CO SJM004

The Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA), signed into law on July 14, 1965, provides community-based services to older adults including home-delivered and congregate meals, caregiver support, preventive health services, transportation, job training, and elder abuse prevention through 56 state agencies on aging and 629 area agencies on aging.

The 2006 OAA reauthorization included a "hold harmless" provision that froze funding at 2006 levels for each state, preventing adjustments based on population growth changes despite rapid aging population increases in states like Colorado.

Colorado experienced the fourth fastest growing older adult population between 2000 and 2010 and the third fastest between 2010 and 2014, but missed out on more than $1.2 million in additional fiscal year 2016 funding due to the "hold harmless" provision.

The Congressional Research Service found that 25 states with rapidly growing older adult populations, including Colorado, did not receive appropriate funding, while 40 states and territories would gain funding if the provision were removed.

Colorado's General Assembly urges Congress to reauthorize the OAA and eliminate the "hold harmless" provision to ensure equal access to critical programs for older adults regardless of state location.