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Aging Mastery Program® RFA

Aging Mastery Program® Request for Applications

The Connecticut Healthy Living Collective invites eligible organizations to participate in a statewide initiative to implement the Aging Mastery Program®.

About the Connecticut Healthy Living Collective

The Connecticut Healthy Living Collective (CHLC) is a hub/network delivery model for evidence-based health promotion programs resulting in improved health outcomes. The CHLC combines the strengths of trusted local community providers (the network) with a robust quality and contracting infrastructure (the hub) to deliver programs and services that promote healthier people, better care, smarter spending, and health equity. By working together as one collective, community-based organizations can share knowledge, achieve economies of scale, win contracts and have greater impact on healthcare outcomes across Connecticut.

The CHLC is comprised of State Departments, local and regional organizations and philanthropic partners dedicated to healthy people and healthy communities. The CHLC is coordinated by Connecticut Community Care and supported by philanthropy, grants, contracts and in-kind personnel and expertise. The CHLC was supported with 8-months of technical assistance by the National Council on Aging and the U.S. Administration for Community Living.

About AMP®

The Aging Mastery Program® (AMP) is an evidence-based program developed by the National Council on Aging (NCOA). AMP® is a fun and engaging education and behavior change incentive program for aging well. Central to the AMP® philosophy is the belief that modest lifestyle changes can produce big results and that people can be empowered to cultivate health and longevity. Equally important, the program encourages mastery—developing sustainable behaviors across many dimensions that will lead to improved health, stronger financial security, and overall well-being. Each level of mastery is based on consistency and duration, allowing participants to set individual goals. Another key element of the program is the reward system, designed to both motivate and encourage ongoing participation.

The 10-week core curriculum combines evidence-informed knowledge delivered by community experts, goal-setting, daily practice and small rewards. The program takes place in a peer-supported classroom setting at sites where older adults and boomers already gather.

AMP® is being implemented across the country and meets the evidence-based program criteria established by the Administration for Community Living. Results show that participants have increased their physical activity levels, healthy eating habits, use of advanced planning, social connectedness and participation in other evidence-based self-management programs. The Aging Mastery Program® is a licensed property of the National Council on Aging.

Getting Connecticut AMP®ed!

The National Council on Aging, Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation and Connecticut Community Foundation partnered to introduce AMP® in 10 sites across the state in 2017 through a coordinated demonstration project lead by Connecticut Community Care through the CHLC. Based on our success, we have been selected to partner with NCOA to bring the Aging Mastery Program® to scale in an initiative funded in part by Anthem Foundation. The goal of this initiative is to expand the reach of AMP® to no less than 800 individuals by May 2020. We are expecting this to continue beyond 2020. To do this, we are recruiting new CHLC sites. Each site selected for this program will operate as a CHLC/Connecticut Community Care network partner under the statewide license for the duration of the initiative through a contract agreement with Connecticut Community Care. The 10-week program will be implemented as follows:

Project Timeline:

RFA Open
Ongoing- Submit Interest Application
Ongoing- Sites Selected and Notified
September 13, 2019 – Full day Training
Fall 2019 – Sites will provide the 10-week program
Spring 2020- Sites will provide the 10-week program

Eligibility and Selection Criteria:

Each of the participating sites will be a nonprofit organization, municipal department, or public entity currently providing programs and/or services to older adults. Selection considerations include the applicant capacity to recruit and deliver programs and a geographic balance to ensure interested program participants may access AMP ® statewide.

Site Requirements to offer AMP®

Physical space to seat 20 people comfortably in a classroom set-up with tables and chairs. Space should provide adequate light and acoustics.
Presentation equipment (eg. laptop, screen, projector, flip chart)
Ability to enroll 20 participants per 10-week session.
Classes should be once per week for 10 weeks with classes offered in the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 with a total enrollment goal of 40 participants (20 each).
AMP® participants should have access to other programs and activities to practice and expand the skills they learn through AMP® (including physical activity and evidence-based self-management and fall prevention programs). This can take the form of referrals to programs offered through other CHLC community partners.

Program Requirements

As sub-licensees of the statewide license, all sites must complete and adhere to a contractual agreement.
Identify one or two leaders who can coordinate and facilitate the program. All leaders must participate in a half-day in-person training with the other selected program leaders. Other site staff may attend as well. One leader is required to facilitate each session of the 10-week program. A second trained leader is recommended for back-up.
Recruit and enroll participants (the target group size is 20 participants). Sites will use marketing and recruitment materials provided or approved by CHLC.
Complete all required enrollment and evaluation data collection, including timely data entry in online portal(s) and submission of records by mail or email as requested by CHLC.
Plan, organize and offer AMP, a structured 90-minute education/goal setting/peer support session for each of the 10 topics in the core curriculum. Each weekly session must have a facilitator who has participated in the AMP® training.
Each session should include a presentation by a local subject matter expert recruited by the site. Sites are responsible for ensuring that the learning objectives for each topic are presented either by the expert or by the facilitator.
Sites are strongly encouraged to offer either a healthy breakfast, lunch or snack immediately prior to the weekly workshops.
Maintain accurate attendance records for each class. This information must be entered in an online portal and submitted on forms provided.
Participate in fidelity monitoring activities including an on-site visit from CHLC and submission of required attendance records etc.
On a weekly basis, support participants as they track and record data about healthy behaviors achieved and related points earned for each positive action step. Points must be recorded and tabulated for determination of rewards.
At the end of the 10-week program, host a celebration to award certificates and rewards. Rewards can be goods and/or services, gift cards, cash or other recognition.
Oversee the administration of AMP® evaluation and data collection as required. All data entry must be complete within 2 weeks of the conclusion of the program.
On a periodic basis, site leaders will be required to participate in a group phone call to share successes and resources, problem solve and receive program updates.

The CT Healthy Living Collective will:

Provide ongoing technical assistance
Maintain the statewide program calendar on www.cthealthyliving.org
Facilitate statewide meetings and share information related to program, resources and developments
Provide approved marketing materials
Adhere to license agreement as set forth by NCOA
Purchase and maintain site sublicense

Funding Information

Sites participating in this initiative are eligible for reimbursement of $30 for each participant who ‘graduates’ – attends at least seven of the 10 sessions. Reimbursement is conditional on timely submission and entry of program data and on program fidelity.

Sites are responsible for all other program costs including staffing, facility costs, refreshments and rewards.

Application Process:

Interested sites should complete the Interest Application here as soon as possible. For more information about the project or the application process, please contact: cthealthyliving@ctcommunitycare.org, or call Sherry Ostrout at: (860) 314-2224, or email to: sherry.ostrout@ctcommunitycare.org

What They’re Saying

The “Live Well” workshops are not only informative and useful, but also enjoyable. I look forward to every session.

The welcome and outreach from the MSC to LGBT people has been wonderful. I have learned many new things, made new friends, and have a greater understanding of what the area senior centers offer in services and support.

This workshop taught my husband and me how to live a healthy life with a chronic illness by overcoming the physical, mental and emotional problems caused by the conditions.

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I have better control over many aspects of my life. I feel more empowered to choose to act rather than just react.

I learned the benefits of positive thinking, healthy eating and exercise.

I’ve enjoyed learning how to set realistic goals and felt good about achieving many of them!

I would recommend this workshop to everyone . . . there are so many things for all of us to learn at any age.

I found the content to be good, the instructors to be wonderful and my participation to be very rewarding.

Started yoga, eating lunch at the senior center, getting out more and walking.

I learned how to set up an exercise program that fits my needs and about how to be realistic about completing it.

I’m thrilled to be back on track with healthy eating and exercise.

I learned so much. I understand more about how to manage my health issues and now pay more attention to myself.

I benefited from the discussions and the problem solving activities.

I like feeling part of a group and knowing I am not alone in life.

Sharing, learning, good feelings, people with like needs, no negative vibes, warmth and love, best of all, made new buddies.

My action plan steps are already helping me become a healthier person.

I’ve learned how to accept my health issues and deal with my limitations in a positive way.

I benefitted so much from the action plans. I will definitely carry this forward.

Meeting others with similar health concerns and hearing how they cope was inspiring for me.

For the first time in a while, I felt like trying to be more active again. I started eating better and being with everyone helped take my mind off of my own problems.

We found participation with members of the group and sharing experiences most rewarding.

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