On June 18, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act (S. 2120) in the U.S. Senate. This bill aims to reauthorize OAA programs through fiscal year 2030 and make improvements to promote innovation and flexibility, strengthen program integrity, and better support family caregivers and direct care workers. The bill also takes steps to better serve Tribal seniors and those with disabilities in their communities.   

This bipartisan legislation closely mirrors S.4776, which was introduced last Congress, but failed to be enacted. Notable differences include: 

• Enhances the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP): 

• • Establishes a full-time National Director position to lead the program. 

• • Commissions a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to evaluate state LTCOPs, including program effectiveness, existing challenges, staffing ratios, and recommendations for improvement. 

• • Requires a review and update of training standards for long-term care ombudsman volunteers. 

• Strengthens the National Family Caregiver Support Program: 

• • Adds provisions to improve access to services and reduce barriers for caregivers seeking support. 

• • Ensures services are trauma-informed and include elder abuse prevention resources to help caregivers navigate their responsibilities and challenges. 

• Establishes a Best Practices Clearinghouse: 

• • Authorizes a centralized resource for best practices, especially in legal and protective services, to support State LTC Ombudsman programs, adult protective services, and related legal efforts. 

• Extends and Expands Program Funding: 

• • Reauthorizes programs through 2029. 

• • Increases funding authorization by 18% over the next four years. 

About the Older Americans Act 

The Older Americans Act (OAA), enacted in 1965, is the primary federal law that supports a wide range of services for adults age 60 and older, including home-delivered meals, transportation, caregiver support, legal assistance, elder abuse prevention, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. The OAA is due for reauthorization every four years to ensure that its programs remain responsive to the changing needs of an aging population, to adjust funding levels, and to strengthen or modernize services based on current evidence and priorities. 

Why Does this Matter to RDOs? 

Before the Trump administration’s restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Administration on Aging, housed within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), was responsible for allocating Older Americans Act (OAA) grant funds to 56 State Units on Aging and numerous Tribal organizations. These State Units on Aging—state and territorial-level agencies—used the funds to develop policy, administer OAA programs, and coordinate services. In turn, they distributed funding to over 600 local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). AAAs are local agencies that manage the delivery of OAA services either directly or through contracts with approximately 30,000 local service providers. Many Regional Development Organizations (RDOs) serve as AAAs for their areas or collaborate closely with their region’s designated AAA. 

Moreover, aging is increasingly recognized as a major topic for regional economic developers. The recent NADO publication Older Adults and Economic Development: Planning for an Aging Population discusses this trend and includes tips for including aging as a topic in the CEDS and other planning efforts. 

Additional Resources 

• Bill Text 

• Older Americans Act Overview