NEWS

Age-Friendly Funding Alert: Elder Mental Health Programs, Community Compact Reminder

Aug 17, 2022

The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative promotes a range of funding opportunities that supports inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities. Please see the following opportunities below:

The Massachusetts Councils on Aging Association seeks the creation of new programs to strengthen the capacity of the Elder Mental Health Outreach Team (EMHOT) and Elder Mobile Outreach Team (EMOT) network. Specifically, to increase the network’s ability to provide behavioral health support in underserved communities.

Programs may be established by new organizations or existing EMHOTs or EMOTs, which are available on the final page of the RFP here.

The Community Compact is a voluntary, mutual agreement entered into between the Baker-Polito Administration and individual cities and towns of the Commonwealth. In a Community Compact, a community will agree to implement at least one best practice that they select from across a variety of areas. Among the possible areas is an “Age/Dementia Friendly Best Practice.”

The community’s chosen best practice(s) will be reviewed between the Commonwealth and the municipality to ensure that the best practice(s) chosen are unique to the municipality and reflect needed areas of improvement. Once approved, the written agreement will be generated and signed by both the municipality and the Commonwealth. The Compact also articulates the commitments the Commonwealth will make on behalf of all communities.

The FY23 Best Practice program opens on August 15th, 2022 and remains open until available funds are exhausted.

Interested communities and stakeholders can contact James Fuccione at MHAC for details.

This is a competitive grant program focused on driving innovation and transformation at the local level via investments in technology. Using the transformative powers of IT, we can drive innovation, make government more efficient, save taxpayer money, and make it easier for residents to interact and transact with their local government.

Grants of up to $200,000 support the implementation of innovative IT projects by funding related one-time capital needs such as technology infrastructure or software. Incidental or one-time costs related to the capital purchase such as planning, design, installation, implementation and initial training are eligible.

With MHAC’s promotion of this program as an opportunity to support older adults, last year’s awards have supported the purchase of devices and training programs for older adults in Ludlow and a downtown Wi-Fi network in Pittsfield that encompasses senior housing and benefits people of all ages.

The application period for the FY23 IT Grant program opens on September 6, 2022 through October 7, 2022 at noon.

Interested communities and stakeholders can contact James Fuccione at MHAC for details.