HHS Issues Statement on One Year Anniversary of "Year of Community Living" Initiative; Highlights State Medicaid Director Letter Announcing Money Follows the Person Funds

In honor of President Obama’s June 2009 call for a Year of Community Living, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued a statement and announced new Money Follows the Person (MFP) funds through a CMS State Medicaid Director letter.  The State Medicaid Directors letter indicates the availability of a $3.2 million, three-year contract, made available through the Affordable Care Act. The letter provides background about the MFP Demonstration Program, explains improvements made by the Affordable Care Act, details how the Affordable Care Act will impact current MFP grantees, and provides preliminary information for non-participating States that may be interested in pursuing new funding.

ANCOR members may recall that HHS is partnering with HUD to leverage the $40 million in Housing Choice vouchers for 5,300 people over 12 months (announced by HUD on April 5, 2010) for non-elderly people with disabilities living in the community or transitioning out of institutional care.  HHS is using its network of State Medicaid agencies and local human service organizations to link eligible individuals and their families to local housing agencies.

ANCOR members are encouraged to work their states to encourage expansion of their current MFP grants OR to encourage participation by states that are NOT current MFP grantees. CMS will post a grant solicitation in late July to www.grants.gov to offer States not currently participating the opportunity to apply for an MFP Demonstration Program Grant through a competitive award process. Early in the solicitation process, CMS will provide States with specifications for developing the grant application. Assistance to interested States will be provided via State/applicant calls and Webinar briefings.