Community Supports

Role of the aging network

Originally passed in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) has created an aging network characterized by local needs determination and initiatives that encourage innovative approaches to service delivery. Within each planning and service area, the 28 area agencies on aging (AAA) in Texas plan, coordinate, and advocate for a comprehensive service-delivery system addressing older Texans' short and long-term needs.

AAAs work with federal, state and local officials, local citizen advisory councils, senior constituents, service providers, and the private/voluntary sector to develop community-based services. AAAs verify the need for these services through needs assessments, public hearings, information and assistance logs, and other means, and deliver needed services through providers in their community. AAAs funnel state and federal funds to service providers in their communities.

The Aging Network's role continues to evolve, but many of its core functions have remained consistent. Under the mandates of the OAA, the AAAs' function in advocacy, assessment and planning, capacity building and service delivery has changed little over time. In Texas, however, their role in health and human services delivery has evolved in response to changes in the operating environment.

As Texas state agencies implemented programs that serve older Texans, a great need was created for a reliable source of information and assistance. Out of this need grew the now decade-long emphasis by the Department of Aging and Disability Services and the AAAs on improving access and assistance services.

The heart of the service network is a comprehensive system of access and assistance. This key role, endorsed in 1992 by the Texas Board on Aging, is designed to help older people, their family members, and caregivers more easily obtain services and information. Whether consumers need general information, advice on government benefits, ombudsman service, legal assistance, service authorization or care coordination for people who need numerous services, AAAs provide information and services, or refer them to an appropriate source. Access and assistance services provided by the AAAs (directly and through contractor and vendor agreements) help clients receive the information and assistance they need to obtain resources. These services include

Information, Referral, and Assistance - Includes assessing consumer needs; finding organizations capable of meeting the needs; evaluating all appropriate resources; providing enough information about each resource to help customers make informed choices; helping individuals find alternative resources (when necessary); actively linking people to needed services; and doing follow-up to make sure the services were provided.
Benefits Counseling/Legal Assistance - More than 350 benefits counseling volunteers and staff provide this service to people who need assistance with benefits or who are trying to resolve financial problems. Counselors are also assuming a greater role in helping older Texans obtain benefits and care for themselves, often with help from private attorneys who work on a free or reduced-fee basis. Consumer-protection issues are a major theme in benefits counselors' work, along with basic questions about rights, benefits, and entitlements. Due to changes in Social Security and Medicare at the national level, more training and program-development has become necessary to assure that counselors are able to explain available options under the revised health care system.
Care Coordination - Care coordination includes assessment, effective planning, arranging, coordinating and follow-up on services that most appropriately meet the needs mutually defined by AAA access and assistance staff, an older person, and where appropriate, a family member or other caregiver.
Ombudsman Program - This program is administered by the Office of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman. The office works closely with the 28 local programs to advocate for the rights of residents and their families so they receive the highest quality of care in long-term care facilities. The 76th Texas Legislature increased funding to support the Ombudsman program and the Texas Board on Aging created an assisted living advocacy project to identify unlicensed assisted living facilities and provide advocacy and Ombudsman services to their residents. This project, targeting facilities in some of the state's rural and metropolitan areas, complements the existing Ombudsman program that has over 800 specially trained and certified volunteers in 1,124 licensed facilities. The Ombudsman program continues to expand its resources through recruitment, training, and placement of new volunteers.

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Updated: November 2, 2007