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MCOA Membership:
The FY22 Senate Ways and Means Budget proposal was released yesterday and:
  • SWM did not include the additional $200,000 request for Elder Behavioral Health Line Item #9110-1640 that was added in the House; but
  • SWM did concur with the Governor and the House to take a wait and see tactic regarding Line Item #9110-9002 (until the US Census is finalized there can be no additional funding for the Formula Grant. There is talk of a mid-year supplemental since all parties reference $12/elder, but with the projected increase in the 60+ population an additional $6million will be needed= $23m)
Chairman Julian Cyr, Committee on Mental Health, is willing to sponsor a floor amendment for the $200,000 additional funding that will allow for expansion of the Elder Behavioral Health line, a much needed program. Currently only 80 towns are covered by this line item, and we hope to eventually go statewide; but for this coming fiscal year we just hope to gather more metrics to discern what is working and what is needed.
We ask all MCOA members to make a call to their Senators: https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Members/Senate and ask them to sign onto the CYR Amendment
Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.
Dave
David P. Stevens
Executive Director
Massachusetts Councils on Aging
Cell: 413.539.0565
9110-1640
For the geriatric mental health program, including outreach, counseling, resource management and system navigation for community-dwelling elders with mental health needs……………………………………………………$1,000,000
9110-9002
For grants to the councils on aging and for grants to or contracts with nonpublic entities that that are consortia or associations of councils on aging; provided, that notwithstanding the preceding proviso, all funds appropriated in this item shall be expended under the distribution schedules for formula and incentive grants established by the secretary of elder affairs; provided further, that the formula grant portion of this item shall be $12 per-elder; provided further, that not later than September 15, 2022, the distribution schedules shall be submitted to the house and senate committees on ways and means; and provided further, that not less than $85,000 shall be expended to the Billerica council on aging for capital improvements to the Billerica senior center in the town of Billerica …………………………………………………….$17,151,651

Massachusetts Councils
on Aging

116 Pleasant Street, Suite 306
Easthampton, MA 01027
 
Telephone: 413-527-6425
Fax: 413-527-7138