Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (0AA)
Printable Verison for the talking points note: acrobat format
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT (0AA)
AUGUST, 2011
- OAA Interstate Funding Formula - The funding formula that decides how much money each state receives for congregate and home-delivered meals – title 3c (1) and 3c(2) - was changed during the 2006 reauthorization. The new funding formula has cut off new funding for congregate and home-delivered meals for New York as well as other states in the northeast and midwest. Additional funding went to "growth" states in the south, southwest and west coast. NY still has the third largest 60+ population in the country. According to NY State Office for the Aging, since 2000, NY has received only $5 million in new OAA funding which has been for caregiver services. Any further change in the funding formula will result in NY actually losing funds.
- Maintain separate funding for congregate and home-delivered meals – Some national organizations are advocating to consolidate Title 3 C(1), congregate meals with
Title 3 C(2), meals-on-wheels - CSCS opposes this consolidation because it would give more authority to state and city government of how to spend the meals money. The existing OAA language can be left as is. We are concerned that the voice of community-based providers will not be heard and that more funding would be transferred from congregate meals to home-delivered meals, which would be a loss for senior centers. States can currently do some transferring of funds, and there is no problem with the current level of dollars being transferred. The key is for both congregate and home-delivered meals to be funded adequately, not to have seniors compete with each other for meals funding.
- Develop a title within OAA for the modernization and funding of senior centers – When OAA was enacted in 1965, the centerpiece was nutrition sites for the elderly, which have evolved into multi-service senior centers. CSCS, in conjunction with NCOA and the National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) supports a new senior center title. Currently, there is no specific funding stream for senior centers within OAA. This is surprising to many people as OAA is seen as the main federal funding stream for senior centers. OAA does fund meals and supportive services. It is time for OAA to include a senior center title to modernize senior centers based on the innovative senior center model being developed here in NYC as well as other new models of senior centers being developed. CSCS originated the innovative senior center concept which includes: new funding, flexibility of programming to maximize innovation, regulatory relief and outcome measures to show the value of senior centers in the lives of older adults. Additionally, funding for upgrading facilities and equipment is essential. Older adults deserve to attend attractive and safe senior centers.
- Maintain separate funding for Title 3E, National Caregiver Support Program – One of the most successful new titles under OAA is the National Caregiver Support Program. Funding has initiated support services for older caregivers in NY and across the nation. Advocating for increased title 3E caregiver funds is important as NY does well in this funding formula getting our state's population's fair share. CSCS opposes the consolidation of Title 3E with Title 3B supportive services as some national organizations are proposing. As with the proposed consolidation of the congregate and home-delivered meals program, we are concerned that the caregiver support programs will suffer a loss of funding. We are also concerned that local communities will have no say and there will be a lack of transparency on the part of local and state units on aging in how the money is allocated. Consolidating two titles of OAA is turning it into a block grant which makes it hard to follow the money and leaves out meaningful community input into decision making. Ask Congress to fully fund at $192 million (President Obama's budget includes this) and make no cuts to caregiver support services.
- Economic security case management – With older Americans facing increasing difficulty in remaining in their homes and communities due to insufficient income and a poor economy, assisting them to maximize available public benefits is essential. CSCS, in collaboration with the National Council on Aging (NCOA), recommends language be added into OAA to address the need for economic security case management. CSCS has developed a bill payer program in NYC which utilizes trained volunteers to assist elderly individuals in paying their bills – key to remaining home.
- Increase funding for OAA – OAA funded programs provide life sustaining service for vulnerable older Americans and should not be cut as part of the debt ceiling agreement.
CSC joins NCOA urging Congress to adopt the following in the FY 2012 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations legislation:
- Increases proposed by the Administration's Caregiver Initiative, including $40 million for the National Family Caregiver Support Program
- $48 million for Supportive Services and Senior Centers
- Investments in newer OAA initiatives, including $2 million for the National Center on Benefits
- Outreach and Enrollment and $10 million for the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program; and
- Funding for SCSEP (Title V program for low income older workers) at least equal to $600.4 million. Title V is the only job training program targeting workers over age 55.
For further information, please contact Bobbie Sackman, (212) 398-6565, x226 or bsackman@cscs-ny.org
CSCS – THE POWER OF AGING!
WE CHAMPION ELDER RIGHTS