“The Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Office for the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with supporting partners [the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Consumer Technology Association Foundation (CTA Foundation)], invites proposals from businesses, nonprofits, local communities, healthcare providers, technologists, academics, and others for innovative solutions to combat loneliness and social isolation for older adults, people with disabilities, veterans, and people living in facilities and group homes.”
“The goal of this Challenge is to increase consumer awareness and use of technology tools that help older adults and people with disabilities stay socially engaged with and connected to friends, families, communities, and activities of interest. We seek solutions that assess socially-isolated individuals and match them with appropriate technology tools and social engagement programs that best meet their needs. Successful solutions will build from existing assessments and technology tools, and use state of the art matching algorithms to increase awareness and use of technology and social engagement programming to create an accessible Social Engagement Clearinghouse with a user interface.”
“Through the MENTAL Health Challenge, we will recognize innovative ideas and solutions that seek to develop a software platform that increases awareness of, access to, and use of social engagement technologies and programs to address social isolation and loneliness. The grand-prize winning solution will become part of a public-private campaign to reach up to 10 million socially-isolated older adults, people with disabilities, and veterans.”
“The Challenge competition includes two phases with cash prizes awarded in each. A total prize purse of $750,000 is available for this prize Challenge…” Read the full article here.
Source: ACL Seeks Solutions to Match People Who Are Socially Isolated with Available Social Engagement Programs and Technology Solutions – June 23, 2020. ACL.
