The AoA is offering this grant to strengthen the Aging Network through training and evaluation for State Units on Aging.

1. Design and implement an intensive training for SUA directors, including but not limited to new directors;
2. Gather information about current performance standards used by states to measure the impact of their long-term support and services systems;
3. Design and conduct an evaluation of SUA progress in key areas of systems change.

These tasks, which are described in greater detail below, comprise one component of a larger effort to increase the capacity of the Aging Network to meet the challenges presented by an aging population. AoA and other Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies support a number of initiatives that promote long-term care systems advancement. These include the Aging and Disability Resource Center initiative, initiatives that support person-centered planning and participant-directed care, Veterans-Directed Home and Community-Based Services, hospital discharge planning and care transition models, an initiative to support the coordination of benefits outreach and enrollment efforts, the use of evidence-based interventions in program design and implementation and others. A number of these initiatives will receive additional support through the Implementing the Affordable Care Act funding opportunity published by AoA and CMS in FY 2010. These priority initiatives also receive technical assistance and support through HHS funded technical assistance resource centers.

In order to most effectively accomplish the objectives of this funding opportunity, while ensuring a coordinated and consistent approach to advancing the capacity of the Aging Network across diverse efforts, AoA anticipates that the successful application for this announcement will represent a collaborative effort of organizations with diverse areas of expertise. Applicants should describe in their narrative both how they will partner with other organizations to advance the objectives of this opportunity as well as how they will collaborate with other HHS funded technical assistance resource centers currently supporting Aging Network systems change efforts, including efforts funded through the Implementing the Affordable Care Act funding opportunity. Each application should describe the partner organizations and the role of each partner in the planning, development and implementation of this project. In addition, proposals should include a description of the collaborative role they will play with HHS funded technical assistance resource centers supporting related systems change initiatives. Letters of support from partners and collaborators are encouraged.

As noted above, this opportunity includes three activities that will assist in the ongoing efforts to build the capacity of SUAs and through them the larger Aging Network. Additional information on the expectations for each of these activities is provided below.