Planning
One of Centralina Area Agency on Aging's core functions is planning. Our staff works with local providers, volunteers, elected officials and advocates to plan for services and more senior friendly communities.
Click here to access to AoA 2009 Aging Profile.
| Home & Community Care Block Grant Committees | Senior Friendly Livable Communities |
| Community Resource Connections | Community Planning |
Home & Community Care Block Grant Committees
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The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted Senate Bill 165, Chapter 241 of the 1991 Session Laws. This legislation established a Home and Community Block Grant for Older Adults and was supported by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. The Block Grant combines certain federal and state appropriations supporting home and community care for older adults, which are currently administered by the Divisions of Aging and Adult Services and the Division of Social Services. What is the Purpose of The Block
Grant? · To improve the planning, management, and coordination of in-home and community-based services provided to North Carolina’s older adults and promoting the visibility of aging programs at the local level. · Increase county flexibility with respect to budgeting for aging services available through the Block Grant and establishing priority services to be addressed. · Simplify the administration of aging services by establishing uniform service standards, eligibility, reporting, and reimbursement policies for all funding sources contained in the Block Grant. The Home and Community Care Block Grant monies consist of funds from the Older Americans Act, state and federal funds for in-home and community care services, portions of the State In-Home Service and Adult Day funds formerly administered by the Division of Social Services and funding from the NC General Assembly for older adults. The Home and Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) finances a range of services primarily for at-risk older adults; they are used only as a last resort for high-risk older adults. As a secondary function, services are identified for well older adults. Priority is given to older adults who are at-risk of abuse or neglect, members of minority groups, women, or those with greatest economic need. County aging plans, which set the overall priorities and course for aging, are the basis for the receipt of block grant funds, and as such, define the roles of local agencies in providing services at the county level and meeting the needs of such groups. Decisions on target groups and service priorities are developed in accordance with state guidelines and the principle of local flexibility and choice. The HCCBG is intended to allow local groups to make the decisions about what services are most needed by the older adults in their county, how much money needs to be allocated to the service and what agency will provide the service. Please see
below for the lead HCCBG agency in each county: |
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North Carolina Community Resource Connections (ADRC)
The first NC Community Resource Connection was established in Forsyth and Surry Counties in 2007. The purpose of a Community Resource Connection is
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To have a strong consumer orientation – empower individuals to make informed choices
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To offer more than I & R
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To establish partnerships at all levels
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Close collaboration between aging and disability networks to leverage strengths, enhance outreach, maximize knowledge and availability of resources, while acknowledging differences and where gaps may exist
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To effectively use technology to streamline access to information and services
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To focus on appropriate setting for services and supports
North Carolina’s approach is to
· Establish a Local Vision
· There would be “No Wrong Door” to access support and services
· Link resources within the community deconstructing “silos”
· To strengthen relationships between existing providers through formal linkages, partnerships and referral protocols
· To streamline service access that will minimize the repeated collection of the same information for consumer seek assistance
· To assuring consumer needs are met through the coordinated client tracking
Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties both received grants in 2008 to establish a CRC anticipating that they will be operational before the end of 2009.
Go to http://www.ncdhhs.gov/olts/ for more information about CRC’s in North Carolina. Nationally, CRC’s are called Aging and Disability Resource Connections (ADRC). For more information about the movement from the national perspective go to http://www.adrc-tae.org .
Senior Friendly Livable Communities
North Carolina's vision for senior friendly
communities is:
A senior-friendly community offers a wide range of social and
economic opportunities and supports for all citizens, including
seniors; values seniors' contributions to the community; promotes
positive intergenerational relations; considers the needs and
interests of seniors in physical and community planning; respects
and supports seniors' desire and efforts to live independently; and,
acknowledging the primary role that families, friends, and neighbors
play in the loves of older adults, enhances their capacity for
caring.
There is a lot of variety in the language. Some
people call it Senior Friendly Communities, some call it Livable
Communities, some call it Communities for a Lifetime, and yet others
call it Aging in Place. But regardless of what you call it, we are
talking about how we transition our communities to make them easier
for older and disabled adults to live independently in their home as
long as possible. As you read the North Carolina 2007-2011 State
Aging Plan, titled "Putting
the Pieces Together- Building Livable and Senior Friendly
Communities," you begin to sense how comprehensive the issues
are when helping our communities transition to become more Senior
Friendly.
In 2008, Centralina Area Agency on Aging was selected by Partners
for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area
Agencies on Aging, with support from the MetLife Foundation, for a
forum on livable communities. For a copy of the full report on the
forum,
click here.
Additional Resources:
Environmental Protection Agency recently released "Growing Smarter, Living Healthier: A Guide to Smart Growth and Active Aging"
Community planning is a process to identify what is currently in place, what you want to be in place and how you implement the changes. A well-executive community initiative includes a vision of the future, a mission that drives your strategies, and well-articulated outcomes to define success. As the demographic shift forces communities to change in order to accommodate the needs of the people, it is important for stakeholders to develop a process that will help facilitate change.
The older Americans Act requires Area Agencies on Aging to develop an Area Plan every four years. In order to enhance the planning process within the region, the Area Agency on Aging will work with local communities to develop an outcome-based plan.
| The basic steps in community/ strategic planning are: | ||
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Rowan Life Planning Report Union County Strategic Planning Report |
For more resources and information, go to the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services website located at http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/localplanning.htm#C. In addition, the National Association of State Units on Aging website http://www.nasua.org/tasc/index.html has a whole section on planning and the planning process.