The DOH Office of Aging and Long-Term Care (OALTC) recently issued an RFA for funding of up to $19,000,000 per year for five years for Direct Caregiver Training Centers along with the Direct Caregiver Support Hub component to support the training program.

The basis of this grant initiative is a result of advocacy by LeadingAge NY to allow providers to have more direct care worker flexibility in different long term care settings. LeadingAge NY will be looking into if and how this program may dovetail with the 1115 Career Pathways Training Program, particularly if home health aide (HHA) and certified nurse aide (CNA) roles are added to that program. 

Important Dates:

• Release Date: Dec. 3, 2024
• Questions Due: Dec. 17, 2024 by 4 P.M.
• Questions, Answers, and Updates Posted (on or about): Jan. 7, 2025 by 4 P.M.
• Applications Due: Jan. 21, 2025 by 4 P.M.

Background/Intent (as presented in the RFA)

Individuals starting an entry level job in healthcare often encounter obstacles that impact their ability to thrive in a healthcare career. Attaining training and certification needed for jobs in long term and/or community-based care such as a Personal Care Aide (“PCA”), Home Health Aide (“HHA”), and Certified Nurse Aide (“CNA") is fragmented. PCA and HHA training programs are usually separate from CNA training programs. Training programs are offered by providers licensed by the Department of Health (“DOH”) as well as those approved by the State Education Department (“SED”) which are offered in secondary, post-secondary and adult education settings. Currently, there is no universal, easy way to access a list of all training programs in NYS, which makes it difficult for individuals to find available training opportunities in any region of the State. The costs and time commitments for these programs vary, and it can be difficult for trainees to move easily between training programs.

The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to create a more uniform and centralized “training and support system” for direct care workers in the ten (10) Economic Development Regions (“EDR”)

At the time of application, applicants must be an approved DOH or SED training program, provide a copy of training certificate approval letter from DOH or SED and may provide a mix of in-person and distance education trainings if already approved to do so as is the case with approved hybrid home care training programs. Applicants can apply for more than one region, but each region applied for will require a separate application. Applicants can submit no more than one application per region.

Direct Caregiver Training Centers are intended to concentrate the direct caregiver training opportunities into a regional Center to increase the pipeline of individuals trained and able to work in direct care jobs.

Applicants that do not currently offer all three trainings (PCA, HHA, CNA) may be able to accomplish this through subcontracts with approved training programs that can supplement the Center’s training so that all three titles can be included. 

In addition, Training Centers are expected to be able to provide or make available the Alternative Competency Demonstration (“ACD”) for those who can demonstrate prior experience as in the case of Personal Care Aides or Home Health Aides whose certification has lapsed due to not working a skilled case in the prior 24 months. Providing ACD can be done through a contract with a provider approved for ACD. 

Direct Caregiver Training Centers must: 

• Engage in community outreach to identify potential trainees; 
• Provide free training to all trainees in any of the three training types (PCA, HHA, CNA); 
• Provide a stipend to trainees for the time the individual is in training; 
• Provide reimbursement to trainees for the cost of travel to and from the Training Center for the period of training;
• Provide trainees with information about all direct caregiver titles (PCA, HHA, and CNA) including, but not limited to: Job Duties, Salary ranges, Training opportunities, and Training requirements; 
• Provide trainees the opportunity to select and complete training for any of the provided titles (PCA, HHA, and CNA); 
• Provide trainees with a list of employers and employment opportunities for each direct caregiver;
• Ensure that the trainees have the appropriate certificates to allow employment once they have successfully completed the training and related tests; 
• Direct Caregiver Training Centers cannot require an employment agreement between a specific organization and a trainee as a condition of providing free training.

Direct Caregiver Support Hubs

Direct Caregiver Support Hubs (hereinafter, “Support Hub”) are intended to function as the workforce development branch to the Direct Caregiver Training Centers, assisting with the outreach and providing the case management needed to motivate and encourage individuals to connect to training, successfully complete the training, envision a future in long-term and community-based care, and be able to address work-life challenges that can serve as barriers to employment. The Support Hub will assist in providing the essential foundation that many individuals need to commit to the time needed for training, and to interview for and begin employment. The Support Hub will receive referrals from the Direct Caregiver Training Center to provide remediation, mentoring, and support for potential trainees before, during and after training as needed. Support Hubs must provide and address the following but are not limited to the following:

• Assessment of individual’s needs,
• Career development,
• Mentorship and Supervision, and
• Language and Cultural Barriers​​​​​​​

State Seeks SOIs in Delivering CAPABLE Program

DOH OALTC has issued an SOI for a new initiative called CAPABLE, an evidence-based program that combines nursing, occupational therapy, and handy worker services to help older adults live independently in their home environments. 

The SOI is due Dec. 20, 2024, 4 p.m. An email to the Primary DOH Contact is sufficient stating your organization's interest in the initiative, including contact and basic information about your organization.

The SOI is to identify qualified organizations who are interested in applying for an upcoming RFA. Interested organizations who reply to the SOI will be included in a notification when the RFA is released. Note: The following information regarding the anticipated RFA is subject to change at DOH's discretion. The Department reserves the right to withdraw this SOI.

​​​​​​​This opportunity will identify up to 20 qualified organizations to implement and manage the CAPABLE initiative in their communities. This grant opportunity will fully fund CAPABLE implementation and delivery across four NYS regions.

The intention is to include four sites in the Capital Region, three sites in the Central Region, nine sites in the Metropolitan Area Region, and four sites in the Western Region. An anticipated annual award of $315,000 per site will be provided for up to three years beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 contingent upon the availability of state funds and approval of the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC).

CAPABLE is an evidence-based program that combines nursing, occupational therapy, and handy worker services to help older adults live independently in their home environments. By addressing the home environment and personal health, CAPABLE has been shown to improve the functionality of participants and reduce health care costs. Moreover, the program has been tested in numerous small and large trials showing a benefit toward better functioning, decreased hospitalizations, and decreased nursing home admissions.

The initiative involves up to 10 in-home sessions over 5 months between the participant and a CAPABLE team comprised of a registered nurse (RN), occupational therapist (OT), and handy worker. The RN and the OT receive individualized training in motivational interviewing and person-centered care. They follow a specialty-specific outline to perform assessments, provide education, and encourage interactive problem-solving skills.

Importantly, CAPABLE is participant-driven in that the participant chooses the goals he or she wants to meet through participation in the program, and together the interdisciplinary team and the participant work toward achieving these goals. This process is critical to empowering the participant to take control of their own health and functional capacity.

For this RFA, CAPABLE participants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Older adult (over 60 years of age).
• Cognitively intact or only have mild cognitive impairment to participate in goal setting and action planning processes. 
• Have difficulty completing at least one Activity of Daily Living (ADL) or two or more Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). 
• Medicaid eligible or falls below 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) for their household size based on the current FPL calendar year determinations. 
• Not currently receiving personal care or consumer-directed personal care services through Medicaid or the Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program (EISEP) or other paid assistance to address their functional needs.

Funding for this project is contingent on the availability of state funding and the number of eligible applicants who respond to the RFA. Available funding to support this initiative will be limited to the amount(s) appropriated in the enacted State Fiscal Year budgets for this purpose and approval of OSC. The SOI is not a guarantee or promise of funding. 

LeadingAge NY will make sure members are aware when the RFA for this initiative is available.

Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871