UNC Asheville Receives $1.2M Grant to Empower Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities

The NC Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW) at the University of North Carolina Asheville has received a $1.2 million three year grant award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL) for the “Empowering Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities through Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program (CDSME)” funding opportunity.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — August 31, 2026 — The NC Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW) at the University of North Carolina Asheville has received a $1.2 million three year grant award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL) for the “Empowering Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities through Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program (CDSME)” funding opportunity.

“NCCHW is very excited to receive this grant award that will build on our collaborative statewide partnerships and successes to improve systems of care and make a significant impact on the health and well-being of older adults in North Carolina,” said NCCHW CDSME Project Director Vivian Gettys, M.P.H., M.A., R.N.

The goals of the NCCHW project titled, “PATH NC: Promoting Access to Total Health NC” are to 1) Increase statewide access to CDSME programs and support the Program to Encourage Active Rewarding Lives and the Walk with Ease program for older adults who live with depression and/or anxiety; 2) Strengthen relationships between the Aging and Disability Services Network and behavioral health providers through a learning collaborative and community of practice. Project products including a learning collaborative framework, implementation guide, and resource toolkit will be developed and disseminated to increase knowledge in the field.

NCCHW has successfully worked with statewide partners to develop a robust CDSME and supports evidence-based program infrastructure serving older adults in North Carolina through previous ACL CDSME grant awards. This new project will increase partnerships with behavioral health organizations to better reach a target population of older adults experiencing depression, anxiety, and other stressors. The learning collaborative composed of aging/disability and behavioral health services organizations will serve as a model to pilot a comprehensive training protocol for partners, develop person-centered resources, and increase utilization of referral pathways to improve access to evidence-based programs and behavioral health support by older adults across the state.

The collaborative three year project outcomes include:

• A total of 2,500 participants enrolled in CDSME and supportive programs with at least 40% reporting improvements in anxiety and depression using pre/post surveys

• Establish 12 new partnerships and two referral pathways for the learning collaborative including aging & disability services providers, behavioral health providers, and other key organizations

• Survey results of learning collaborative partners show that 75% report increased knowledge of subject areas (through training and resources) improved their ability to serve older adults in the target population

Stevens Amendment Disclosure: This press release is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,197,991.00 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS or the U.S. Government.

About UNC Asheville

UNC Asheville is North Carolina’s public liberal arts and sciences university of the future, marked by technology-driven solutions, hands-on learning, a  student-centered focus and career and professional readiness. With  award-winning faculty, small class sizes, and 60+ academic programs, including  a dual degree in Engineering/Mechatronics with NC State, the University provides free tuition and fees to eligible students through its Access Asheville program as well as merit scholarships to all first-year students. In the US News & World Report 2026  edition of Best Colleges, UNC Asheville is ranked No. #10 in Top Public  Schools, and No. #12 in Princeton Review’s 2026 Top 50 Guide to Green Colleges.  Known as the Bulldogs, UNC Asheville student-athletes compete in 16  NCAA Division I Teams in the Big South Conference. For more information, please  visit: unca.edu.