How to Apply

COVID-19 Funding Opportunities

In-Person Visitation Aid Application 

On September 17, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the development of a COVID-19 In-Person Visitation Aid Template for nursing homes to apply for Civil Monetary Penalty (CMP) grants for in-person visitation aids. The purpose of this grant opportunity is to allow nursing home residents to safely engage in in-person visits. 

Facilities should ensure that funds are only used to purchase the types of visitation aids describe within the application and tent size must allow for social distancing to be observed. Facilities may request up to $3,000 for in-person visitation aids. See the application for allowable and prohibited uses of CMP funds.

Facilities should also ensure that appropriate Life Safety Code (LSC) requirements found at 42 CFR 483.90 are met unless waived under the Public Health Emergency Declaration. See here for more information on LSC requirements.

Communication Technology Device Application

On April 24, 2020, CMS released a COVID-19 Communication Technology application for nursing homes to request CMP funds to purchase technology devices (e.g. iPads, tablets, and webcams) and accessories (e.g. headphones, protective covers, and sims cards). All nursing homes must ensure appropriate infection prevention and control practices and devices must be cleaned and disinfected between residents. Devices must be able to support both virtual visits and telehealth visits (e.g. the devices must connect to the internet, have appropriate installed software such as FaceTime).

The maximum request for funding is $3,000 per facility; devices may be shared among residents with a ratio of one device to 7-10 residents. Corporations can apply on behalf of their facilities and will need to include each facility on the application. Requests for funding exceptions can be considered in certain circumstances, such as in the case of a facility with a large number of residents.

Interested applicants must complete the COVID-19 Communication Technology Application and submit with a cover letter and proof of receiving three quotes to the Tennessee CMP Program. The three quotes can be a screenshot or printout of your shopping cart. Facilities should ensure that their cover letter includes all additional CMS requirements including the facilities' average daily census, the device's brand name and model, the name of the disinfectant that will be used to sanitize the devices, and a statement that the devices and accessories will be used for both virtual social and telehealth visits.

All COVID-19 related applications are required to be submitted electronically via email to Shaquallah Shanks at Shaquallah.Shanks@tn.gov and Kristyn Long at Kristyn.Long@tn.gov.

Request for Applications

The Tennessee Department of Health CMP Reinvestment Program opens a Request for Application (RFA) process. Through this process, funded programs must showcase a variety of enhancement philosophies through current and sound evidence-based practices. The CMP Reinvestment Program has two different types of RFA opportunities. The first RFA is for entities that are interested in applying to implement a statewide project - see the Statewide Implementation RFA schedule below for the timeline of events. The second RFA is a standard RFA - see the Standard RFA schedule below for the timeline of events. The dates listed below are subject to change. 

Eligibility Guidelines

 Eligible applicants include:

• certified nursing homes
• academic or research institutions
• local or tribal governments
• health-related service providers,
• consumer advocacy organizations,
• resident or family councils,
• professional nursing home associations,
• state ombudsmen programs,
• quality improvement organizations
  
  

Only one proposal will be accepted per applicant. Applicants must demonstrate evidence of financial stability, utilize evidence-based practices, and show measurable results.

Successful CMP awardees are expected to use grant funds to address and meet identified local/community/statewide needs in the area of improvement of life and/or direct hands-on quality of care and treatment of current residents of Tennessee licensed nursing home facilities, participating in Medicare and/or Medicaid.

Proposals should address the following:

• Target improvement of life or care of residents at a particular facility, multiple facilities, regionally or statewide
• Test cost-effective, sustainable strategies for producing lasting improvements and positive changes to facility care methodologies
• Improve quality of life or care of residents through proposals that are novel in design but structured with regard to current evidence or demonstrated models
• Demonstrate clear evidence of strong community partnerships and sharing of resources
• Indicate cost-effectiveness and sustainability of proposed interventions and the ability to disseminate findings to other facilities, educational institutions, workplaces, etc. Demonstrate ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and provide outcome measures related to the target area.
  
  Projects cannot exceed three years, but there is no minimum time period requirement.

Expenditure Guidelines

Funds issued through the Tennessee CMP Reinvestment Program may not be utilized for the following uses:

• To support or expand existing statutory programs
• To pay for capital improvements to a nursing home, or to build a nursing home
• To pay for nursing home services or supplies that are already the responsibility of the nursing home, such as laundry, linen, food, heat, staffing costs etc.
• For non-nursing home residents
• To pay the salaries of temporary managers who are actively managing a nursing home
• To pay staff salaries
• For generators or motor vehicles
• For out of state travel reimbursement
• For computers or computer systems for administrative purposes
• For any item which has been or will be included on the facility cost report which eventually will be included in the Medicaid nursing home reimbursement rate
• For removal of nurses stations
• For any current or previous training initiative(s) funded with CMPs
• To enlarge or enhance an existing appropriation or statutory purpose that is substantially the same as the intended project(s) or use(s)
• To perform functions for which the applicant may have already been paid to perform by State or Federal sources
• To engage in projects that might result in a conflict of interest.

Tennessee CMP Reinvestment Program Application Process

1.  Any applicant desiring to submit an application in response to the RFA is encouraged to have at least one representative on the teleconference; however, attendance is not mandatory. To subscribe to grant-related email notifications, please contact Ms. Shaquallah Shanks, CMP Reinvestment Program Director, at Shaquallah.Shanks@tn.gov to be added to the contact list.

2. Develop a proposal with all of the following elements as well as the CMP Reinvestment Program checklist (all items can be found on the TDH Funding Opportunities website):

*Note: If a required item is missing or the page limit is exceeded, the CMP request will fail the initial application screening. The checklist is not included in the page limit.

3. Submit completed application electronically via the Tennessee Department of Health’s Funding Opportunities page during an open RFA period. Any questions regarding submission should be addressed to Ms. Melissa Painter, Competitive Procurement Coordinator, at Melissa.Painter@tn.gov or (615) 741-0285.

Questions and Answers:

All questions concerning this RFA must be presented to the Competitive Procurement Coordinator shown in Section III, in writing, on or before the deadline for Written Questions and Comments as detailed in the RFA Schedule of Events. Questions may be faxed, emailed, mailed or hand-carried to the Competitive Procurement Coordinator. The State’s responses will be emailed and posted as an Amendment to the following website:

https://www.tn.gov/health/funding-opportunities.html

Follow-Up Webinars

The Tennessee CMP Program staff will be hosting follow-up proposal webinars to assist potential grantees in understanding the CMP Request for Applications process and will identify ways to further enhance proposals. A follow-up webinar was held after every RFA cycle to review opportunities to strengthen applications. Now, our Office offers to meet with individual applicants after a proposal is denied to discuss any weak areas within the application. If you would like to discuss the Follow-Up Webinars or gain insight on previously submitted applications, please contact Ms. Shaquallah Shanks at Shaquallah.Shanks@tn.gov to be added to our mailing list.