The Older Americans Act provides funding for meals, transportation, in-home services, etc. for persons 60 and older. Please review information to educate yourself and others. The n4a is our national association of Area Agencies on Aging.
House Committee Poised to Advance OAA Reauthorization
Bipartisan Bill Updates Law for 5 Years
September 16, 2019
Today, a bipartisan group of Members of Congress plans to introduce a bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA) for five years. The bill reflects months of work by the House Education and Labor Committee and its Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services to achieve a measure with broad support among Members as well as advocates.
We expect that the full Education and Labor Committee will take up the measure on Wednesday morning, considering it and any amendments during its scheduled committee time. Since the bill has been widely vetted by Democratic and Republican leaders, there should be near-unanimous support for passage out of the committee.
n4a is reviewing the details of the bill before officially endorsing it, but we are especially pleased that the measure includes so many of n4a’s priorities. Specifically, the bill:
Extends the Act for five years.
Provides notable increases in authorized funding: a 7 percent increase the first year, with 6 percent each year after.
Includes language to make clear that AAAs can engage in private pay, integrated care and other arrangements to expand services outside of the Act.
Provides for additional funding to support Title VI programs, specifically for the provision of supportive services and capacity-building training.
Removes the Title III E cap on grandfamilies and older relative caregivers.
Includes the creation of new research and demonstration authority at AoA.
n4a will provide updates and more details as the week progresses!