Alaska DOH Senior and Disabilities Community Based Grants
Who we are
The Division of Senior and Disabilities Services Grants Unit provides funding, in the form of grants, to agencies across Alaska. These agencies provide programs and services that help seniors (Alaskans ages 60 and older) and people with disabilities within their communities.
Our grant partners deliver essential services and programs for:
People with developmental disabilities (DD)
Caregivers of seniors and/or people with disabilities
People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD)
Seniors
People who need assistance at home due to disability or health conditions
People who have experienced a brain injury
People who do not qualify for, are waiting for, or need only minimal support from Home and Community-Based Services under the Medicaid Waiver program
“Our mission is to promote health, well being and safety for individuals with disabilities, seniors and vulnerable adults by facilitating access to quality services and supports that foster independence, personal choice and dignity.”
Alaska Medicaid Transition Period for Compliance with HCBS Criteria (2017)
“A CMS Informational Bulletin was released on May 9, 2017, indicating that the transition period for complying with home and community-based settings criteria is extended until March 17, 2022. In the Bulletin, CMS indicated that states may still choose to meet the original March 17, 2019 deadline. The State of Alaska values the person-centered transformation that will result from providers meeting the settings criteria, and acknowledges the progress made to bring Alaska’s providers into compliance. Accordingly, Alaska will retain the original March 17, 2019 deadline for settings to become compliant with the CMS home and community-based settings criteria.”
Alasksa Approved Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS) Forms
“Overview
Most SDS Approved Forms (except for those noted with asterisks *) are fillable PDFs. Forms marked with an asterisk are Word or Excel documents.
To reduce the chance of forms not working correctly, we recommend that all forms be downloaded and saved before being filled out for printing or electronic submission.
For assistance with reading or completing any of these forms, please contact the Policy Unit at HSS.DSDS.Policy@alaska.gov.
Specific programmatic questions about a particular form should be addressed to staff in the relevant SDS program.
Reminder: Please check the SDS Approved Forms webpage frequently for the most current versions of forms, as SDS makes improvements to its program forms continuously.”
Alaska DOH Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Unit
“What we do
The Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Unit in Alaska oversees services for people with IDD provided through the programs above. This includes making eligibility determinations, reviewing and approving application documents, managing the DD Registry, reviewing and approving service requests, and managing programs. IDD Unit staff also provide technical assistance and targeted training to IDD service providers as needed. Additionally, the team supports the Developmental Disabilities Resource Connection centers (linked, below) to guide people through the application process and make sure they receive the services they need.”
“This unique program provides real-life work experience to help youth, with significant disabilities, make successful transitions from school to adult life. Meant to serve as a student’s last year in high school.
Project SEARCH is an international trademarked and copyrighted program model, which focuses solely on employment for Project SEARCH interns. Successful outcomes for this project include:
Employment in an integrated setting (working alongside people without disabilities)
Alaska: Minimum wage exemption for persons with disabilities eliminated (2018)
“JUNEAU, Alaska— Following a regulatory change that goes into effect today, Alaska employers are no longer allowed to pay less than minimum wage to workers who experience disabilities. In repealing 8 AAC 15.120, Alaska joins New Hampshire and Maryland as the first states in the nation to eliminate payment of subminimum wages for persons with disabilities.
An exemption from paying minimum wage to persons with disabilities has existed for many years, beginning at the federal level with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and in Alaska regulations since 1978. Historically, minimum wage exemptions were considered necessary to help people with disabilities gain employment. Experience over the past two decades has shown that workers with disabilities can succeed in jobs earning minimum wage or more.
“Workers who experience disabilities are valued members of Alaska’s workforce,” said Department of Labor and Workforce Development Acting Commissioner Greg Cashen. “They deserve minimum wage protections as much as any other Alaskan worker.”
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development received written comments expressing support for repealing the regulation that allowed the minimum wage exemption from the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, the State Vocational Rehabilitation Committee, the Statewide Independent Living Council, and the Alaska Workforce Investment Board.
The elimination of the minimum wage exemption brings employment practices into alignment with Alaska Employment First Act of 2014, which requires vocational services help people with disabilities to become gainfully employed at or above the minimum wage.”
Alaska Minimum wage exemption for persons with disabilities eliminated (2018)
“JUNEAU, Alaska— Following a regulatory change that goes into effect today, Alaska employers are no longer allowed to pay less than minimum wage to workers who experience disabilities. In repealing 8 AAC 15.120, Alaska joins New Hampshire and Maryland as the first states in the nation to eliminate payment of subminimum wages for persons with disabilities.
An exemption from paying minimum wage to persons with disabilities has existed for many years, beginning at the federal level with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and in Alaska regulations since 1978. Historically, minimum wage exemptions were considered necessary to help people with disabilities gain employment. Experience over the past two decades has shown that workers with disabilities can succeed in jobs earning minimum wage or more.
“Workers who experience disabilities are valued members of Alaska’s workforce,” said Department of Labor and Workforce Development Acting Commissioner Greg Cashen. “They deserve minimum wage protections as much as any other Alaskan worker.”
The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development received written comments expressing support for repealing the regulation that allowed the minimum wage exemption from the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, the State Vocational Rehabilitation Committee, the Statewide Independent Living Council, and the Alaska Workforce Investment Board.
The elimination of the minimum wage exemption brings employment practices into alignment with Alaska Employment First Act of 2014, which requires vocational services help people with disabilities to become gainfully employed at or above the minimum wage.”
Alaska DVR Guidelines for the Operation of the Employment Program and Disability Preferences (rev. March 2018)
Alaska Stat. §36.30.321 State Procurement Code subsections b and d
This document gives a summary of Alaska’s employment program and disability preferences. It includes amount requirements, bidder requirements, and qualification notes.
