The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), Bureau of Health Provider Standards (BHPS), oversees and administers the Long Term Care Program. It aims to support innovative projects enhancing the protection, support, and benefits for nursing facility residents.
The grant program focuses on funding innovative projects that improve the quality of life and care for residents in nursing facilities. It is financed by civil money penalties collected from long-term care facilities that violate Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) conditions of participation. The grant seeks to support quality improvement initiatives external to standard facility operations, which could include assistance for residents when facilities close or are decertified, support for resident and family councils, facility improvement initiatives, training to enhance care quality, and activities to foster social interaction among residents. The funding explicitly prohibits use for operations or services that facilities are already obligated to provide by law.