About the Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant Program

What are ADRCs?
The Aging and Disability Resource Center Program (ADRC) is a collaborative effort of the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). ADRCs serve as single points of entry into the long-term supports and services system for older adults and people with disabilities of all income levels. The core functions of an ADRC are 1) information, referral and awareness, 2) options counseling, advice and assistance, 3) streamlined eligibility determination for public programs, 4) person-centered transitions, 5) quality assurance and continuous improvement. ADRCs perform these functions by integrating, coordinating, and strengthening different pieces of the existing long term supports and services systems, including Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living, state and local Medicaid offices, and other community-based organizations.

National Vision for ADRCs
To have Aging and Disability Resource Centers in every community serving as highly visible and trusted places where people of all incomes and ages can turn for information on the full range of long-term support options and a single point of entry for access to public long-term support programs and benefits.

General Resources about the Program

ADRC Fact Sheet 2013 (PDF) or (Word)
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
This is a short fact sheet outlining some of the key successes and programs of the national ADRC initiative.

Training Handout: ADRC Overview (PDF) or (Word)
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
This short document provides a general overview of the ADRC initiative. It is part of a series of handouts that were developed by the TAE to be distributed in conjunction with in-person trainings.

Online Training: Overview of ADRC
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
This course provides an overview of the purpose, goals and activities of Aging and Disability Resource Centers. ADRCs have expanded throughout the U.S. and currently provide seniors, people with disabilities, family members and service providers with long-term care assistance and services via telephone phone, internet and in-office or in-home visits. The course is designed for people interested in learning more about ADRCs including state and local ADRC staff as well as staff, volunteers and other stakeholders in other human service organizations, especially those involved in serving people with needs for long-term care information, services and supports.

ADRCs “Just the Facts” Presentation (PDF) or (PowerPoint)
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
Carrie Blakeway gave this presentation about ADRC models, partners, services, fully-functional status, funding sources, and findings drawing primarily from the data reported by ADRC programs over time through the Semi-Annual Reporting Tool (SART) at the State and Area Agencies on Aging Retreat at the 2011 AIRS Conference in Dearborn, Michigan.

ADRC Fully Functional Criteria At-A-Glance (PDF) or (Word)
Source: AoA, Technical Assistance Exchange
These criteria were developed to assist states to measure and assess their progress toward developing fully functioning Single Entry Point Systems/ADRCs. This document, updated in April 2012, describes program components, their criteria, and recommended metrics for defining and evaluating ADRCs.

Key Resources for ADRCs Just Getting Started

ADRC Online Readiness Assessment Tool
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
The ADRC-TAE Online Readiness Assessment Tool was designed by The Lewin Group to assist organizations in evaluating their readiness to perform the key functions of Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs). The assessment tool has been updated to reflect all the expectations of ADRCs based on the 2012 ACL/CMS/VA Joint Program Announcement for Enhanced Options Counseling Programs. It provides immediate feedback regarding organizational capacity to perform key functions and links to online resources that describe program characteristics, operations and capacity required of ADRCs.

Webinar Introducing the Technical Assistance Exchange and Technical Assistance Exchange Brochure (PDF)
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
View a recorded webinar that welcomed new grantees and program staff to the TAE community in November 2009. The webinar reviews the TA available to grantees through The Lewin Group, the National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services, and other TA partners. In addition, a tri-fold brochure describes the role of the Technical Assistance Exchange in assisting grantees with their work on Administration on Aging programs.

AoA Vision and ADRC Initiative Overview Presentation 2008 (PDF) or (PowerPoint)
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
This presentation explains AoA's mission and strategic plan, their overall nursing home diversion strategy, and an overview of the ADRC initiative with information about key functions such as partnership, options counseling, and streamlining access.

HCBS.org Glossary of Terms
Source: HCBS.org
HCBS.org is a clearinghouse of information about long-term supports and services. They maintain this helpful glossary of acronyms and program terms that will acquaint you with the terminology used by grantees and their partners to describe what they do. HCBS.org also highlights new information and resources posted to their site in a regular newsletter.

KFF Briefs - Key Issues in Medicaid and Home and Community-Based Services and Support
Source: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Advancing Access to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services: Key Issues Based on a Working Group Discussion with Medicaid Experts
Efforts in States to Promote Medicaid Community-Based Services and Supports
These briefs from the Kaiser Family Foundation highlight key strategies to address financing, program administration and community workforce challenges that key experts, federal and state officials and advocates believe must be overcome to expand access to home and community-based services (HCBS). They summarize lessons in offering more home and community-based services from states at the forefront of the effort.

TAE Training Handout: Partnership Topic Overview (PDF) or (Word)
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
Community partnerships are critical elements of high-quality ADRC operations. This overview of partnerships is part of a series of handouts that was developed by the TAE to be distributed in conjunction with training.

TAE Training Handout: Options Counseling Topic Overview (PDF) or (Word)
Source: Technical Assistance Exchange
Options Counseling is a core function of ADRCs. This overview of options counseling is part of a series of handouts that were developed by the TAE to be distributed in conjunction with raining. Other overview handouts are available on the topics of Partnership, Marketing and Sustainability.

Helpful links elsewhere on this website

Resources by Topic
The TAE Resources are organized by topic and sub-topic to assist users in locating needed information. Browse the TAE resource collection by topic area.

Resources by Population
Many of the TAE Resources are relevant to specific service populations, such as veterans, caregivers, people with disabilities, et cetera. View the TAE resource collection organized by population.

Calendar of TAE Events
This calendar, updated regularly, provides details about regularly scheduled all-grantee monthly calls, TAE Trainings, conferences of interest to grantees, and other events.

Technical Assistance Exchange Issue Briefs
The Technical Assistance Exchange and our partners regularly publish Issue Briefs on specific topics of interest to grantees. Recent examples have included Leadership Transitions, Coordinating with Transportation, Assessing the Fiscal Impact of ADRCs, and many others.

TAE Online Training Modules
The Technical Assistance Exchange Learning Network builds upon years of experience in supporting states and territories in the development and implementation of Aging and Disability Resource Centers and Community Living Programs. Best practices and innovations are highlighted through active learning techniques. Training opportunities are offered online through live webcasts, recorded webcasts available for download, and "build your own" training resources.

IT Development Tools
Information Technology and Management Information Systems (IT/MIS) are common areas of focus for ADRC and CLP programs. View the collection of TAE resources related to this topic, including advice about how to select a vendor, the vendor rating platform, and sample RFPs.

Evaluation Guidelines and Resources
Program evaluation of grant activities helps to document results and identify areas for improvement. View the collection of TAE resources related to this topic, including matrices on evaluating Options Counseling and measures of streamlined access.

How to Contact Technical Assistance Exchange Staff and Federal Partner Staff
Each state is assigned a Technical Assistance "lead" at The Lewin Group to coordinate any requests for information and aid. Each grantee is also assigned a project officer at the Administration on Aging. View contact information for the TAE team and our Federal partners at the links above.

---