Latest news with #OlderAmericansAct
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
What Trump's 2026 Budget Would Mean For Older Adults
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. ... More Kennedy Jr. attend an event introducing a new Make America Healthy Again Commission report. (Photo by) President Trump's 2026 budget would freeze spending for many services for older adults, deeply cut others, continue his efforts to slash government staffing for key programs, and abolish a critical federal office that manages many of those initiatives. It would retain, but sharply reduce funding for, the National Institute on Aging. It would restructure and cut funding for low-income housing, including for older adults and people with disabilities. And it would kill a jobs program for low-income older adults and several initiatives aimed at assisting people with disabilities. Trump's draft 2026 budget is separate from the many staffing cuts he already made through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. And it is unrelated to the 2025 budget bill passed by the House May 22 and now pending in the Senate. His 2026 budget will need to be approved by Congress, where its fate is uncertain. Lawmakers will consider it sometime after they complete the 2025 fiscal bill, which the House calls the One Big Beautfiul Bill Act (OBBBA). According to a budget description released by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Trump would fund most programs under the umbrella Older Americans Act in 2026 at roughly the same levels as this year. That means programs such as Meals on Wheels and other nutrition assistance, support for family caregivers, the long-term care ombudsman program, and the like would get no additional funding, but neither would they see their budgets cut. In a time of inflation, flat funding means the buying power of these programs would shrink. Yet, Older Americans Acy programs fared far better than other domestic spending, which Trump would cut by about 22 percent. The biggest immediate change, which the White House announced earlier this year, would abolish the Administration for Community Living, which oversees those OAA programs as well as a federal initiative aimed at supporting family caregivers called the RAISE Act. HHS initially announced it would divide ACL's work among three other agencies within the department. Now, Trump would shift all of ACLs work to an office that had been known as the Administration for Children and Families. It will become the Administration for Children, Families, and Community. HHS leadership also announced earlier this year it would eliminate about 45 percent of all positions in ACL, which had about 200 staff at the beginning of 2025. It is not clear from the budget how that number will change. After receiving pushback from key members of Congress and advocacy groups, the final Trump budget reverses several program cuts the White House proposed back in March. For example, it now saves and funds at current levels the ombudsman program that investigates consumer complaints about nursing homes, a respite program for family caregivers, and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which provides consumer advice about Medicare. Some programs still would be killed, however. They include several for people with disabilities and the White House conference on aging. The Administration also would cut federal rental assistance by almost $27 billion, or 43 percent. It would combine six different programs into a single State Rental Assistance Block Grant, funded at about $32 billion. The combined programs would include Section 202 Housing for the Elderly and Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities. Absent those subsidies, it would be difficult if not impossible to build affordable housing for low-income older adults. The new model would give states greater flexibility in spending the funds. But it also would create something of a zero-sum game, where housing needs of older adults could be pitted against the needs of young families. Trump also would kill a long-standing Department of Labor program aimed at helping low-income older adults find work. Over the long term, the most profound cut proposed by Trump may be slashing the National Institute on Aging budget from $4.4 billion to $2.8 billion. NIA funds a broad range of critical research into ways to improve the health of older adults. NIA would remain an independent entity at the National Institutes of Health, unlike several others Trump would eliminate. But losing nearly 40 percent of its funding would be a severe blow to the current and future study of aging. These budget proposals are separate from House plans to substantially cut the federal contribution to Medicaid or impose a work requirement on Medicaid recipients. Trump's budget proposal now goes to Congress, where its fate is uncertain. On one hand, many programs for older adults and people with disabilities enjoy widespread support on Capitol Hill. But bond investors are getting increasingly nervous about the rapidly rising federal budget deficit, a concern that is likely to grow if Congress approves anything close to the $3.9 trillion in tax cuts the House adopted in May. The Senate is considering even bigger tax cuts. But bond market resistance could force Congress to either scale back those plans, which would be a tough sell among GOP lawmakers, or look for ways to pay for some tax reductions by cutting domestic spending even more deeply. If lawmakers go that route, Older Americans Act funding still could face a struggle on Capitol Hill. It seems improbable that the Trump Administration will fight hard to retain many of these programs, since it proposed cutting them in its initial budget draft. The Trump budget could have been much worse for older adults. But it remains to be seen how those programs are managed following the major staffing cuts at HHS. And don't be surprised if services for seniors and people with disabilities get caught up in congressional efforts to further cut domestic spending later this year.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois agency worries funding cuts may hinder senior meals and transport
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — An Illinois agency that provides meals and transportation to seniors is raising concerns about funding cuts that could limit those services. The Northwest Illinois Area Agency on Aging partnered with 13 other similar organizations across the state for a 'Day of Advocacy' on Wednesday. Last year, the agency delivered nearly 800,000 meals to 4,000 people. Now, due to budget resolutions and spending cuts, the program may be restructured within the Department of Health and Human Services. Executive director Jeffrey Barnes said residents should contact their federal lawmakers if they are concerned about potential cuts to the Older Americans Act (OAA). The last round of funding, which was approved in 2020, is set to expire in September. 'The importance of these programs is to keep people in their homes for as long as possible. If we lose funding for this program, the chances are high that some individuals, certainly in the most rural of counties and rural areas, will lose their home-delivered meals, their transportation services,' Barnes said. The Older Americans Act was first signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. If federal funding is cut, the federal Health and Human Services will oversee the services of the OAA, food deliveries reassigned to Healthcare and Family, and transportation and caregiver funding will be moved to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
24-05-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Senior Services in Elgin to hold rally Wednesday to decry proposed federal cuts
Senior Services Associates Inc. in Elgin is one of many nonprofit groups participating in rallies Wednesday to protest proposed federal budget cuts to the Older Americans Act. The Elgin event is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. at 101 S. Grove Ave., and there will be others at Senior Services locations in Aurora, Crystal Lake and Yorkville. Advocates are worried there'll be 'literally no dollars for the Older Americans Act,' which funds programs that provide meal delivery and transportation for seniors, said Adele Larsen, director of marketing for the Elgin office. 'The older citizens in each of our communities in the state of Illinois built these communities. We can't turn our backs on them now.' As part of the event, staff will be helping seniors write letters in opposition to the cuts and providing information about how to contact local lawmakers. All ages are welcome to attend, Larsen said. There's a sense of urgency in getting the word out, she said, because the U.S. House has already voted to support the bill and the U.S. Senate could vote on it at any time. 'We are all trying to beat the clock,' Larsen said. The Older Americans Act 'funds a myriad of programs for seniors,' she said. Among them are those the provide access to transportation, prevent social isolation, deliver meals and offer assistance with Medicare and Medicaid. Senior Services' programs not only offer assistance in practical ways, they also deal with things like social isolation, which is considered a health issue, Larsen said. The surgeon general has said isolation is like smoking 15 cigarettes a day in terms of the effect it can have on health, she said. 'It shows how harmful being alone is,' she said. Our staff is 'so knowledgeable about it. They do it all day. They are trained. It's so helpful,' she said. If the cuts are made, thousands of seniors around the state would be impacted, Larsen said. An estimated 15,000 seniors receive transportation services and more than 183,200 have meals delivered to their homes, she said. A program through which staff visit seniors at home would be affected as well, Larsen said. Illinois receives about $54 million through the act, according to AgeOptions. Senior Services has foundational grants, does fundraisers and seeks out private donations to help support their efforts, Larsen said. Donations are wonderful and help keep '(the agency) afloat, but those government dollars are really crucial,' Larsen said. Activity Director Minnie Vasquez works with seniors daily. 'They are worried about it,' she said. 'They say, 'This is our place. We depend on Senior Services.'' They are also mad, Vasquez said. Many of them spent the last week making posters for the rally. 'They very much want their voice heard,' Larsen said. 'Seniors have enough to worry about with finances, home repairs and all those things,' Larsen said. 'We are always there to try to calm the storm a little bit and help them through it.' Senior Services has about 20,500 clients in Kane County. 'It's a very precarious time,' Larsen said. 'We, as an agency, are not political. We don't care if it's a Republican or Democrat who helps us. It's not a partisan issue. It's just important to get the message out and save these programs.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
AAA7 Advisory Council to Meet
The Area Agency on Aging District 7 will be hosting an in-person Advisory Council Meeting on Thursday, May 29 and is inviting interested community members to attend and participate. The AAA7 covers ten core counties in southern Ohio, including: Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton. Under the Older Americans Act, which is the foundation of all Area Agencies on Aging throughout the country, AAAs are directed to establish an Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is charged with furthering the Agency's mission of developing and coordinating community-based systems of services for all older persons in the planning and service area. It is the official advisory body of the AAA7, its Board of Trustees and AAA7 staff. During Advisory Council meetings, input is provided on the AAA7 Strategic Plan and community plans and programs, in addition to planning and implementing public hearings, and representing the interest of older adults in the community. Older adults, consumers, elected officials, agency representatives, and others interested in the concerns of older adults are welcome and encouraged to attend. The AAA7 is currently welcoming anyone who is interested and lives in one of the AAA7's ten core counties to participate in the next Advisory Council Meeting on May 29th from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm at the AAA7 Office in Jackson located at 1 Acy Avenue. The guest speaker for the meeting will be Michael Reiser, Senior Supervising Attorney for Legal Aid of Southwest Ohio. For more information, please call the AAA7 at 1-800-582-7277 or e-mail info@
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
USAging and 50+ National Groups Call on Congress to Protect the Older Americans Act
Washington, DC, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USAging and more than 50 other national aging and health-focused organizations and enterprises have called upon Congress to protect the federal Older Americans Act (OAA) in a letter sent today to the leaders of the committees of jurisdiction for the OAA. The letter calls attention to a proposal to break apart OAA services under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reorganization. 'We're pleased that so many other national advocates for older adults and caregivers are raising their concerns about this grave mistake,' said USAging CEO Sandy Markwood, 'and we look forward to working with the Trump Administration, Secretary Kennedy and Congress to ensure that the OAA stays unified and is appropriately administered at the federal level by a human services agency.' The OAA creates and funds critical supports and services that help older adults stay healthy, safe and able to remain living independently in their homes or communities. These services include in-home help with dressing, bathing and eating; rides to medical appointments; case management; adult day care; home-delivered and congregate meals; and many more. 'We are concerned, however, that the HHS reorganization threatens to disrupt this efficient, effective delivery system and leave older adults and caregivers stranded,' the letter says. 'A leaked copy of the HHS budget for Fiscal Year 2026 would splinter apart the programs that make up the Older Americans Act.' USAging and the other signers are concerned that the proposed HHS reorganization threatens to disrupt the OAA's effective federal, state and local delivery system and leave older adults and caregivers without the supports they need. Dividing up the different OAA programs and spreading them across two different HHS agencies, as has been proposed, will severely impact the ability of older adults to get the OAA services that are critical to enabling them to remain living at home and in the community versus facing placement in institutional settings, as well as drive cost inefficiencies through unnecessary and wasteful administrative burden on federal, state and local aging agencies. The signers are calling for members of Congress to ensure that the HHS reorganization does not break apart the OAA and instead keeps all of HHS' OAA programs together and administered at the Administration on Aging (AoA) under an Assistant Secretary on Aging, even if AoA is moved under the Administration for Children and Families. CONTACT: Bethany Coulter USAging 202.872.0888 bcoulter@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
