***July 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

· ***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.

· ***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.

·  ***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

· ***2023 Annual Conference on Independent Living:***Registration is open for the National Council on Independent Living’s 2023 Annual Conference on Independent Living from ***July 24-27, 2023 in Washington, DC***. This year’s theme is *Indivisible.*

For more information and to register, please visit here.

· ***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.

· ***Technical Assistance for Independent Living Grantee Survey Open:***The Technical Assistance for Independent Living Grantee Survey (TAILS) has launched and is open ***until August 4, 2023***.  Please be on the lookout for survey invitations and reminders from RTI International. We would like to encourage you all to participate, since TAILS data will be used to inform 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.

· ***DETAC Webinar on AI Work Tools and Impact on Disability Employment:***Please join the Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) for a webinar ***on July 11, 2023, from 3:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M. Eastern Time*** examining the new frontier of artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential opportunities and challenges within the labor force for people with disabilities. 

Attendees will explore new tools that are changing the way we interact with the world and how it could shape the future of work for people with disabilities. For more information and to register, please visit here. 

· ***Webinar: "Invisible" Disabilities and the ADA:***The NIDILRR-funded Great Lakes ADA Regional Center will host a webinar, "Invisible" Disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ***July 12th, from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time***. Presenters will review the legal issues, Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) guidance, and court decisions when "invisible" disabilities are at issue, including pre-employment inquiries and medical examinations, workplace disclosure, reasonable accommodations, and confidentiality. 

Registration is free and required. Continuing education credits are available upon request.

· ***Webinar: Innovative Transition for Individuals with Mental Health Disabilities:***Please join ILRU for a national webinar on Innovative Transition for Individuals with Mental Health Disabilities on ***July 12, 2023, from 3:00 P.M.-4:30 P.M. Eastern Time.***

Topics include: 

· Describe the role of peer support in providing diversion strategies and alternatives to institutionalization for individuals in mental health distress.

· Identify best practices for outreach and support to psychiatric survivors to receive CIL IL services when they might not identify as individuals with mental health or other disabilities.

· Describe peer-run alternatives to hospitalization that include 24/7 peer-run respites run by people with mental health disabilities and staffed by certified peer specialists, and mental health and legal policy specialists.   

For more information and to register, please visit here. 

· ***HCBS Webinar: Getting the Services You Need from the Waiver – Safeguards:***Please join ACL staff on ***July 13, 2023, from 3:30 P.M. -5:00 P.M. Eastern Time.***

Nancy Thaler, senior policy advisor at ACL, will be speaking.

· The webinar will review Appendix G – Safeguards in the HCBS Waiver application and the protections this appendix provides for participants. 

· The presentation will cover the part of the waiver application where the state outlines its process for responding to critical incidents, safeguards it has in place around the use of restraints and seclusion, and its protocols for medication management.

· The webinar will also cover how stakeholders can have an impact on the application and why the protections outlined in Appendix G are important.

For more information and to register for the webinar, 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

· ***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

· ***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.***

· ***AT Alternative Financing Program:***ACL is announcing a new Assistive Technology (AT) Alternative Financing Program (AFP) funding opportunity. The $700,000 one-year AFP grant will support the purchase of AT devices, including through a low-interest loan fund, interest buy-down program, revolving loan fund, loan guarantee, insurance program, or additional activities that result in the acquisition of AT devices. 

Applications are due ***July 24, 2023.***To view this grant opportunity, please click this link.

· ***SSA Funding Opportunity on Employment of People with Disabilities:*** The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced a new funding opportunity for conducting interventional research to support its programs. Applications are due ***July 31, 2023.*****

To learn more about this funding opportunity, please view this link. 

Opportunities for Engagement

· ***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.***

· ***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.***

· ***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

· ***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.

· ***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

· ***Partnership Highlight- Aging and Disability Meet and Greet:***Recently, White House staff has met with disability and aging services representatives from several states to discuss topical issues. Representatives from Virginia are pictured below, including OILP’s own Ed Ahern! 

· ***APRIL Names New Executive Director:***After conducting a rigorous national search facilitated by the disability-led firm, Bender Consulting Services, Inc., receiving 160 applications from well-qualified candidates across the country, and holding multiple stages of interviews, the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the hire of Brandon Brown, as our new Executive Director.  Please join us in welcoming Brandon Brown to the APRIL family on July 10, 2023. To view the full press release, please visit here. 

· ***At Ability360, every day is Independence Day:***Please visit this article on Ability360 in Phoenix, Arizona.

· ***Southern Maryland CIL Launches Inclusive Chesapeake Bay Sailing Experience for Persons with Disabilities:***Please see the full article for more information.

· ***Vermont CIL advocates outline data and necessary eligibility criteria for motels:***Advocates from the Vermont Center for Independent Living, Recovery Vermont and others, recently held a press conference outlining the data collected about the evictions of motel participants and to ask leaders to focus on the needs of the nearly 900 individuals who are experiencing homelessness and are vulnerably housed or already have experienced Vermont’s state sponsored unsheltering. To view the entire article, please visit here. 

· ***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

· ***ACL Commemorates the 24th Anniversary of the Landmark Supreme Court Decision Olmstead v. L.C.:***Please view the press release on the 24th anniversary of this landmark Supreme Court Decision here.

· ***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.

· ***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.

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