Advocacy
Special to PCOA by Maddy Bynes- DeVaney A New Year, A New Congress! As we usher in 2025, we welcome a new Congress, Administration, and State
Legislature. Our heartfelt congratulations go out to all elected officials who won their races last November. We look forward to collaborating with all elected officials and leaders at every level of government to ensure that older adults and their caregivers receive the supports and services they need to live with dignity and respect as they age. At the federal level this year, we are focusing on increasing much needed funding to Older Americans Act programs, while continuing to protect various entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Over the past five years - since the COVID-19 Pandemic - significant investment from the federal government has been made into nutrition programming through the Older Americans Act, including Pima Meals on Wheels. At the time, we were ecstatic to receive this funding because it gave us the unique opportunity to serve more people in need than ever before. Because this funding was “one-time” funding from the federal government, as required, we’ve expended all of the funds we can, leaving us with a profound cliff of service recipients still needing nutrition services but not enough money to pay for those services. This client cliff has resulted in a waiting list for not only home and community-based services, which we’ve had in the past, but also for meals and nutrition programming for the first time in a decade. Additional funding from the
federal government would allow us to meet the needs of our community. As we look at the new year, we are also welcoming in a new legislature, which begins in early January. This legislature has a whole host of state-level issues to debate and decide funding levels for. These important issues will include all aspects of life for older adults and caregivers in Arizona, including housing, transportation, Medicaid, and social services. Over the past several years, we’ve been so grateful for you and your support and championship of these services. Thanks to your advocacy and voice at the legislature, we’ve been able to receive some funding increases, including $2 million in one-time funding last year. Though we were grateful for this $2 million increase, it came at the expense of not renewing another $3 million in one- time funding, making it difficult for Area Agencies on Aging across the state to be able to sustain services. With this in mind,
we are working with legislators to add $5 million of sustained, on-going funding to the Area Agencies on Aging to bring programming back to the level it was at the end of 2023. We need your help talking to your Members of Congress and Arizona Legislators about the importance of increasing funding for older adult services at both the federal and state levels. Unlike other social services, our clients are not likely to increase their income and abilities as they age, meaning that once an older adult needs assistance with meal preparation or bathing, they will likely continue needing that assistance for the remainder of their life. We rely on these vital funds to be able to be that support for older adults and caregivers in need. Take action today at advocate.pcoa.org.
January/February 2025, Never Too Late | Page 31
Pima Council on Aging
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online