Advocacy
Aging Advocates Hit the Streets of Washington D.C.
By Maddy Bynes, Special to Never Too Late In late April our President & CEO, W. Mark Clark, joined aging advocates from around Arizona and throughout the nation for the USAging Aging Policy Briefing in Washington D.C. While in Washington D.C., we heard from leaders throughout the aging network on important issues ranging from federal appropriations to the Older Americans Act, how to address the Direct Care Workforce Shortage through effective advocacy, Medicaid funding issues, and so much more. After hearing from experts in aging services, President & CEO, W. Mark Clark, joined his colleagues from around the state to talk to Arizona’s Congressional Delegation about USAging’s federal policy priorities, chief among them: increasing funding for the Older Americans Act. Area Agencies on Aging, including PCOA are primarily funded through the Older Americans Act. Passed in 1965 and most recently reauthorized in 2020, this Act focuses on several core areas of service delivery including home and community-based services, meals on wheels, congregate community lunch centers, healthy living programming, family caregiver supportive services, and the long-term care ombudsman program. Over the past three years, PCOA and other Area Agencies on Aging have seen increases to funding through one- time stimulus funds for the COVID-19 pandemic response. With these funds, we’ve served hundreds of additional people and have brought on several
new staff members to address increased demand for services throughout Pima County. The continuation of these funds is critical to our local economy as well as maintaining services for people who need them. This year is unique because in addition to working on appropriations, Legislators also have to increase the U.S. Debt Ceiling to avoid default on the national debt. Defaulting on the national debt would be bad for the U.S. economy, potentially plunging the nation into a recession, as well as potentially affecting mandatory spending such as Social Security and Medicare. Needless to say, it is extremely important to raise the debt ceiling. Congress is currently debating over a budget package that would raise the debt ceiling but cut funding to non-mandatory programming, like the Older Americans Act in an effort to balance the federal budget. Though we understand the need for a balanced budget, and support Congress’s efforts in doing so, funding cuts at this point in time would severely limit our ability to serve Pima County. While in Washington D.C., we met with Senators Kelly and Sinema and Congressmembers Crane, Lesko, Ciscomani, Biggs, Grijalva, and Schwikert, to talk to them about the importance of not cutting funding to the Area Agencies on Aging. We need your help to amplify that message! Visit advocate.pcoa.org and click “Take Action” today to write to your Members of Congress about the importance of these funds.
From Left to Right: Laurai Atcitty, ITCA Area Agency on Aging, Congressman Raul Grijalva, W. Mark Clark, President & CEO of Pima Council on Aging
From Left to Right: Brandon Baxter, NACOG Aging, Maddy Bynes, AZAging, Mary Beals Leudtka, NACOG Aging, Congressman Juan Ciscomani, W. Mark Clark, President & CEO of Pima Council on Aging, Carol Brown, WACOG Area Agency on Aging
From Left to Right: Laurai Atcitty, ITCA AAA, Carol Brown, WACOG Area Agency on Aging, Brandon Baxter, NACOG Aging, Senator Mark Kelly, W. Mark Clark, President & CEO of Pima Council on Aging, Mary Beals-Luedtka, NACOG Aging, Maddy Bynes, AZAging
June 2023, Never Too Late | Page 29
Pima Council on Aging
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