AARP Illinois Seniors Win Big in FY '07 State Budget
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-05-30 17:30:00-04:00
After a grueling legislative session, Illinois seniors have much to celebrate in the state's new budget, which contains $65 million earmarked to begin the overhaul of the State's long term care system. Not since the AARP initiated overhaul of the Circuit Breaker Senior Pharmaceutical Program has the state invested such a significant amount of its resources into helping seniors remain independent.
This past fall, AARP Illinois began an aggressive lobbying effort with both the Governor and the legislature to fund Phase I of the overhaul, ElderCare Options. Top priority was placed on putting in place a solid infrastructure for the home and community based services system and securing first time funding for several key services currently not available in the state.
Infrastructure initiatives included in the request were:
- Identification of an assessment tool to be used statewide;
- Establishment of comprehensive care coordination;
- Stabilization of the adult day transportation program; and
- Strengthen the labor pool.
Among the new services requested by the Illinois State office legislative team were respite care, home modification, crisis intervention, and emergency home response.
All of these initiatives were funded in the State's new senior services budget. In addition, funding was secured to replace federal funds for the senior services inquiry line and elder abuse reporting line. Home delivered meals and asset levels for the Community Care Program also received additional funds.
| New Funding for Senior Services ($ are in addition to the amount budgeted for last year) | ||
| Governor's Proposed Budget Included | ||
| $38.6 million | Increases pay for in-home workers | |
| $10.6 million | Comprehensive Care Coordination | |
| $2 million | Home Modification & Crisis Intervention | |
| $2 million | Emergency Response | |
| Total: $53.2 million | ||
| Legislative Add On's | ||
| $2 million | Comprehensive Care Coordination | |
| $3.3 million | Emergency Response | |
| $1 million | HelpLine | |
| $1 million | Adult Day Transportation | |
| $1.5 million | Respite Care | |
| $1 million | Home Delivered Meals | |
| $1.57 million | Asset Increase to $17,500 | |
| $200,000 | Transportation | |
| Total: $11.57 million | ||
| GRAND TOTAL ~~ $64.77 MILLION | ||
Background:
Overhaul of the long term care system was initially advanced by AARP in 2003 and was signed into law in 2004 as the Older Adult Services Act.
The Act included three basic components:
- Expansion of services in priority service areas
- Restructuring the state ' s long term care — facility based and non-facility based services
- Reduction of nursing home beds
As the principle drafter and negotiator of the Act, AARP continued to play a key role in the Older Adult Services Advisory Committee with representation on the Executive Committee, chairmanship of the services sub-committee, and senior representatives serving on all of the workgroups. AARP's ElderCare Options Initiative incorporated much of the Older Adult Services Report filed by the Department on Aging this past January.
Other Resources
- Illinois Government News Network Gov. Blagojevich applauds General Assembly for passing a budget that expands access to preschool, health care, increases education funding, boosts public safety, economic development
- FY 07 Budget Briefing
- Sign Up for AARP E-Activist List
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