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HOPEWELL— The tri-county Area Agency on Aging's Citizens Advisory Council learned Friday morning that a reported increase in state AAA funding may be making its way to the local agency; however, council members are asking if the increase be enough to sustain important programs for the elderly. Just how much funding the agency will receive remains unknown at...

HOPEWELL — The tri-county Area Agency on Aging's Citizens Advisory Council learned Friday morning that a reported increase in state AAA funding may be making its way to the local agency; however, council members are asking if the increase be enough to sustain important programs for the elderly.

Just how much funding the agency will receive remains unknown at this time, said AAA executive director Connie Brode during the bi-monthly meeting of the agency, held in the Hopewell Area Senior Center. Representatives from each of the three counties attended the session.

Reportedly, an increase in funding earmarked for the state Department of Aging means an increase in monies for the 52 AAAs in Pennsylvania, which serve all 67 counties. Among other things, the AAAs functions as a local point of contact for aging services, providing information and assisting older adults in accessing resources and support.

Locally, the AAA serves as the "front door" for aging services by helping the elderly of Huntingdon, Bedford and Fulton counties seek out necessary resources and programs.

Brode said she expects to know the exact amount of funding the tri-county AAA will receive within the next 30 days.

Under funded for the past several years, the local agency has been, and will continue to advocate for adequate state funding to serve the rural areas comprising the three central Pennsylvania counties.

The executive director went on to explain that thanks to fundamental spending and re-allocation of some of its current budget line items, the agency was able to struggle through the state budget fiasco, and eagerly awaits the release of new monies for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

"I'm happy to report that we did not have to dig into our line of credit," Brode remarked, adding, "As it now stands, we appear to be in a better position."

With the budget crisis now over, the agency is in the process of sending out requests for proposals for senior service providers for the fiscal year 2026-27, Brode said. Once the RFPs are in the hands of the AAA, they will be carefully reviewed with hopes of awarding them early next year.

Brode also announced that the tri-county AAA, in cooperation with several neighboring AAAs, will submit an application for Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) monies intended to provide Hub consulting assistance in handling complex case reviews.

The local agency plans to join the following AAAs in the development of an MDT hub consulting team: Mifflin-Juniata Area AAA, Franklin County AAA, Blair Senior Services, and the AAA of Somerset County.

Brode noted that the collaboration represents an area consisting of 154,595 individuals over the age of 60, all of whom are located in a "very rural area" of the state.

Brode went on to say that during fiscal year 2023-24 the group of AAAs received 2,298 Report of Needs of which 1,643 reports were investigated, resulting in 692 substantiated narratives.

Pointing out that the Elder Justice infrastructure varies from AAA service areas, Brode went on to report that the Huntingdon-Bedford-Fulton Area Agency has developed an Elder Justice Task Force in Huntingdon and Bedford counties, which meets on a quarterly basis and focuses on elder justice education and county agency collaboration.

"The Task Forces are comprised of menal health, legal services, law enforcement, coroner, financial institution, district attorney, Drug & Alcohol, Victim's advocate, jail social worker, Register and Recorder and agency solicitor," she explained.

In other matters agency officials briefly reviewed plans for the development of "Caregiver" booklets. Care needs worksheet forms were passed out to advisory council members which includes instructions for the compilation of information for use in a "PA CareKit" publication.

The information includes, among other things, data about management of medications and supplements, an assessment of the daily needs of the elderly, and funeral planning.

Brode announced that the agency's annual Legislative Day will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 30, in the Saxton Firehall. The event will be attended by various state lawmakers.

Friday's AAA session was conducted by council vice president Deb Meitrott of Huntingdon County.

Area Agency on Aging reports on state funding