Located in:
- Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
At minimum, in the SCSEP stand-alone submission and the SCSEP portion of the Combined State Plan, States should comprehensively cover the following elements.
- b. Service Delivery and Coordination
States must:
- 1. Provide a Description of Actions to Coordinate Scsep with Other Programs
This may alternatively be discussed in the State strategies section of the strategic plan, but regardless of placement in document, must include:
- 1. Provide a Description of Actions to Coordinate Scsep with Other Programs
- b. Service Delivery and Coordination
b. 1. C. Actions to Coordinate Scsep with Other Private and Public Entities and Programs That Provide Services to Older Americans, Such as Community and Faith-based Organizations, Transportation Programs, and Programs for Those with Special Needs or Disabilities. (20 Cfr 641.302(i))
Current Narrative:
ADSS will continue to coordinate with partner agencies to enhance services to older Alabamians. Some examples of programs and partners that serve our seniors include the following:
The Alabama Department of Human Resources operates the JOBS Program to help recipients of Family Assistance (FA) find and keep jobs. This includes supportive services such as transportation and clothes. This help is available to all recipients of FA regardless of age. In addition, many counties have a JOBS Task Force where they pull together civic and faith based groups, employment agencies and employers to help individuals get jobs. These groups are open to any interested individual, program or agency and participation is encouraged. Job readiness classes funded by DHR are available in a variety of counties and are open to anyone below 200% of the federal poverty line. These classes vary in length from a few days to four weeks and cover a wide range of topics. Emphasis is on how to find a job and the soft skills needed to keep a job.
The Adult Protective Services Division and County Departments work to protect elderly and disabled adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation and to prevent unnecessary institutionalization. DHR also partners with the Job Access Reverse Commute grant (JARC). DHR currently provides TANF match money to both the Department of Transportation and ADSS to provide transportation to low-income Alabamians.
Transportation plays a critical role in providing access to employment, medical, and health care, education, and other community services and amenities. Efficient and affordable transportation services provide seniors independence to quality of life activities.
Currently SAFETEA-LU, the federal transit law requires projects selected for financial assistance under the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC), New Freedom (NF), and the Elderly Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310) programs be derived from a coordinated transportation plan. Coordination plans identify the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and people with low incomes, provides strategies for meeting those local needs, and prioritizes transportation services for funding and implementation. Plans are developed through a process that includes representatives of public, private, and nonprofit transportation and human services providers and participation by the public. The Alabama Association of Regional Councils has produced twelve coordinated transportation plans that include all of the regional councils respective planning areas. Plans are updated every four years.
The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) is the designated state unit recognized by the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to deliver independent living (IL) services to older adults who are blind in the State of Alabama. The ADRS has a long history of providing rehabilitation teaching services for seniors who are blind. Within ADRS, the Older Alabamians System of Information and Services Program, referred to as the OASIS Program, provides IL services to older adults with visual impairments.
The OASIS Program is designed to meet the needs of both rural and urban segments of the population of elders who are visually impaired throughout Alabama. The overall goal of the OASIS Program is to enhance the level of independence among the State’s elderly population who are blind or visually impaired. To be eligible for the OASIS program individuals must be age 55 or older, reside in the State of Alabama, and be blind or functionally visually impaired.
Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VRS), the largest division within the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, helps Alabamians with disabilities achieve independence through employment. VRS provides specialized employment and education related services and training to assist adults with disabilities in becoming employed.
To be eligible for VRS services, individuals must have a physical or mental impairment that is a substantial impediment to employment and must be able to benefit from services in terms of going to work. For Alabamians with disabilities, VRS represents much more than a monetary return. Much like the SCSEP program, VRS helps clients gain employment, which creates pride, dignity and independence for our seniors.
The Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Volunteer Service coordinates the AmeriCorps State program and also works closely with local faith-based and community organizations particularly those involved in disaster preparedness and response. Through the network of AmeriCorps State programs annually hundreds of volunteers are engaged in communities across Alabama serving to meet critical needs.
AmeriCorps programs engage people of all ages and they actively recruit people with disabilities. Other national service programs operating in the State of Alabama include Senior Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA.