EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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In year 2000, the Commission on Aging contracted with the McDowell group for a study on "the issues affecting the economic well-being of Alaska Seniors." One telling finding of this study read, "While the population of Alaska is projected to increase by one-third between 2000 and 2025, the number of Alaskans over age 60 will more than triple in that time. Seniors as a percent of the Alaska population will grow from 8% to 20% in the next 25 years." Moreover, Alaska’s statewide senior citizen community is, proportionately, the second most rapidly growing in the country.

Each of us confronts the question, "How do we fully realize our potential and sustain our independence in the later years of our lives?" The Alaska Commission on Aging engages Alaskans from across the state to ask these questions and work together to answer them. In turn, the Commission advocates for state policy, public and private partnerships, and citizen involvement that assists each of us to age successfully in our home community, or as close to home as feasible. Our work involves planning, advocacy, grant making and administration, and interagency collaboration on issues affecting older Alaskans.

Commission on Aging Responsibilities and Programs

The Commission was established under AS 44.21.200 in 1982. It has broad-based responsibilities. It is the designated sole State agency that develops and administers the State Plan on Aging. The Commission reaches out to inform Alaskans of the dramatic growth in the older Alaskan community. The Commission continues to expand this outreach and education with advocacy and service organizations statewide.

The Commission funds and administers senior services grant programs. Services are now delivered by 65 non-profit organizations statewide. Under the terms of the Commission’s grant awards, grantees assure that they will comply with state and federal requirements associated with the types of grant funding awarded. These organizations generate additional monies to fully fund the cost of these vital services. Commission grants are funded with a mix of monies from the Older Americans Act, the State of Alaska, and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (AMHTA). Grants include Nutrition, Transportation and Support services (hot meals, essential transportation and selective support services) and the Senior Community Service Employment Program, funded through the federal Older Americans Act (OAA) and state monies. Home and Community-Based Services grants (care coordination, adult day services, in-home respite care, and related caregiver services) are funded by AMHTA, the Older Americans Act, and state funds. Two Residential Services grants are supported solely by state monies.

The Commission has a cooperative agreement with the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority under which the Trust provides oversight and administrative support for Alaska’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office (LTCO). The Commission continues its working relationship with the LTCO office, and will annually transfer Older Americans Act funding for operation of the LTCO to the Trust, as well as any OAA increases earmarked for LTCO programs. The Commission will continue to receive regular LTCO reports regarding the work of the office, emergent issues, and trends, as well as their input and considerations regarding legislation affecting the safety and well-being of Alaskans 60+ receiving long-term care.

Commission on Aging Funding

ACoA grantee programs are anchored by a strong base of locally supported, community-directed programs for Alaskan elders. In FY 02, these senior programs were supported with approximately 5.3 million federal dollars through the Older Americans Act and a comparable amount of state funds, including the required matching funds and Mental Health general funds.

ACOA Fund Sources and Allocation
Sources of Funds Spent for Local Services

An additional seven percent of funds, approximately, came from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Authorized Receipts (MHTAAR) for innovative pilot projects. Ongoing programs are targeted to low-income, minority, and frail seniors, and those affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders. All are encouraged to contribute what they can afford toward the cost of services.

Special 2002 Projects

During the 2002 fiscal year, the Commission launched some significant new projects. Working with the Rasmuson Foundation, the Commission has conducted a survey process statewide to determine needs of senior centers for capital improvements (eg., building repair, equipment and furnishings purchase). Preliminary results—about

twenty-nine senior centers requesting approximately $3 million—were developed into a presentation that was submitted to the Rasmuson Board of Directors. At its February meeting, the Rasmuson Board declared its interest in working with the Commission on the senior center project and has requested a full Tier II funding application. Also, to meet federal timelines, the Commission has been engaged in a process to put together a new State Plan. A draft Plan for June 14, 2003 through June 13, 2007 has been submitted to federal officials for review. The draft Plan will be provided to state administrative officials from the Departments of Administration and Health and Social Services for simultaneous review, with the hope that a final Plan will be signed by the Governor in June and submitted to Region 10 officials.

Key Legislation Affecting Alaska’s Seniors

During the first part of the current legislative session, the Commission has expressed its continuing support for several bills that were supported in substantially the same form in the 2002 session: HB 10 as a means to provide group health insurance for small businesses and private non-profit groups; HB 15 to support the development of a telemarketers no-call list; HB 21 to assure the continued and timely identification and treatment of breast cancer; HB 25 to provide a comprehensive coordinated approach to the making of health care decisions; and SB 37 to support the licensing of adult day facilities. During the course of each legislative session, the Commission sponsors a legislative teleconference every other Tuesday to discuss bills and adopt advocacy positions.