Act now for more funding

Now’s the time for state budget advocacy on a 6% increase in transportation aids for older and disabled people -- and federal advocacy in support of a 10% increase in Older Americans Act (OAA) funding.

This Thursday morning, May 31, is the deadline for asking state legislators to support the 6% increase, according to Gail Sumi of AARP. The Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on transportation aids that morning.

“Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-362-9472 during business hours to leave a message or email them – email addresses available at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/.

“This program is a vital service for the people who would otherwise be stranded in their homes.”

Glenna Schumann of CWAG writes to urge calls to our congressmen to increase Older Americans Act (OAA) funding by 10%.

This act, signed into law by Lyndon Johnson, remains the critical source of funding for aging programs to keep people in their homes and save money through prevention and using the lowest appropriate level of service.

The act created the Administration on Aging, authorized grants to States for community planning and services programs, as well as for research, demonstration and training projects in the field of aging. Later amendments to the Act added grants to Area Agencies on Aging for local needs identification, planning, and funding of services, including but not limited to nutrition programs in the community as well as for those who are homebound; programs which serve Native American elders; services targeted at low-income minority elders; health promotion and disease prevention activities; in-home services for frail elders, and those services which protect the rights of older persons such as the long term care ombudsman program.

Funding has been frozen since 2002, despite increasing costs and needs.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) writes:

Congress now can fund human service needs that have been sorely underfunded in recent years. . .Chairman David Obey (D-WI) plans to move the Labor-HHS-Education bill--which includes Older Americans Act funding--through his subcommittee in early June. The Senate subcommittee likely will act in late June.

NCOA is providing “a toll-free number for grassroots advocates to use next week to urge Congress to (1) increase funding for all existing OAA programs by at least 10 percent and (2) provide sufficient start-up funding for new program initiatives in the 2006 OAA reauthorization.

“Please urge your members to call 866-OAA-2184 (866-622-2184) next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (June 5, 6, and 7). They will be connected to the Capital Switchboard, where they can then be forwarded to the offices of their Representatives and Senator."