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Georgia Gerontology Society - Member spotlight

Lori Langland
Lori Langland is a Masters Student at Georgia State University's School of Social Work.
  
See this article!

 

  

Healthy People Cost Less – Budget Cuts Hurt Be There 4 Seniors - b there 4 seniors - Healthy people cost less: Budget cuts hurt seniors and GeorgiaSeniors and Georgia!

Eliminating vital supports that keep older adults active and healthy costs Georgia more money. Georgia must find the way to stop cuts to essential services, restore those that provide a safety net for seniors and control future spending with proven measures.  For more information click here.

2010 CO-AGE Priorities Chosen

The Coalition of Advocates for Georgia's Elderly (CO-AGE) selected legislative and budget priorities recently at the July 9 meeting held at Kennesaw State.

For information on the 2010 CO-AGE Priorities click here.

 

2009 Legislative Wrap Up

 

HB 119, FY 2010 BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Sine Die!!! Friday, April 3rd, marked the 40th and final day of the legislature’s 40-day session.  On the final day of the session, the House and Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report to HB 119, FY 2010 budget appropriations. 

The FY 2010 budget was immersed with cuts so not many programs received new money but some programs were spared from the drastic cuts that were recommended.  Cuts to several Aging Services programs were restored in the 2010 budget and included $15k for Haralson County Senior Center, $20k for Senior Connections in DeKalb County, $145k for the Naturally Occurring Retirement Centers, $225k for Alzheimer's Services, $10k for the Georgia for A Lifetime Study, and the restoration of a $1.5 million (of a $ 2.8 million cut) for the non-Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) respite services.  While advocates were grateful the Conference Committee partially restored the cut to the non-Medicaid HCBS program, we were still disheartened by the fact that the Non-Medicaid HCBS service dollars as well as the other two “Be There for Seniors” items were not fully restored.  If the entire $2.8 million for non-Medicaid HCBS were restored it would have saved almost 145,000 respite hours. Even though some of the funding was restored, the loss of the other respite hours means caregivers will have a heavier burden in taking care of seniors in their homes and if the caregiver fails, Georgia will pay a much higher price when the emergency room or the nursing home becomes the caregiver.  The other items not restored included the $664,307 cut for the revised revenue estimate under Elder Community Living Services.  By not restoring that cut approximately 235 clients will be eliminated from the Community Care Service Programs- the only program left in Aging capable of withstanding such a devastating cut.  Sadly, both the Senate and House also refused to restore the state funding of $1,045,000 for the Meals on Wheels Program (Nutritional Services Incentive Program).  Both Houses agreed to allow $1,045,000 of stimulus money to go to the Meals programs to ensure that 138,000 meals will continue for the FY 2010 budget.  While advocates are grateful the stimulus money was available to spare the Meals Program we are still saddened that the Conference committee could not locate any additional dollars to prevent the Meals program from being reduced for the next year.  The cuts to CCSP, Non-Medicaid HCBS and Meals were 3 items advocates truly believed that seniors needed to sustain them during these hash economic times.  While the Department of Human Resources will try and stretch services as much as possible the reality is some clients will not have respite and some receiving Meals on wheels will be reduced from 5 to 4 meals per week.

Other cuts to Aging programs included the elimination of CCSP provider rate increases, an $11.4m cut in state funds for CCSP due to the increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), the loss of $146,829 in the Adult Protective Services (APS) program which means 3 to 5 case manager positions will get eliminated, and cuts to Administration which includes elderly transportation.  Aging advocates understood the legislature was under serious constraints as a result of the economic decline and revenue reductions, but still believed they would be there for seniors for the basic necessities like food and assistance to prevent them from prematurely going in long term care facilities which are so much more expensive than seniors living in their homes.  Advocates knew this would be a difficult year for seniors in terms of the budget and while some cuts were restored so much more could have gone to help so many more.  However, advocates will not be deterred and will come back next year more determined than ever to ensure seniors have a seat at the budget table to get what they so earnestly need and deserve. 

The following list of 2010 budgetary items affects Georgia’s elderly:

Note:  Parenthesis represents a CUT to funding not Additional funding

Department of Human Resources

Program              

Governor’s FY2010 Budget Recommendations     HB 119                                

House Version

Passed 3/19/09

Senate Version Passed 4/1/09

Conference Committee Agreed to By Both Chambers 4/3/09

Reduce funds to reflect revised revenue estimate (Cuts 243 people from CCSP)

($664,307)

            ($664,307)

                ($664,307)

($664,307)

 

 

 

Non-Medicaid HCBS Respite

(2,873,282)

(2,723,282)

0

(1,323,282)

 

Nutritional Services Incentive Program (Meals on Wheels)  but recognize $1,045,000 from stimulus

(1,045,000)  

(1,045,000)

$1,045,000 from stimulus  

(1,045,000) 

$1,045,000 from stimulus 

(1,045,000)

$1,045,000 from stimulus

 

Reduce funds by 6% for the Division of Aging Services

(171,930)

(171,930)

(171,930)

(171,930)

 

Reduce federal funds for Targeted Case Management (APS will lose 3-5 caseworkers)

-

(687,000)

(678,063)

(678,063)

 

 

 

Reduce Funds to Reflect the revised revenue estimate (loss of APS case workers)

(146,829)

(146,829)

(146,829)

(146,829)

 

 

Eliminate funds for Alzheimer’s Congregational Respite Training

(96,000)

(96,000)

(96,000)

(96,000)

 

 

Eliminate fund for the Georgia Cares prescription Assistance Program and eliminate the associated vacant position

($358,220)

($358,220)

($358,220)

($358,220)

Discontinue Public Guardianship program

(327,880)

(327,880)

(327,880)

(327,880)

Reduce funding for Wellness & Nutrition

(560,330)

(560,330)

(560,330)

(560,330)

Reduce funding for the Haralson County Senior center

(15,000)

0

(15,000)

0

 

 

Discontinue Wellness:  Take Charge of Your Health

(402,169)

(402,169)

(402,169)

(402,169)

 

Reduce funding for Senior Connections in DeKalb County

(20,000)

0

(20,000)

0

 

 

Alzheimer’s respite

(415,281)

             (190,281)

(190,281)

(190,281)

Discontinue Life Long Planning

(1,040,891)

(1,040,891)

(1,040,891)

(1,040,891)

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC) 2 programs 

(575,000)

(555,000)

(430,000)

(430,000)

 

 

GA Council on Aging

(1,947)

(1,947)

(1,947)

(1,947)

GA For a Lifetime

(50,000)

0

(50,000)

(40,000)


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