Three Updates from ACL: Blog Post on COVID-19 Vaccination Funding, Listening Section on Proposed Changes to Maltreatment Hotline, Webinar on New Benefit to Increase Web Access

To keep our members informed of broader policy discussions, we share the following materials from the Administration for Community Living:

ACL Acting Administrator Alison Barkoff’s blog post on the recent ACL-CDC partnership for COVID-19 vaccination grants: “In a briefing by President Biden on Monday about the nation’s vaccination efforts, he announced a new initiative to support vaccine access for people with disabilities and older adults. The initiative will provide ACL with almost $100 million in new funding from the CDC to provide grants to ACL’s aging and disability networks to address barriers to vaccinations.

This past Saturday, I saw firsthand how ACL’s networks are assisting with vaccine access.  I was one of many volunteers who signed on to help the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia provide vaccinations to people with disabilities and caregivers. Held in collaboration with several partners, the ENDependence clinics have successfully vaccinated over 1,000 people with disabilities, caregivers, family members and housemates. This is just one example of the many ways that ACL’s aging and disability networks are assisting – from providing specialized vaccine clinics like this one, to providing transportation and in-person assistance at vaccination sites, to providing outreach to identify people who may need the vaccine to come to them and address vaccine hesitancy.” Read the full blog post here.

ACL requests feedback on National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System: “ACL is seeking stakeholder input on potential changes to the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS). The purpose of NAMRS is to increase understanding of adult maltreatment as investigated by adult protective service (APS) programs. NAMRS has collected administrative and program data from APS programs across the country since 2016.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has authorized NAMRS through early 2023. It has been reauthorized once previously, with no changes, in 2020. To prepare for the 2023 OMB reauthorization,

ACL is holding a series of listening sessions (in the form of webinars) to obtain feedback from stakeholders on potential improvements in the system. 

These include a session for aging network partners on a session for aging network partners on Wednesday, April 7 at 3:00 PM EDT and a session for disability advocates and partners on Thursday, April 22 at 3:00 PM EDT.”

ACL holds webinar on new Emergency Broadband Benefit, Thursday April 15 at 3pm EDT: “Connectivity is an essential part of everyday life during the COVID-19 pandemic. A connected device with internet access provides a gateway to social engagement with family and friends while practicing physical distancing; healthcare services; remote work and school; and supplies and meals. 

The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, and virtual classrooms. 

This webinar will include an overview of the Emergency Broadband Benefit including what it is, who is eligible, how it works, and how to help people enroll. A brief question and answer period will follow the presentation. To submit a question in advance of the webinar, please email: [email protected].

Presenters::

• Lori Gerhard, Director Office of Interagency Innovation, ACL
• Eduard Bartholme, Associate Bureau Chief-CGB, FCC

Register here.“