Funding for the Older Americans Act and Other Administration on Aging Programs

Angela Napili
Information Research Specialist

Kirsten J. Colello
Specialist in Health and Aging Policy

The Older Americans Act (OAA) is the major federal vehicle for the delivery of social and nutrition services for older persons. These include supportive services, congregate nutrition services (meals served at group sites such as senior centers, schools, churches, or senior housing complexes), home-delivered nutrition services, family caregiver support, community service employment, the long-term care ombudsman program, and services to prevent the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older persons. The OAA also supports grants to older Native Americans and research, training, and demonstration activities. The HHS Administration on Aging (AOA) administers most OAA programs except for the Community Service Employment for Older Americans (CSEOA) program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The AOA also administers several programs authorized under the Public Health Service Act, such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Supportive Services Program, the Lifespan Respite Care Program, and the Community Living Assistance and Supportive Services (CLASS) Program. Funding for these programs is provided through appropriations legislation for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education). The FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-117) provided $2.328 billion for OAA programs in FY2010. Authorization of appropriations for OAA programs expires at the end of FY2011.

The President signed the FY2011 Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act (P.L. 112-10) on April 15, 2011. At this time, total FY2011 funding for all OAA programs can not be determined. The act specifies funding for some, but not all, OAA and other AOA-administered programs. For programs that are not specifically mentioned in the act, AOA has some discretion in determining FY2011 funding allocations. P.L. 112-10 requires agencies, within thirty days of enactment, to submit expenditure and operating plans to congressional appropriations committees, at a level of detail below the account level. The act specifies FY2011 funding of $449.1 million for the CSEOA program, 46% (or $376.3 million) less than the FY2010 level. It maintains funding for congregate and home-delivered nutrition services, and Native American nutrition and supportive services, at FY2010 levels, minus a 0.2% across-the-board rescission. P.L. 112-10 provides AOA Aging Services Programs (programs administered by AOA, which include both OAA and non-OAA authorized programs) with total budget authority of $1,497.3 million, $19.0 million less than the amount appropriated in FY2010 ($1,516.3 million).

The President’s FY2012 budget request proposes $2.251 billion for AOA activities. Within that amount, the budget proposes $2.035 billion for OAA programs, 7% less than the FY2010 level. The reduction is primarily due to a proposed decrease in funding for CSEOA, from $825.4 million in FY2010 to $450.0 million in FY2012, a 45% (or $375.4 million) reduction. The FY2012 budget request would also transfer administration of the CSEOA program from DOL to AOA. The FY2012 budget request proposes a $47.5 million increase over FY2010 levels for AOA services to help families with caregiving responsibilities, and a $21.5 million increase over the FY2010 level for AOA activities to protect vulnerable adults. The FY2012 budget also proposes to transfer administration of the State Health Insurance and Assistance Program from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to AOA.

This report provides details of FY2010 and FY2011 funding, and the President’s FY2012 budget request, for OAA authorized activities, as well as for other programs administered by AOA under other statutory authorities.


Date of Report: May 18, 2011
Number of Pages: 38
Order Number: RL33880
Price: $29.95

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