DHHS announces grants for streamlining access to long-term services and supports

Release Date: August 22, 2008
Contact: Jim Jones, 919-733-9190

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is providing funds to 10 programs serving 28 counties across the state to develop Community Resource Connections for Aging and Disabilities (CRC), to help connect older adults and adults with disabilities to the services they need.

North Carolina received grant funds from a federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ‘Systems Transformation Grant’ for expansion of Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC). The state will distribute $400,000 in those funds over the next three years to selected local communities. The grant funds will range from $10,000 for planning grants, up to $67,500 to develop fully functioning connective services.

The goal of the project is to develop formal connections between local service providers and older adults and their caregivers as well as adults with disabilities.

Community Resource Connections will provide consumers with information about and assistance with accessing the complete range of options for long-term services and supports in North Carolina – such as:

• help with determining which Medicare Part D plan best fits a consumer’s needs;
• how to apply for public benefits;

• options for housing; and

• how to access community based services, such as Meals on Wheels, long-term future planning, and possible employment options.

Agencies partnering though the CRC will be able to share appropriate information about clients to facilitate the consumers’ access to programs or services.

“North Carolina is making significant progress toward simplifying access to long-term services and supports for older adults and adults with disabilities through the ADRC initiative,” said Jackie Sheppard, DHHS assistant secretary for Long-Term Care and Family Services. “Our over-arching goal is that people of all ages and their families have the opportunity to live in inclusive, responsive communities where they have choices and control over the services they receive.”

DHHS will expand the programs beyond the two current pilot sites in Surry and Forsyth counties. The new sites are:

• Chatham County Council on Aging and Collaborators (Chatham and Orange counties);
• Centralina Council of Governments and Collaborators (Mecklenburg County );
• Cabarrus County Department of Aging and Collaborators (Cabarrus County);
• Piedmont Triad Collaborators (Guilford, Montgomery, Rockingham, Caswell, Alamance, Randolph and Davidson counties);
• Mountain Projects and Collaborators  (Haywood, Jackson and Macon counties);

• Land of Sky Regional Council and Collaborators (Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties);
• Southwestern Commission and Collaborators (Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Swain counties);
• Ashe Service for Aging and Collaborators (Ashe County);
• Hertford County Office of Aging and  Collaborators (Hertford and Bertie counties); and,
• REAL Crisis Intervention Inc. and local collaborators (Pitt and Beaufort counties).

In addition, Resources for Seniors of Wake County and Collaborators will develop a program using funds obtained through local resources.

Additional information about the Aging and Disability Resource Centers grant program is available at www.ncdhhs.gov/olts/what/access_adrc.htm. 

For more information contact Sabrena Lea at 919-855-4428.