In observance of Brain Injury Awareness Month 2022 and in lieu of the Administration for Community Living’s annual in-person Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Stakeholder Day, we hosted a virtual TBI Stakeholder Day on March 8, 2022 from 12:30 to 4:30 pm ET.  The event included opening remarks from Alison Barkoff, Principal Deputy Administrator of ACL, and introduction of the new Commissioner of ACL’s Administration on Disabilities, Jill Jacobs.

The National Paralysis Resource Center (operated by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation) is announcing two grant funding opportunities through its 2022 first cycle Direct Effect and Expanded Impact Quality of Life grants initiatives that will open for applications on January 26. 

Acknowledging and understanding a person’s racial and cultural identities is essential for providing person-centered supports. However, there are few resources that directly address the intersection of culture, language, and identity with person-centered thinking, planning, and practice. NCAPPS wants to further this conversation—a conversation that is crucial for systems to build cultural humility and cultural competence into person-centered thinking, planning, and practices. 

In November, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that ACL would receive $150 million to expand the public health workforce within the aging and disability networks. This week, ACL began distributing that funding to more than a dozen of its grantees and grantee networks.

Application Deadline: March 10, 2022 ACL has released two INNU Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) for cooperative agreements to establish or replicate innovative approaches to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of nutrition programs and services within the aging services network. Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services - Replication HHS-2022-ACL-AOA-INNU-0040

Current Vaccine and Booster Guidance We've summarized the latest CDC guidance on vaccines and boosters below. Check our vaccination resources page for the latest guidance and resources. Booster Shots Who? CDC now recommends booster shots for everyone 12 years old and older. When? Depends on which vaccine you received initially:

In Ohio, the housing sector and aging and disability networks partnered to expand options for older adults and people with disabilities to live in their communities with access to supportive services they may need. These models of collaboration can be replicated in other states. How do the partnerships form and how did they help people have housing that is stable, safe, and supports community living?

On December 31, the FCC launched the ACP. This program, created by Congress in the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, is a longer-term replacement for the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. This investment in broadband affordability will help ensure households can afford the internet connections they need for work, school, health care, and more.

Older Americans Month 2022 Age My Way Every May, ACL leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month (OAM). In 2022, ACL will be focusing on aging in place – how older adults can plan to stay in their homes and live independently in their communities for as long as possible. The 2022 theme is Age My Way, an opportunity for all of us to explore the many ways older adults can remain in and be involved with their communities.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) wants people to know how to get help when they need it. This is especially important during the pandemic, when in-person service is by appointment only for limited issues.