The Older Americans Act was passed by congress in 1965 to provide needed services for the elderly. It authorizes a wide array of service programs through a national network of 56 State agencies on aging, 629 area agencies on aging, nearly 20,000 service providers, 244 Tribal organizations, and 2 Native Hawaiian organizations representing 400 Tribes. The OAA also includes community service employment for low-income older Americans; training, research, and demonstration activities in the field of aging; and vulnerable elder rights protection activities (
source: AoA). The act is now up for reauthorization.
Here is what the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has to say about the act,
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate will be in their districts and states during the entire month of August. This Congressional recess is the perfect opportunity to reach out to your legislators and remind them how important the Older Americans Act (OAA) is to older adults and communities. The recess is one of lawmakers’ final working periods in their states during this Congressional session, and it is imperative that lawmakers—especially in the Senate—hear from constituents about the need to reauthorize the OAA this year.
Unfortunately, the OAA is currently stalled in the Senate, and the House will not act until the Senate does. But hope is not lost! The current compromise, The Older Americans Act Reauthorization of 2013 (S. 1562), represents a bipartisan, reasonable approach to reauthorizing these programs. The bill also reinforces the critical importance of OAA programs and services developed, coordinated and delivered every day by Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI programs across the country. In order to get this done we need a groundswell of support for OAA reauthorization, and the recess is the perfect opportunity to communicate with your Senators.
Take Action
Send an email to your Senators asking them to sponsor The Older Americans Act Reauthorization of 2013 (S. 1562). If they have already sponsored the bill, you can thank them for their sponsorship and encourage them to push for passage.
In Ohio our Senators are:
Sherrod Brown (D):
Washington, DC: (202) 224-2315
Ohio:
Toll Free: 1-888-896-OHIO (6446) or
Cincinnati: (513) 684-1021
Cleveland: (216) 522-7272
Columbus: (614) 469-2083
Lorain: (440) 242-4100
Or write an email at this link: http://www.brown.senate.gov/...
Rob Portman (R):
Washington, D.C. Office
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3353
Columbus Office
37 West Broad Street
Room 300
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-469-6774
Toll-Free: 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO)
Cincinnati Office
312 Walnut St.
Suite 3075
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: 513-684-3265
Cleveland Office
1240 East 9th Street
Room 3061
Cleveland, OH 44199
Phone: 216-522-7095
Toledo Office
420 Madison Avenue
Room 1210
Toledo, OH 43604
Phone: 419-259-3895
Or write an email at this link: https://www.portman.senate.gov/...
* Please take the time to get involved. This is important legislation. *