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November 8, 2023
Older Americans Act: Summary in Brief
Overview
• Title IV, Activities for Health, Independence, and
The Older Americans Act (OAA; P.L. 89-73, as amended;
Longevity: authorizes grants for research, innovation,
42 U.S.C. Ch. 35) supports a wide range of social and
training, and related projects in the field of aging.
health-related services and programs for older adults,
• Title V, the Community Service Senior
including supportive services (i.e., personal care, chore
Opportunities Act: authorizes grants to states, U.S.
services, and transportation); congregate nutrition services
territories, and national organizations to promote part-
(i.e., meals served at group sites such as senior centers,
time opportunities in community service for
schools, and senior housing complexes); home-delivered
unemployed low-income older adults aged 55 and older.
nutrition services (commonly referred to as “meals on
wheels”); family caregiver support; the long-term care
• Title VI, Grants for Native Americans: authorizes
ombudsman program; and services to prevent the abuse,
grants to tribal organizations for supportive and nutrition
neglect, and exploitation of older persons. The OAA also
services to older Native Americans.
provides part-time opportunities in community service for
•
unemployed low-income older adults. These programs and
Title VII, Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection
services focus on supporting older Americans to live in
Activities: authorizes grants to states and U.S. territories
their homes and communities.
for vulnerable elder rights protection activities,
including the long-term care ombudsman program.
Background and Legislative History
Funding
The OAA was created in response to concerns by
OAA funding is provided in annual appropriations through
policymakers about a lack of community social services for
the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and
older adults. Proposals discussed in the early 1960s called
Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Total
for a federal agency in the field of aging to be established in
funding was almost $2.4 billion in FY2023 (see Figure 1).
statute, with adequate funding for coordinating federal
efforts in aging, including federal grants for community
Figure 1. Older Americans Act, FY2023 Funding
services specifically for older adults. In response,
Funding as a percentage of OAA total, $2.378 bil ion
legislation was introduced in Congress to create the
Administration on Aging (AOA) and a grants program for
social services, research, and training that would benefit
older adults. Sponsors of the OAA said the agency would
provide resources necessary for public and private social
service providers to meet the social service needs of older
adults. Since it was enacted in 1965, the OAA has been
reauthorized and amended numerous times. Most recently,
the 116th Congress extended OAA authorizations of
appropriations through FY2024 (P.L. 116-131; Supporting
Older Americans Act of 2020).
Current Law
The OAA statutory language contains the following seven
titles, which authorize various programs and activities:
• Title I, Declaration of Objectives: sets policy
objectives and defines terms under the act.
•
Source: CRS Report R43414, Older Americans Act: Overview and
Title II, Administration on Aging: establishes
Funding.
administrative functions for the executive branch under
AOA headed by the Assistant Secretary for Aging.
Aging Network
•
Most OAA programs are administered by AOA within the
Title III, Grants for State and Community Programs
Administration for Community Living (ACL), which is an
on Aging: authorizes grants to states and U.S. territories
operating agency under the Department of Health and
that provide supportive services, nutrition services
Human Services (HHS). Title V is administered by the
(home-delivered and congregate nutrition), disease
Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Employment and Training
prevention, and family caregiver services and supports
Administration (ETA). In addition to the federal agencies
for adults aged 60 and older.
that administer OAA programs and activities (HHS/ACL
and DOL/ETA), the OAA establishes a national network of
states, tribal organizations, local agencies, service providers
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Older Americans Act: Summary in Brief
and volunteers that plan and provide services, referred to as
states must target programs and services to individuals with
the “Aging Network.”
greatest economic and greatest social need, which are
defined in statute as follows:
In order to receive OAA Title III and VII formula grant
funding, states must establish a state agency, referred to as
• Greatest economic need means the need resulting from
State and Territorial Units on Aging (SUAs). This entity is
an income level at or below the poverty line.
primarily responsible for planning and policy development
• Greatest social need means the need caused by
as well as administration of OAA activities. The OAA also
noneconomic factors, which include physical and mental
requires states to designate Area Agencies on Aging
disabilities; language barriers; and cultural, social, or
(AAAs) that operate within one or more planning and
geographical isolation, including isolation caused by
service areas (PSAs) designated by the SUA. AAAs serve
racial or ethnic status that restricts the ability of an
as local entities that, either directly or through contract with
individual to perform normal daily tasks or threatens
local service providers (LSPs), oversee the delivery of
their capacity to live independently.
social, nutrition, and long-term services and supports to
older adults in the community. SUAs are responsible for
In targeting OAA funding, states are required to develop an
developing and administering a multiyear State Plan that
intrastate funding formula (IFF) for distribution of certain
provides goals and objectives, as well as assurances, under
Title III program allocations. The IFF takes into account the
the act. Similarly, AAAs are responsible for developing
geographical distribution of older adults in the state as well
Area Plans that are submitted to states.
as the distribution of older adults with greatest economic
and social need (with particular attention to low-income
Types of Grants
minority older individuals) among specified PSAs. The
Based on annual appropriated funding, ACL provides
state formula for distribution of Title III allocations must be
funding for two types of grants to various entities to
developed in accordance with AOA guidelines and
conduct research or provide services and supports to older
approved by the Assistant Secretary for Aging.
adults under OAA-authorized programs and activities.
Cost-Sharing and Contributions
Formula Grants
States have the option to impose cost-sharing on some
For most OAA program funding, entities such as states,
services. However, older adults whose income is at or
U.S. territories, and tribal organizations are allotted funding
below the federal poverty level and certain services are
through federal statutory formulas, sometimes referred to as
prohibited from cost-sharing. These prohibited services are
mandatory grants. In general, statutory requirements for
•
allocating program funding are based on a population-based
information, benefits counseling, case management;
formula factor (e.g., share of population aged 55 and over,
• ombudsman, elder abuse prevention, legal assistance, or
aged 60 and over, or aged 70 and over) with a minimum
other consumer protection activities;
grant allocation. Some statutory requirements include a
“hold harmless” provision,
•
designed to guarantee that
congregate and home-delivered nutrition services; and
states’ or other entities’ allotments (or portions of
• any services delivered through tribal organizations.
allotments) will be no less than the amount allotted in a
certain fiscal year (e.g., FY2000 or FY2019), provided total
LSPs may solicit voluntary contributions from older adults
appropriations are sufficient to support these entities’
toward the costs of services. Older adults may not be denied
allotments. For certain formula grant programs, states are
a service because they will not or cannot make a
required to provide a matching share. For supportive
contribution. Funds collected through voluntary
services, congregate, and home-delivered nutrition
contributions are to be used to expand services.
programs, states are required to provide a 15% matching
share. A matching share of 25% is required for the family
Issues Facing Congress
caregiver program.
The 118th Congress may consider extending authorizations
of appropriations, which expire September 30, 2024, for
Competitive Grants
FY2025 and beyond in the next reauthorization of the act.
The OAA also authorizes various programs and activities
Policymakers may also consider the extent to which OAA
that ACL funds through grants or cooperative agreements to
funding can sustain the innovation necessitated by COVID-
state and local governments, nonprofit organizations,
19 in a post pandemic era, as well as the funding
institutions of higher education, and small businesses
implications of the potential growth in demand for services
through a discretionary or competitive grants process. ACL
due to the increasing number and proportion of older adults.
often has discretion in determining the projects to fund and
Congress may also consider whether the next OAA
award amounts. Grantees may have some flexibility and
reauthorization is an opportunity to update or expand
control over achieving the grant’s objectives within the
existing programs and activities and/or authorize new
scope of the approved grant application.
activities. ACL issued a notice of proposed regulations in
June, which would constitute the first substantial update in
Participant Eligibility
over 35 years. These proposed regulations may have
In general, older adults must be aged 60 and older to
implications for the ongoing legislative discourse.
participate in OAA programs and activities. However,
depending on the program, other demographic and
Kirsten J. Colello, Specialist in Health and Aging Policy
eligibility criteria may apply. There is no means test (i.e.,
IF12530
income or asset test) for OAA program eligibility. Rather,
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Older Americans Act: Summary in Brief
Disclaimer
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