The Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging (ECC AAA) is making grants available to address the nutritional needs of people age 60 years of age or older through the delivery of meals. Nutrition Service providers awarded the grant funding must meet the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) Division of Aging Nutrition Service Standards (July 1, 2003) for Home Delivered Meals.

HDC5 Home Delivered Meals Services Overview

The Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging (ECC AAA) is making grants available to address the nutritional needs of people age 60 years of age or older.

Eligible Home Delivered Meals Requirements

• When possible, Nutrition Service providers are encouraged to continue providing Home Delivered Meals that meet the dietary guidelines outlined in the Division of Aging Nutrition Service Standards (July 1, 2003) which include one-third of the recommended daily allowance dietary reference intake (RDA-DRI) requirements.
• Due to North Carolina’s Federal Major Disaster Declaration (MDD) Home Delivered Meals may be provided that do not meet one-third of the recommended daily allowance dietary reference intake (RDA-DRI) requirements.
• Home Delivered Meals that do not meet one-third of the recommended daily allowance dietary reference intake (RDA-DRI) must include a serving of meat or meat alternative, two servings of grain, and one serving of a vegetable or fruit to be eligible for reimbursement through HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding.
• Home Delivered Meals that do not meet one-third of the recommended daily allowance dietary reference intake (RDA-DRI) require written menus that show the required food items according to food content rather than nutrient analysis.  Menu approval does not require an assessment by a registered dietitian; however, written menus must be kept on file for review by PTRC/AAA monitors during both desk reviews and onsite monitoring visits.
• Home Delivered Meals types included hot, frozen, refrigerated, or shelf stable.
• Multiple Home Delivered Meals may be provided to an individual at the same time (e.g. five frozen meals in a box or the equivalent of five shelf stable meals).
• Up to 21 Home Delivered Meals per client per week may be provided under HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding.
• All foods contained in the Home Delivered Meals must be from approved federal or state agency sources.

• IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Once the Federal MDD is rescinded, “flexibilities” allowed for Home Delivered Meals will end and meals will be required to meet the 1/3 RDA requirement. In addition, menus will need to be signed by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist to certify that menus meet all federal and state requirements as outlined In the Division of Aging Nutrition Service Standards (July 1, 2003). It is important for Home Delivered Meals providers to understand that the Older Americans Act (OAA) is the main statute that governs the Home Delivered Meals program. While currently some of these requirements have been waived, once the Federal Major Disaster Declaration expires “flexibilities” revert to the underlying OAA statute. Nutrition Service providers of Home Delivered Meals should have the capability to provide Home Delivered Meals according to the guidelines outlined in the Division of Aging Nutrition Service Standards (July 1, 2003) once the Federal MDD is rescinded.

 Eligibility for Meals

• People age 60+.  Income is not used in determining eligibility.
• Special Eligibility: Federal rules establish special eligibility for spouses under age 60 and give grantee the option to offer a meal to certain other people under age 60. These are as follows:

• Spouses under age 60 of an eligible nutrition participant.
• Individuals under age 60 with disabilities who reside at home with eligible older adults receiving home‐delivered meals.

Note:  While the Federal MDD remains in effect, there is flexibility with the definition of “home bound” under HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding.

Under HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding, there is allowance in the definition of home bound to permit meals delivery for those individuals who are 60+ practicing social distancing and staying at home even if they do not meet the standard criteria for home bound.

Other Programmatic Requirements for Home Delivered Meals

• The Division of Aging Nutrition Service Standards (July 1, 2003) list other requirements for Home Delivered Meals service which include, but are not limited to, Food Temperature Documentation, Volunteer Training, and Nutrition Education.
• HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding also includes non-unit reimbursement for personal protective equipment (PPE), food service equipment, and other unique items that allow Nutrition Service providers to continue Home Delivered Meals service. Consumable supplies for Home Delivered Meals clients only are also allowable such as produce boxes and grocery bags.

Reporting and Documentation Requirements for Home Delivered Meals

• A Client Registration (DAAS 101) Long Form must be completed for each eligible client receiving Home Delivered Meals through HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding.
• A completed Special Eligibility Documentation Form for a client receiving meals as a special eligibility client for HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding is required.
• Consumer Contributions must be solicited and properly documented for Home Delivered Meals funded through HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funding.
• A Meal Tracking Form indicating the dates and number of Home Delivered Meals delivered for each eligible client.
• HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funds must be accounted for separately in the service provider’s accounting records.

Cost Computation Requirements for Home Delivered Meals

• Accurately completed Cost Computation forms will be required of all HDC5 Home Delivered Meals grant awardees. Cost Computation forms calculate the unit cost per Home Delivered Meal provided.

Reimbursement for Home Delivered Meals

Services provided by HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funds will be reimbursed on a monthly basis through the state’s Aging Resource Management System (ARMS). Reimbursement is dependent upon accurate reporting of service data.

Monitoring

All services provided by HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funds will be monitored by the ECC Area Agency on Aging (ECC AAA) according to a time line that will be established by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services. Monitoring will be conducted following the “ECC AAA Policies and Procedures for Monitoring” which also addresses the required monitoring of any subcontractors used to furnish services.

Confidentiality and Security

Client information in any format and whether recorded or not shall be kept confidential and not disclosed in a form that identifies the person without the informed consent of the person or legal representative. Community service providers, including subcontractors and vendors, must adhere to all applicable federal, state, and departmental requirements for protecting the security and confidentiality of client information but not limited to appropriately restricting access, establishing procedures to reduce the risk of accidental disclosures from data processing systems, and developing a process by which the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services is notified of suspected or confirmed security incidents and data breaches.

Record Retention and Disposition

All community service providers are responsible for maintaining custody of records and documentation to support the allowable expenditure of funds, service provision, and the reimbursement of services. Service providers must adhere to the approved record retention and disposition schedule posted semiannually on the website of the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Controller at: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/about/administrative-offices/office-controller/records-retention Service providers are not authorized to destroy records related to the provision of services under this Agreement except in compliance with the approved DHHS retention and disposition schedule, which allows for the proper destruction of records based on a schedule by funding source and fiscal year. Confidential records will be destroyed in such a manner that the records cannot be practically read or reconstructed.

Project Period

The Project Period for HDC5 Home Delivered Meals funds is September 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.

ECC AAA reserves the right to reject any or all applications, waive technicalities, and to be the sole judge of suitability of the services for their intended use, and further specifically reserve the right to make the award in the best interest of the ECC AAA regional program.

Request for Application – Timeline /Date and Time for HDC5 Home Delivered Meals Services