Advocacy
The Revitalizing the Aging Network Act
By Maddy Bynes , PCOA Director of Public Policy & Special Projects In late December Senator Mark Kelly joined with Senator Bob Casey, both of whom sit on the Senate Special Committee on Aging, to introduce the Revitalizing the Aging Network Act in Congress. The Revitalizing the Aging Network Act would bolster investments made in the American Rescue Plan Act and strengthen vital social services for older adults and those who love them. This bill backs additional funding found in the Build Back Better Plan for the Area Agencies on Aging. We are so appreciative of Senator Kelly and Casey’s championship of the Older Americans Act and the incredible value and services it brings to older adults and those who love them. The Revitalizing the Aging Network Act provides much needed relief to the Aging Network by allocating funding for nutrition programming and in-home supports such as transportation, in-home care, caregiver supports, and so much more. This bill bolsters the resources available to older people in Pima County who have relied on Older Americans Act Services heavily during the COVID-19 pandemic. These additional services create a more robust infrastructure that helps to address the demographic shift towards an older Pima County. We need your help in getting this across the finish line. The Revitalizing the Aging Network Act is meant to emphasize
funding in the Build Back Better Plan. We need your help in getting this funding to older Arizonans. Please reach out to your Senators today to support this important piece of legislation by visiting advocate. pcoa.org. Kicking off the Second Session of the 55th Legislature The Arizona State Legislature began their Second Session of the 55th Legislature on Monday, January 10, 2022. We had such a successful year at the legislature last year thanks to your amazing advocacy and we hope to have similar success this year! In the last legislative session, the Area Agencies on Aging received an increase of $3.5 million in funding. This additional funding was broken into three expenditure categories: • $1 million in on-going funding for the Area Agencies on Aging to hire 13 additional FTE for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program • $1 million in on-going funding for the Area Agencies on Aging to increase rates paid to long-term care providers • $1.5 million in on-time funding to draw down the American Rescue Plan Act that was also allocated to increasing rates paid to long-term care providers To accommodate the requirement of the funding, the Area Agencies on Aging in
Arizona increased provider rates using the combined $2.5 million. However, without moving the one-time $1.5 million to on- going funding, the Area Agencies on Aging, like PCOA, do not have assurance they will be able to continue to serve clients at current levels. Without sustained funding, we will need to potentially reduce hours of service or cut people off of service altogether. Representative Alma Hernandez and Senator Lela Alston have both introduced bills in the House and the Senate that would appropriate this funding on-going to Area Agencies on Aging. We need your help! Visit advocate.pcoa.org today to tell your legislators how important sustaining funding to Area Agencies on Aging, like PCOA, is for our community.
February 2022, Never Too Late | Page 27
Pima Council on Aging
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