ACF EQUAL Application Available and Due March 15th by 5 P.M.
The Department of Health (DOH) on March 8th issued a Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) announcing the availability of the application for funding under the Enhancing the Quality of Adult Living (EQUAL) Program. The application is due by 5 p.m. on March 15th. We have urged the Department to provide more time for submission of this application; however, providers should be working to submit the application next week, as the Department has not given any indication that they will change this deadline.
Background and Eligibility
Operators of Adult Homes and Enriched Housing Programs who provide services to individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), State Supplemental Program (SSP) benefits, Safety Net (SN) assistance, and/or Medicaid are eligible for EQUAL Program payments. The purpose of this program is to enhance the quality of care and life experience for those residents. Funds will not be awarded to subsidize daily operational expenses such as staffing or utilities. All facility operators who successfully apply will receive a per-person amount based on the number of SSI, SSP, SN, and/or Medicaid beneficiaries currently residing in the facility. An additional funding allotment will be provided to facilities with a capacity of 100 beds and under.
Important Details
LeadingAge NY had been advocating for the release of this year's long-awaited EQUAL funds and is pleased that the full amount of funding appropriated in the budget last year is being made available, as funding for many programs has been on hold or reduced this year. As has been the case in the past, a facility must receive approval of its proposed expenditure plan from the residents' council for the facility and submit an attestation to that effect. As you may recall, last year’s budget process changed the EQUAL Program, bifurcating it into two separate programs, one being for capital and the other being for more programmatic and services purposes. Given the new element of this program and the requirements to comply with all conditions, members are encouraged to review the DAL and instructions carefully.
Applications must be electronically submitted on the Health Commerce System (HCS) by 5 p.m. on Mon., March 15th. Hard copies will not be accepted. Applications that do not include all required materials by 5 p.m. on Mon., March 15th may be deemed incomplete and ineligible for funding.
Questions regarding the EQUAL Program should be directed to Georgina Raus at 518-408-1133 or by email at equal@health.ny.gov.
Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828