I&R/A

The Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) is accepting session proposals for its fall conference, Envision I&R. This conference for I&R professionals will be held October 17-18, 2022, in Baltimore, Maryland. AIRS is seeking proposals across the breadth of I&R service delivery. Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, July 15, 2022.

This brief is a summary of survey results related to aging and disability agencies and I&R/A specialists' role in connecting individuals with public benefits. It provides an opportunity to learn about benefits screening, assistance, and outreach within aging and disability networks.

These profiles include promising practices that agencies use to conduct education and outreach to inform consumers about benefits, and to help aging and disability professionals connect clients to benefits, such as the Medicare low-income subsidies, SNAP, and LIHEAP. The tip sheets include practices about: engaging consumers through fun and interactive games; a system for providing comprehensive eligibility information; and tools to simplify benefits information for staff.

The I&R Support Center holds a call or webinar on a monthly basis with I&R Specialists concerning topics of interest to those who work in the field of aging and disability I&R/A. Notes, PowerPoint presentations, and an audio recording from each call can be found here.

ADvancing States’s National Information and Referral Support Center has published a set of promising practice profiles stemming from the Technology in Practice: Contest to Identify Promising Practices in the Use of Technology in Aging and Disability I&R/A Programs. The contest was designed to identify promising practices in the use of technology in information and referral/assistance (I&R/A) programs serving older adults, people with disabilities, and family and friend caregivers.

This report captures the current state of I&R/A service provision, including trends and developments, challenges and opportunities, and promising practices, through survey responses provided by representatives from state agencies on aging and disability, Area Agencies on Aging, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Centers for Independent Living, non-profit human service organizations and national organizations.