National Alzheimer's Call Center

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The Administration on Aging (AoA) will hold a competition for a new cooperative agreement to operate a national information and counseling service for persons with Alzheimer's disease, their family members and caregivers (National Alzheimer's Call Center). The National Call Center will be available to people in 56 states and territories, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to provide expert advice, care consultation, information and referrals nationwide, at the national and local levels, regarding Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The grantee will maintain a national network of organizations that are effectively linked together and supported by a national office. The grantee will have an overarching capability of linking consumers to local entities that are prepared to provide accurate information, referrals to publicly and privately funded services and supports, counseling services, including crisis counse ling, and detailed follow through to ensure consumers receive appropriate and high quality responses to their concerns. The grantee will coordinate with federal initiatives, such as http://www.alzheimers.gov/, and make appropriate referrals to other federally-funded resources, such as the Eldercare Locator. Eligible applicants include domestic public or non-profit entities including faith-based organizations and community-based organizations with national reach into all states, as well as into territories, tribes and localities. National reach can be accomplished through a network of partnerships with other entities. AoA plans to fund one project through this cooperative agreement. The project will be funded at a federal share of approximately $985,135 per year for a project period of 5 years, contingent on the availability of federal funds. Grantees are required to cover at least 25% of the total program costs from non-federal cash or in-kind resources. The National Call Center's consumers will be people with ADRD, their family members and caregivers. The National Call Center will be accessible by telephone, website, e-mail address and TTY/TDD at no cost to the consumer. Applicants must involve community-based organizations in the operation of the National Call Center to ensure local, on-the-ground capacity to respond to emergency and on-going needs of people with ADRD, their family members and caregivers. Applicants must be able to carry out activities and initiatives at a national level, as well as work with local organizations. Applicants must target traditionally underserved populations in their proposed outreach and marketing strategies, including elders and caregivers of color; ethnic minority, low-income, limited-English proficient and rural persons; people with dementia and intellectual or developmental disabilities and their family caregivers; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults and caregivers; and caregivers and families coping with Alzheimer's disease.

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