Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS)—is especially critical. Many assume Medicare covers long-term care, but it doesn’t. In fact, 62% of older adults in long-term care facilities rely on Medicaid. The people responsible for distributing and managing funds are suddenly gone. While federal support remains uncertain, your support provides stability when it’s needed most. With your help, we can continue to meet the needs of older adults in our community. After strong public pushback, HHS announced plans to reverse about 20% of the layoffs—but it’s unknown which programs or staff will return. No plan has been shared to protect services funded by the Older Americans Act—especially nutrition programs. Why This Matters in Pima County The Older Americans Act helps fund services older adults in our community rely on every day: • Meals for people who can’t shop or cook • Home repairs to make aging in place safer • Rides to medical appointments • Support for caregivers and people with disabilities This funding flows from Congress through ACL to the state—and then to agencies like PCOA. But with ACL’s infrastructure gutted, there’s growing risk of confusion, delays, and service gaps. Even though funding is approved through September 2025, the people who manage those funds are suddenly gone. That puts essential services in limbo. What Happens Next—and Why Your Voice is Needed Even as this year’s funding is sorted out, next year’s budget is already being debated on Capitol Hill. Congress is setting priorities right now for 2026—and they need to hear from people like you.
Congress is setting priorities for 2026—they need to hear from people like you.
THE STERLING
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SPECIAL EDITION - APRIL 2025
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