The advocacy efforts of thousands of individuals paid off! NCOA reports that last week the President signed a FY2016 funding package that rejects proposed cuts to senior services, and even provides some increases.
The package includes the following funding for programs that provide essential services to older adults:
- State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) level-funded at $52.1 million (instead of a $22.1 million cut)
- Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) level-funded at $434.4 million (instead of a $30 million cut)
- Chronic Disease Self-Management Education (CDSME) level-funded at $8 million (instead of a $400,000 cut)
- Falls Prevention level-funded at $5 million (instead of a $250,000 cut)
- Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) level-funded at $6.1 million, but still has to make up for loss of over $9 million two years ago (instead of a $360,000 cut)
- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) level-funded at $3.4 billion (instead of a $25 million cut)
The package also provides for some increases, including:
- Congregate Nutrition funded at $448.3 million (increase of $10.2 million)
- Home Delivered Nutrition funded at $226.3 million (increase of $9.9 million)
- National Family Caregiver Support Program funded at $150.6 million (increase of $5 million)
- Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services funded at $8 million (increase of $4 million)
- Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funded at $715 million (increase of $41 million)
- Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) funded at $222.2 million (increase of $10.7 million)
- Section 202 Housing for the Elderly funded at $432.7 million (increase of $12.7 million)
- Lifespan Respite Care funded at $3.4 million (increase of $1 million)
To find out more about National Council on Aging or to sign up for their email newsletters and action alerts, go to www.ncoa.org.