Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness

This survey is intended to collect data on the experiences of aging and disability community-based organizations (CBOs) contracting with health care entities. This data will help the Business Institute develop resources to support CBOs at all stages of the health care contracting journey, as well as inform policymakers and health care professionals on the growing capacity of aging and disability CBOs.

The Coverage to Care (C2C) patient resource released earlier this year, Telehealth: What to Know for Your Family, is now available in Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese, as well as English and Spanish. This resource helps patients learn about the types of care they can receive through telehealth, how to prepare for an appointment, and what to expect during a telehealth visit.

On June 22, 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Olmstead v L.C., delcaring that people with disabilities have a civil right under the Americans with Disabilities Act to live and fully participate in their communities. ACL's Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, Alison Barkoff, released a blog post on June 22, 2021 disucssing the significance of this ruling and the importance of expanding our HCBS system following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The application for the next round of NCAPPS Technical Assistance is now available. Technical Assistance will be provided to up to ten States, Tribes, or Territories for up to 100 hours per year for up to two years. Technical assistance will help advance person-centered thinking, planning and practice to support people with disabilities and older adults with long-term service and support needs. Applications are due by July 30, 2021.

ACL has created a new COVID-19 resource page that houses information to help older adults and people with disabilities access vaccines. The resource page includes facts about COVID-19 vaccinations, information from the CDC about increasing vaccine accessibility, ACL guidance for the aging and disability networks and more.

The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) connects callers to information about how to access the COVID-19 vaccine and related supports for people with disabilities. DIAL connects callers to vaccine sites and provides information related to barriers to vaccination by referring callers to local and national disability resources. acl.gov/dial | 888-677-1199 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET | DIAL@n4a.org

Community Care Corps has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for innovative local models in which volunteers assist family caregivers or directly assist older adults or adults with disabilities with non-medical care to maintain their independence. The purpose of the project is to establish, enhance, or grow volunteer programs for family caregivers, older adults, and people with disabilities.

The National Academy of Social Insurance published a new issue brief about universal LTSS programs in Europe and Asia. This brief provides an overview of the existing approaches abroad to the provision of universal LTSS, and considers lessons from an in-depth case study of Germany.

The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking input on ideas for ensuring equity in employment policies and programs for people with disabilities from historically underserved communities. Your feedback will be used to identify solutions for overcoming barriers to employment for people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds, communities, and identities. It will also inform future programs and funding opportunities that equitably deliver employment services and supports to all.

ACL, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) have published new resources to help states, vaccination providers, and others leading COVID-19 response activities improve access to vaccines for people with disabilities and older adults. These resources clarify legal requirements, explain barriers to vaccine access and provide examples of how the aging and disability network can help increase access.