The No Wrong Door (NWD) system initiative gives states and communities a roadmap for developing a one-stop resource hub and access point for long-term services and supports (LTSS) and benefits in states and territories.
Building on Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), the NWD initiative is designed to help create a navigable access point for older adults and people with disabilities to receive the LTSS needed to maintain quality of life and independence. The hallmark elements of a coordinated NWD system include:
- Public outreach and coordination with key referral sources
- Person-centered counseling
- Streamlined eligibility for public programs
- State governance and administration
Over time, states have configured NWD systems in several ways that fit their benefits service delivery and design. Some states have relied on county-based resource centers, while others have partnered with the aging network, 211 information and referral agencies, and/or developed online resource hubs.
While states are at varying points of implementing No Wrong Door, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented states and their NWD systems with challenges in providing benefit access and enrollment while also spotlighting disparities in health care. However, strong NWD system partnerships facilitated an efficient pandemic response.
This issue brief, developed by ADvancing States under a sub-grant from NCOA from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), describes the fundamentals of the NWD system initiative, including:
- The history of NWD and significant milestones
- Key elements of a coordinated NWD system
- Community organizations’ engagement in NWD systems to facilitate access to services and benefits.
To learn more about the structure and governance of state LTSS systems, see ADvancing States’ State Aging and Disabilities Agency Profiles. To find your state's online ADRC/NWD access points, see ADvancing States’ National Information and Referral Support Center.
