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October 9, 2015
ACL “No Wrong Door” System Grants Help Streamline Access to Services and Supports
For many older adults and people with disabilities, the key to remaining independent can be something as simple as a home-delivered meal, a ramp for their homes, or a few hours of respite for a family caregiver. Unfortunately, an often disjointed maze of eligibility criteria, forms, programs, and agencies can prevent even the most determined individuals from obtaining these critical supports.
ACL has been helping states streamline their processes and implement systems that make it easier for people to learn about -- and access --the services they need. Last week, ACL awarded nearly $5 million in grants to 13 states to further develop “No Wrong Door” Systems.
In these No Wrong Door Systems, multiple state and community agencies coordinate to ensure that regardless of which agency people contact for help, they can access information and one-on-one counseling about the options available across all the agencies and in their communities. The goal is to enable people to make informed decisions based on the full range of available services. The No Wrong Door systems also provide assistance in accessing services, including help in completing applications for various public and private programs.
These grants are part of an ongoing partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to support state efforts to advance system-wide changes that make it easier for people to remain living in their own homes and communities. Of the 13 states that received current funding, eight (Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin) will continue work begun and funded by ACL in prior years to transform their access systems. The remaining five states (Alabama, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Virginia) are launching new initiatives.
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