OFFICE FOR THE AGING

Agency Mission

The New York State Office for the Aging (SOFA) is the State agency designated with the responsibility of coordinating and administering Federal, State and local programs and services for the more than 3,200,000 State residents who are age 60 years or older. The mission of SOFA is to help older New Yorkers remain as independent as possible for as long as possible through effective advocacy, policies and programs, and the efficient delivery of services directed toward this population.

Year-to-Year Change

The Executive recommends a total All Funds appropriation of $169,428,000, reflecting a net decrease of $6,797,883, or 2.8 percent, that is primarily due to the elimination of legislative initiatives. The Executive's adjusted State Fiscal Year (SFY) 1999-2000 base reflects action taken by the Governor that vetoed $8,602,000 in funding added by the Legislature for additional services for the elderly. The Executive's All Funds State Operations appropriation of $13,971,000 reflects a decrease of $37,000, or .2 percent. The All Funds Aid to Localities appropriations totalling $155,457,000 reflects a decrease of $6,797,883, or 4.2 percent.

Legislative Proposals

The Governor does not propose any restoration of the $8,602,000 in additional funding added by the Legislature in SFY 1998-99 that he ultimately vetoed. In recognition of the swelling numbers of New Yorkers over age 60 and the many new problems and concerns this population now faces, the Assembly proposes an additional $8,574,000 for programs serving New York's senior citizens. These funds support programs serving both the frail and the well-elderly. Again this year, the Assembly provides for a $1,000,000 increase in the elderly nutrition program to serve the growing demand for this service. The Assembly proposes an increase of $500,000 for Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC), a program that encourages elderly citizens to remain in their homes and in the community.

The Assembly recognizes how important it is to families to be able to keep elderly relatives in the community as long as possible. Not only do services that meet this objective serve worthy social goals, but also they provide fiscal savings insofar as they offer less expensive alternatives to more-costly institutional care. In line with this objective, the Assembly proposes direct funding of $1,500,000 for Social Model Day Care programs, pursuant to Chapter 685 of the Laws of 1997. These programs enable families, with an elderly relative who should not be left unattended, to work during the day while the relative receives the care and supervision he or she needs. In addition, the Assembly proposes additional funding of $600,000 for the Respite Program to restore funding for current programs left unfunded in the Governor's proposal while providing for expansion of services at existing sites and new program development.

Another program helping to keep the frail elderly in the community is the Expanded In-Home Case Management and Ancillary Community Services for the Elderly Program (EISEP). The Executive has not increased funding for this program and, in fact, vetoed $1,400,000 added by the Legislature in SFY 1998-99. The Executive now proposes a cut of $263,000 in SFY 1999-2000. The Assembly proposes not only a restoration of the $263,000, but also the addition of $1,400,000 in funding for this worthy senior program. The Assembly also proposes restoration of a related cut of $126,000 in the Community Services for the Elderly (CSE) Program. In addition, the Assembly proposes $1,000,000 for long term care ombudsman programs, in recognition of the fact that the rights of elderly individuals need to be safeguarded.

Furthermore, the Assembly supports funding for the well-elderly. In particular, the Assembly proposes additional funding of $1,000,000 for the Congregate Services Initiative (CSI), a program that serves the well-elderly through senior centers and through a variety of community activities. The Assembly also proposes the restoration of programs eliminated by the Governor that provide access to patient rights information, elder abuse services, SSI outreach and other programs generally serving the needs of the elderly population.

Other Assembly proposals of interest to the senior community, although not administered by the State Office for the Aging, are proposed changes to the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) Program and proposed additional funding for the food assistance program as it relates to elderly immigrants. The Assembly rejects the Governor's proposal to defer the 1990 enhancements to the EPIC program and recommends that they be allowed to take effect. The Assembly further rejects the Executive's proposal to reduce the drug reimbursement rate for pharmacies participating in the EPIC program. In addition, the Assembly proposes expanding the program by increasing the income eligibility limit to $30,000 for single persons and to $35,000 for married couples and by lowering the thresholds for co-payments by 30 percent for the lower income group. Concerning legal elderly immigrants, the Assembly proposes additional funding of $6,000,000 to make the State's Food Assistance Program Statewide for eligible immigrants between the ages of 60 and 67, by eliminating the county option to participate and assuming full funding responsibility for this population.