Funding Opportunity for ALPs and Those With ALP Bed Awards to Serve Special Needs Populations

LeadingAge NY is pleased to report that the Department of Health (DOH) issued a funding opportunity through the Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) Affordable Housing efforts, to invest in serving the Medicaid-eligible special needs populations in Assisted Living Program (ALPs). This is funding that LeadingAge NY advocated for through the MRT Affordable Housing Workgroup. Below is a summary of the opportunity, however the complete Request for Applications (RFA) can be accessed here.

What is the funding is for?

The funds will support activities that help ALPs to better serve certain special populations better, thereby saving Medicaid dollars. For the purpose of this RFA, the special needs population shall consist of Medicaid individuals who have one or more co-morbid and medically complex chronic conditions that are substantially disabling or life-threatening, have a high risk of hospitalization or other significant adverse health outcomes and require specialized delivery systems across domains of care.

The grant opportunities are divided into two separate opportunities. You may apply to one or both; however, separate and complete applications must be submitted for each.

Component A: Training and Services: Up to $2,000,000 is available over a two-year period with a maximum of $400,000 per awardee. It is expected that contracts will have a fixed two-year time period: Nov. 1, 2015 to Oct. 31, 2017.This component will fund innovative projects“... for one or more of the following; development of a new model of care, staff training, implementation new support services, or staffing plans to participants to develop or enhance SN-ALPs tailored to the needs of the special needs population.”

Component B: Capital Improvement: Up to $3,000,000 in funding is available over a one-year period with a maximum of $600,000 per awardee of one-time use funding. It is expected that contracts will have a fixed one-year time period: Nov. 1, 2015 – October 31, 2016. This component will fund “…capital improvement projects that can include but not limited to; monitoring technologies, minor renovations, safety features, unit improvements or other smart technology linkages tailored to the needs of the special needs population.” According to the application, “All proposed modifications, renovations and reconfigurations should clearly validate purpose and justify anticipated utilization. In addition, proposals must include a description or prints of the site, layout, designs, equipment/features, both shared and individual, specifically planned with the special needs populations in mind. A floor plan for proposed units are not necessary, however is encouraged if modifications to the unit(s) are made.”

Common Aspects of Each Component

The application also asks the applicant to address how you will sustain the program after the funding period ends. The application asks for you to utilize evidence-based interventions, conduct person-centered case management, develop outcome measures and evaluation criteria, and data collection and reporting systems. Subcontracting for some components of the work is allowed; however all subcontractors should be approved by DOH.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants are licensed Adult Homes or Enriched Housing Programs that at the time of application have ALP beds or an award for ALP beds. Preferred eligibility requirements include at least three years organizational and individual staff experience in the following areas or demonstrate the capability to establish a contractual relationship(s) with a subcontractor(s) having such experience;

expertise and experience in the area of ALPs;
expertise and experience in working with individuals with special needs; and,
expertise and experience understanding issues concerning individuals with disabilities of all ages and seniors regarding their Long Term Care (LTC) needs.

The application must be submitted through the Grants Gateway.

All not-for-profit vendors are required to be prequalified prior to grant application submission. Vendors are strongly encouraged to begin the process as soon as possible in order to participate in this RFA. To learn more about prequalification, go to the Grants Reform website (http://www.grantsreform.ny.gov/) where you can preview the questions and required documents.

Key Dates and Activities:

A Letter of Interest (LOI) is not required, but we strongly encourage it as it can result in you receiving notifications regarding the opportunity, directly. The LOI is is due by Fri., June 5, 2015 and should be submitted via the Grants Gateway in the Pre-Submission Uploads section of the online application. A copy should also be emailed to mrtsupportivehousing@health.ny.gov. Please ensure that the RFA number is noted in the subject line and are submitted by the date posted on the cover of the RFA.
A bidders conference will be held on Mon., June 8 at 10 a.m. by teleconference. Email mrtsupportivehousing@health.ny.gov to register.
Questions are due June 10, 2015 and answers will be posted on or about Mon., June 15, 2015. All substantive questions, including questions regarding Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) parameters and forms. To the degree possible, each inquiry should cite the RFA section, component and paragraph to which it refers. The questions must be submitted by June 10 in writing or via email to Denard Cummings at MRTSupportiveHousing@health.ny.gov.
Applications are due by Wed., July 8, 2015. Applicants are urged to submit their applications, at a minimum, one (1) hour prior to the submission deadline. The system will perform an application error check and all identified issues must be resolved before the application is successfully submitted. Failure to leave adequate time to address issues identified during this process may jeopardize an applicant’s ability to submit their application. The Grants Gateway will notify applicants of successful submission. Late applications will not be accepted, and will not be accepted via fax, e-mail, hard copy or hand delivery.
The anticipated award date is Mon., Aug. 31, 2015.

Please note: Questions of a technical nature can be addressed in writing or via telephone by calling Denard Cummings at (518) 474-5519. Such questions are limited to how to prepare your application (e.g., formatting) rather than relating to the substance of the application. The application provides some helpful links for questions of a technical nature.

Please review the RFA in its entirety. There is detailed information available regarding scoring, payments, the Grants Gateway, conditions of the contract and more.

Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828