ACL’s COVID-19 Resources: What’s new

Here's what's new on our COVID-19 resource page since our last update.

Tools to Stay Connected: Physical distancing doesn't have to mean social isolation. There are many different tools and applications that can be used to put together virtual family dinners, one-on-one video calls, or business meetings, but if you’ve never used them, they can be a bit intimidating. The National Council on Aging put together an outstanding cheat sheet that can help anyone get started. It includes pros and cons of each tool and links to instructions for using them. We’ve posted it under Resources from our Non-Federal Partners.

New under State Guidance: Maryland Executive Order on Disability Services Personnel: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order declaring that people and organizations providing services for people with disabilities are essential and exempt from emergency measures impacting movement and business opening. We’ve posted a link to the EO.

Technical assistance and FAQs for our grantees:

FAQ Frequently asked questions (FAQs) for recipients of ACL discretionary grants,
FAQ for State Assistive Technology Act programs, and
FAQ on Additional Funding for COVID-19 Response for Aging and Disability Resource Centers.
Questions and answers from recent stakeholder calls hosted by Meals on Wheels America and ADvancing States.

Webinars and Training Events: We’ve created a new section to share information about webinars and training events. Here’s what’s upcoming:

April 8 - CDC webinar for rural partners stakeholders, and communities -
April 9 and April 13 - Webinars on managing volunteer programs and outreach during COVID-19, hosted by the SMP National Resource Center, the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center, and the Center for Benefits Access (AKA the MIPPA Center)

Funding Opportunities: SAMHSA is accepting applications from states, territories and tribes for grants to provide crisis intervention services, mental and substance use disorder treatment, and other related recovery supports for children and adults impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications are due April 10.

Tools to Support People who do not Communicate Verbally: We've added links to tools to aid communication with people who do not speak. These include a flipbook for emergency personnel from the UConn Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (and webpage with a variety of downloadable resources, such as communication boards and instructions for using them, from the Patient-Provider Communication Forum and the United States Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication

For people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities:

ACL's Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center and Green Mountain Self-Advocates offer tips for working with support staff and "words to know" about COVID-19,
The Washington State Council on Developmental Disabilities has developed a plain language booklet and video to answer the question, "What in the World is Going On?" and a guide to help family, friends, and caregivers navigate COVID-19 conversations.

Watching out for Fraud: Unfortunately, many fraudsters are trying to take advantage of this emergency so it is important to be aware of scams and how to report them. We've added a variety of resources from our federal partners to spot and report scams as well as financial advice from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Last but not Least: Here are a few more resources we've added to our website:

Tips and resources for LGBT elders and those living with HIV from the ACL-funded National Resource Center on LGBT Aging,
An electronic toolkit on telehealth and telemedicine for long-term care facilities from CMS,
A resource and knowledge-sharing hub for caregivers and health care workers serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities from AADMD.

Thank you to everyone who has shared resources! Be sure to check our COVID-19 page regularly for updates.