***June 2023 OILP Monthly Newsletter***

Dear Colleagues,  

Welcome to the OILP Monthly Newsletter!  We are pleased to share recent updates from ACL, COVID/TA Resources, funding opportunities 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**

**Funding Opportunities**

**Opportunities for Engagement**

**Transition Services**

**Sharing Your Stories**

**Resources********

**Reporting and Guidance**

· ***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.

· ***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.

· ***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.

· ***CDC Vaccine Funding:***CDC Vaccine Funding guidance is available here under Independent Living Programs. 

·  ***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 are 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.  

· ***Policy Roundup:******The End of the federal Public Health Emergency:***In a recent issue, topics included Medicaid HCBS Flexibilities, the impact on vaccination and testing and fact sheets and resources. For more information, please visit the ACL blog. 

**Conferences, Trainings and Technical Assistance**

· ***Technical Assistance for Independent Living Grantee Survey:***On ***June 5, 2023,*** the Technical Assistance for Independent Living Grantee Survey (TAILS) will launch and you all will receive an invitation from RTI International to participate in the survey. We would like to encourage you all to participate, since TAILS data will be used to the TA approach. If you have any questions or need any assistance participating, please contact RTI International at 877-834-7087 or via email at AoDsurvey@rti.org.

· ***Celebrating Olmstead: Exploring the 14c Report and National Trends in the Movement to End Segregation and Exploitation of People with Disabilities:***Please join the Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) on ***June 13, 2023 from 3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Eastern Time***as they jointly recognize the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark *Olmstead*decision. For more information and to register, please visit here.

· ***Webinar on Addressing Sexual Assault Against People with Disabilities:***Please join ACL and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) when they host an equity-focused webinar on sexual violence against people with I/DD: *"Survivors’ Circle: A Conversation with People with Disabilities About Sexual Violence and How to Address It."*on ***June 14, 2023 from 3:30 P.M. -5:00 P.M. Eastern Time***. 

For more information and to register, please visit this link.

· ***Webinar on the Peer & Family Support Program:***The National Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) — operated by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation — is hosting a webinar on***June 15, 2023 at 3:00 P.M. Eastern Time*** about the Peer & Family Support Program, which provides free peer mentoring to individuals living with paralysis and their family members and caregivers through a nationwide network of trained and certified mentors. 

This webinar will introduce health care professionals to the program and explain how they can access peer support for their patients with paralysis. For more information and to register, please visit this link. 

· ***ICDR Webinar: Emergency Preparedness and the Impact of Climate Change on People with Disabilities:***As part of their Lunch & Learn webinar series, the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) is hosting "Emergency Preparedness and the Impact of Climate Change on People with Disabilities” on ***June 21, 2023 at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time.***

Marcie Roth, executive director and CEO at the World Institute on Disability, will discuss the impact of disasters on people with disabilities, as well as opportunities and research needs for improving outcomes for disaster-impacted people with disabilities. At the end of the presentation, there will be a 15-minute Q&A session with the audience. The audience will include a wide range of ICDR stakeholders, federal interagency partners, researchers, practitioners, disability organizations, and ICDR Committee members.

For more information and to register by June 14, 2023, please visit this link. 

· ***HSRC Solving for Homelessness Webinar Materials Now Available:***A recording, transcript, and handouts are now available for "Solving for Homelessness among Older Adults, People with Disabilities, and Other Populations." This HSRC case study webinar featured a model collaboration in a county with high rates of homelessness. Together, the regional task force on homelessness (which serves as the Continuum of Care); the county government division on aging and independence services and divisions on health; and other community-based organizations developed a coordinated approach to reducing homelessness among a population that each had been separately serving.

We also welcome your ideas and questions via email to hsrc@acl.hhs.gov. Please also share what partnerships you have created by applying what you learned in a prior HSRC webinar or other event.

· ***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**

· ***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.

**Funding Opportunities**

· ***Two New Disability Research Funding Opportunities Open:***These funding opportunities are open ***until June 23rd and June 26th respectively.***More information is available here. 

· *New Serious Mental Illness Research Funding Opportunities:*There are three separate opportunities in the areas of Community Living, Participation Among Transition Age Youth and Aging Among Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses. These funding opportunities are open *until July 5th and July 10th respectively.* More information is available here. 

· *Education Department Inviting Applications for Improving Pre-Employment Transition Services for Youth with Disabilities:*The U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration is pleased to announce a notice inviting applications for the Disability Innovation Fund, Pathways to Partnerships Innovative Model Demonstration Project (Pathways to Partnerships), Assistance Listing Number 84.421E. The revised application deadline is ***July 7, 2023.***

The Pathways to Partnership program is the largest discretionary grant administered by RSA, with an estimated $224 million available to fund multiple innovative model demonstration projects administered through partnerships among state vocational rehabilitation agencies, state or local education agencies, and centers for independent living focused on the creation of systemic approaches to improve access to pre-employment transition services for children and youth with disabilities.

As children and youth with disabilities move through the school system, many do not have exposure to self-advocacy training, careers, and independent living opportunities. This historical funding opportunity advances a key goal of the Biden-Harris Administration to pave a clear and robust path to independent living and competitive integrated employment as children and youth with disabilities transition from high school to postsecondary endeavors.

The Notice Inviting Applications and additional information, including the Application Package, can be found at the following resources:

RSA.ED.GOV (link to the Federal Register Notice and additional information)https://rsa.ed.gov/about/programs/disability-innovation-fund-pathways-to-partnerships

 Please continue to check https://ncrtm.ed.gov/grant-info for more information.

GRANTS.GOVhttps://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=347303

For questions, please contact Cassandra P. Shoffler, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5065A, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–2800. Telephone: (202) 245–7827. Email: 84.421E@ed.gov.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7–1–1.

· ***Community Care Corps Seeking Proposals to Increase the Number of Local Volunteer Programs:***Community Care Corps has announced a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for innovative local models in which volunteers assist family caregivers, older adults, or adults with disabilities with non-medical care to maintain their independence. Community Care Corps will award 18-month competitive grants of $30,000-$200,000. 

In this new grant cycle, Community Care Corps, which is funded by ACL, is offering two proposal options. Applicants may apply to establish, enhance, or grow a model volunteer program that utilizes volunteers to perform nonmedical tasks, provide companionship, and support family caregivers. Applicants may also apply to build a network of screened and trained volunteer chaperones to accompany older adults and adults with disabilities in need to and from non-emergency medical appointments and outpatient procedures.

An informational webinar will be held ***June 6, 2023, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time.*** The link for the webinar can be found on the Community Care Corps website. The deadline to apply is***July 7, 2023, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.***More information is available here. 

· ***New Research Funding Opportunity on Long COVID and Employment:***More information on this funding opportunity is available here. Applications are due by ***July 10, 2023.***

· ***Department of Labor Announces Funding Opportunity to Expand Employment of Disabled Youth:***The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a funding opportunity for $1.5 million to support the first year of a cooperative agreement for a policy development center focused on advancing employment opportunities and outcomes for disabled youth. The funding will support research, engage with the workforce system and its partners, and identify effective policies and practices that support disabled youth employment. It will also help provide resources and training to help support their transition to adulthood.

For more information on this funding opportunity, please visit this link. Apply by ***July 12, 2023.***

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**Opportunities for Engagement**

· ***FEMA to Host "National Resilience" Listening Sessions:***Please join FEMA as they host a series of 60-minute listening sessions ***through June 15, 2023***on a range of topics including: 

· Chronic community stressors and their impacts on community readiness.

· Actions and partnerships needed to increase national resilience.

· The roles and responsibilities of community stakeholders.

· Innovative approaches for successful resilience planning.

· The resources needed to help the whole community understand and execute their roles.

For more information and to register for a session, please visit listening sessions. 

· ***Input Needed: CMS Proposes Rule to Improve Access to and Quality of Medicaid Services:*** The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed rule, *Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services (Access Rule)* to improve access to — and quality of — Medicaid services and promote health equity across the Medicaid program.The proposed rule applies to all Medicaid services, including the home and community-based services (HCBS) that are vital to people with disabilities and older adults. This means that input from ACL’s network is critical. **Comments******must be received by ***July 3, 2023***.******More information is available here. 

· *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. 

· ***Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:***This year, 2023, marks the 35th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s publication of its implementing regulation for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”). Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in any program or activity that receives Federal funds from HUD.

Members of the public can submit comments and comments must be submitted by***July 24, 2023***. For more information, please visit https://www.hud.gov/504 and  https://twitter.com/HUDgov/status/1654145654900269061?s=20.

To leave an electronic comment, please visit the Federal Register website here.

· ***U.S. Access Board Seeking Public Comment on Low Transfer Surface Height to Medical Diagnostic Equipment:***

The U.S. Access Board has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on standards for accessible MDE regarding one provision on the low transfer surface height for certain types of MDE used by patients in a supine, prone, side-lying, or seated position. 

For more information or to submit a public comment, please visit here. Comments are due no later than ***July 24, 2023.***

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· ***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**

· ***CIL Data Briefs and Maps:*** To assist Centers for Independent Living (CILs) in more effectively serving out-of-school youth with disabilities from minority backgrounds, Mathematica has mapped data on youth with disabilities across each county in the United States. You can access these data through an interactive map or downloadable Excel file with the data, and downloadable CIL-specific data briefs. 

These are available at https://mathematica.org/features/my-cil-reports.

The briefs summarize information about the education, employment, race, and ethnicity of transition-age youth who live in a specific CIL’s service delivery area. They also compare the information to characteristics of CIL customers of all ages, as reported to ACL though annual performance reports. The goal of these briefs is to help CIL staff understand how the youth they serve compare to out-of-school youth from minority backgrounds in their service areas. The website and accompanying practice brief identify ways that CILs might use these data to help inform new outreach efforts, cultural changes to CIL programs, or grant applications to expand services to minority populations they might not be serving.

For more detailed data or support, please contact MY-CIL for customized technical assistance at support@minorityyouthcil.org. The team is available to further analyze the data on youth in your service delivery area or help identify resources that may help you to adapt your programs, so they best meet the needs of youth and families in your area.

**Sharing Your Stories**

· ***OILP is Seeking Disability Advocacy and Coalition-Building Stories:***We are approaching the 50th anniversary of the Rehab Act, and it is time to celebrate. We are looking for stories of collective action, coalition-building and disability advocacy over the years to highlight, reflect and appreciate. If you know of any stories or are interested in sharing one or several, please contact Erica McFadden at erica.mcfadden@acl.hhs.gov. We hope to collect these stories by July.

· ***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**

· ***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. 

· ***Meeting Materials and Video Replay Available from the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities:***The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) held a virtual meeting on May 1, 2023, to discuss issues related to home and community-based services (HCBS). Emerging issues identified related to HCBS include direct support professionals, competitive integrated employment, community living, and federal support programs. Meeting materials are available under the PCPID Meeting Materials section of the PCPID webpage. 

· ***I/DD Counts National Summit Report Highlights Health Data as Equity Issue:***I/DD Counts is a cross-agency initiative to improve how information about the health of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is collected, analyzed, and understood. Since 2016, ACL has worked with federal agencies and other stakeholders to address these issues through this initiative. To view the report, please visit the I/DD Counts webpage. 

· ***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):***For more information on DIAL, watch this short informational video.

· ***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.