43 percent of people over age 60 report feeling 

lonely.

· Analyses of Medicare spending found that $6.7 billion is spent on 

enrollees who are socially isolated.

· The COVID - 19 pandemic has exacerbated social isolation and 

loneliness due to the need to adhere to public health 

recommendations for social distancing to protect at - risk 

populations.
Social Isolation & Loneliness

• Social isolation is the objective physical separation from other 

people (living alone). It’s the result of feeling detached physically or 

psychologically, or being disconnected from support groups of family, 

friends, and community. 

• Loneliness is the subjective distressed feeling of being alone or 

separated. 

• Impact of social isolation 

– Premature mortality 

– Higher risk for developing dementia, heart failure, and stroke 

– Increased risk of hospitalizations 

– Medicare spending analyses revealed an additional $6.7 billion spent 

annually on enrollees who are socially isolated.1

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The Challenge 

• Develop innovative ideas and solutions for a software platform that 

increases awareness of, access to and use of social engagement 

technologies and programming to help curtail the impact of loneliness 

and social isolation.

• Identify solutions that assess socially isolated individuals and match 

them with appropriate technology tools and social engagement 

programming that best meet their needs. 

• Develop consumer facing app, clearinghouse with built - in algorithms 

to match people’s interest, accessibility needs to social engagement 

programing, technology, software, and apps and enable 

enrollment/fulfillment of needs.

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MENTAL Health Prize Challenge 

Phases

• Phase 1: Plan and Design a Social Engagement Clearinghouse 

and User Interface Prototype 

• Phase 2: Pilot and Test Social Engagement Clearinghouse 

Prototype

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$750,000 Prize Purse

• The challenge will compete in two phases with cash prizes 

awarded in each phase. 

– Phase 1: Total prize funds is $ 150,000. Up to 3 finalists, 

each winning $50,000 and move to Phase 2. 

– Phase 2: Total prize funds is $550,000 . 

• The winner will be awarded $450,000 

• The runner - up will be awarded $ 100,000 

• The top two contenders will present their solution at the CES 

2021 in Las Vegas, NV (January 6 - 9, 2021) 

• Finalists and the winner are eligible for a bonus prize of 

$50,000

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Eligibility 

• To be eligible to win a prize under this challenge, an individual 

or entity may participate as part of one or more teams. Team 

formation is strongly encouraged, and teams are not limited in 

the number of members. 

– Each team must designate a captain who must be a U.S. citizen or 

permanent resident who is responsible for all correspondence 

regarding this Challenge. 

• An individual or entity: 

– Shall have registered to participate in the competition under the 

rules promulgated by the Administration for Community Living; 

– Shall have complied with all the requirements listed in the 

MENTAL Health Prize Challenge.

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ADRC/No Wrong Door Partnership

• Critical partners for designing solutions to this challenge 

should include a team of key stakeholders with relevant 

technical expertise as well as knowledge in technologies and 

programs that address social isolation. 

• Preference will be given to teams that coordinate with or are 

informed by a state ADRC/No Wrong Door (NWD) System. 

• To connect with an ADRC/No Wrong Door (NWD) System email 

the MENTALHealthChallenge@acl.hhs.gov

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How Do I Register for the Challenge?

• T he identified Official Representative (individual, team, or legal entity) 

may register for this Challenge by sending an email 

to MENTALHealthChallenge@acl.hhs.gov with the subject line stating 

‘MENTAL Health Challenge Registration’. 

– In this email you must identify only one Official Representative for 

each Challenge registration. 

– The Official Representative must provide a name and email address 

and, by sending in the registration, affirms on behalf of the Solver 

(individual, team, or legal entity), that he or she has read and 

consents to be governed by the Challenge Rules. 

• Note Change: Registration for this Challenge is due by September 8, 2020 

at 11:59 pm EDT. 

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Judging Criteria—Phase 1

Phase 1: Solutions will be evaluated for usability, usercenteredness, and technical approach that meets the goal of 

successfully getting individuals to solutions that meet their 

needs. Four component areas: 

– Innovation and Value to Stakeholders – 20% 

– Product Functionality and Usability – 30% 

– Partnerships & Collaboration – 25% 

– Technical Feasibility – 25%

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Judging Criteria—Phase 2

Phase 2: Participant teams will pilot the prototype in 

collaboration with at least one Aging and Disability Resource 

Center (ADRC) and convene in person to demonstrate the user 

experience with the tool and summarize results achieved during 

the pilot.

– Impact – 25% 

– Technical Feasibility / Viability – 20% 

– Design Quality, Usability and Functionality – 30% 

– Deployment Approach and Refinement – 25%

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MENTAL Health Prize Challenge 

Timeline 

• Registration for the Prize Challenge and Submissions for Phase 

1: September 8, 2020

• Submission for Phase 2: December 4, 2020

• Top two contenders present solutions at CES 2021 January 6 - 9, 

2021 in Las Vegas, NV

• Winner announced at CES 2021

• Bonus Prize submission September 30, 2021

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More Information at Challenge.gov

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Resources and Organizations Engaged 

In Addressing Social Isolation

• ADvancingStates 

• AARP Foundation 

• AT3 

• Colorado Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE) 

• Consumer Technology Association Foundation 

• Georgia Tech Pass It On Center 

• LeadingAge 

• Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) 

• National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) 

• National Council on Aging (NCOA) 

• Older Adults Technology Services (OATS)

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Questions

Additional feedback or questions about this challenge can be sent via e - mail to 

MENTALHealthChallenge@acl.hhs.gov

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Additional Webinar

• An additional webinar will occur on July 30, 

2020 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT. 

• To register for the additional webinar go to: 

MENTAL Health Challenge Webinar

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