Here's what's new on our COVID-19 resource page:
The latest on vaccines: As millions of Americans begin to receive one of the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines, we've created a new "Vaccination Information" section on our COVID-19 page with up-to-date resources, including:
- Information from the CDC on the benefits of vaccination, who gets a vaccine first, and what to expect during your vaccination appointment.
- A two-page brochure addressing common questions about guardians and the COVID-19 vaccine for long-term care facility residents developed by the National Center for State Courts, the American Bar Association, and the National Guardianship Association.
- Several ACL grantees have developed plain language resources to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, including a plain language booklet developed by the Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Resource Center and a two-page "social story" developed by the Center for Dignity in Health Care for People with Disabilities at the University of Cincinnati UCEDD.
- A COVID-19 resource for people living with paralysis which has been updated by the Paralysis Resource Center, an ACL grantee, to include information on vaccines.
States and territories are now distributing the vaccines. You can find information on vaccine distribution in your state in the "Follow your state's guidance" section of our COVID-19 page.
ACL funding: Coronavirus relief and appropriations legislation signed into law on Dec. 27 provided additional funding for two of ACL’s programs. Specifically:
- Senior Nutrition Programs: The Act provided an additional $175M to help states and tribes deliver additional meals to older adults. These funds will be distributed through formula grants in the coming weeks. The Act also extended the flexibilities provided in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the CARES Act, such as the ability for states to transfer 100 percent of funding between home delivered and congregate meals programs.
- Elder Justice Programs: ACL received $100 million for Elder Justice programs, including no less than $50 million to be awarded for formula grants for state adult protective services programs. This is the first time federal funding has been appropriated to support APS across the country. ACL is working to finalize the details of how this funding will be distributed; we’ll share more information as soon as it is available.
Beware of vaccination scams: Scammers are constantly finding new ways to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to steal money and personal information. For example, scammers in Florida used an "Eventbrite" page to charge seniors money for fake vaccination appointments.
Here are some tips to keep in mind from the SMP Resource Center:
- You likely will not need to pay anything out-of-pocket to get the vaccine during this public health emergency.
- You cannot pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine.
- You cannot pay to get early access to the vaccine.
- You will not be solicited door to door to receive the vaccine.
Learn more from the SMP Resource Center and the Federal Trade Commission.
Economic Impact Payments (aka “stimulus checks"): The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 created a second round of Economic Impact Payments for millions of Americans. As with the first round, payment will be issued based on the information the IRS has on file for your 2019 tax return, information provided using the IRS' non-filer or "Get my Payment" tools, or information provided by a federal agency issuing benefits such as the Social Security Administration, Veteran Affairs, or Railroad Retirement Board.
Direct deposits began on Dec. 29, and paper checks were mailed on Dec. 30. Pre-paid debit cards (EIP Cards) are being issued this month. You can get more information about the payments in this FAQ by the IRS. More information about EIP Cards is available at EIPCard.com, which has been updated for the second round of economic impact payments. You also can check the status of your payment online.
In June, the IRS clarified the Economic Impact Payments belong to recipients, not nursing homes or care facilities.
HCBS webinar Thursday: ACL and CMS are hosting a webinar on Thursday, January 14 at 3:00 pm ET on reducing food insecurity and nutrition-related chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic among Medicaid HCBS beneficiaries.
Telehealth accessibility webinar recap: The Traumatic Brain Injury Technical Assistance Resource Center has published slides from their December 18 webinar, "Telehealth During a Pandemic: Maintaining Accessible Services."