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.
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