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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Program

Grantee Training and Technical Assistance

women at a table talking

The Alzheimer's Program provides support to our grantees through a variety of training and technical assistance options.

Our goals are to:

  • Build trust.
  • Better understand grantee communities.
  • Improve performance.
  • Strengthen capacity.

What is Technical Assistance?

Technical assistance, also known as TA, is guidance tailored to meet the specific needs of each grantee. Technical assistance is provided through collaboration between a specialist and the grantee site(s). It is designed to be relevant to the culture and communities served and can be delivered via phone, mail, email, virtual meetings, or in-person meetings.

Types of Technical Assistance

  • We share resources and updates, such as upcoming deadlines, with grantees through weekly emails.

  • Our monthly one-on-one video conferences are for communication and collaboration between grantees and Indian Health Service grant and program staff. These calls help build relationships. They also assist local project directors, coordinators, and team members adjust their grant activities when needed to help meet their goals and objectives.

    Activities during these calls may include:

    • Reviewing project goals and objectives.
    • Developing work and evaluation plans.
    • Discussing technical assistance needs.
    • Scheduling site visits.
    • Following up on previous correspondence.
    • Ensuring program sustainability.

    Monthly conference calls on Zoom or Teams typically last 30-60 minutes. Participants can join via video or audio.

  • We host quarterly conference calls to bring all the grantees together. These calls, which last about 90 minutes, provide a shared learning environment, and include learning topics and breakout rooms.

  • Site visits focus on providing technical assistance to improve program performance. These visits involve the core group working on the grant and other key tribal, clinical, and community stakeholders.

    Site visits usually last a full day and are typically scheduled soon after the grant begins. The IHS team creates a summary report within 7-10 days after the visit.

    Are you planning for a site visit? Learn more about how to prepare for a site visit, including what to expect and tips for success.

  • We maintain a LISTSERV mailing list to keep grantees updated on training and resources. Members of the grantee LISTSERV are also automatically part of the IHS Elder Care LISTSERV.

  • We are developing a toolkit of resources for grantees and their employees.

Point of Contact

Grantees are provided a point of contact for ongoing support, as needed. This is in addition to the program officer and grants management specialist listed in the official Notice of Grant Award (NGA).

If you have questions about our technical assistance offerings, contact the IHS Elder Health Team.