Dear Legislator:
As we approach Senior Action Week, April 29 – May 3, we are reaching out to ask for your support in the FY 2025 budget. While COVID is not as much of an immediate health crisis as in past years, older adults still face many issues that impact their ability to stay independent in their homes as most want to do.
The Area Agencies on Aging Association, aging network partners, and advocates for seniors across the state are urging legislators to take action and ensure funding in the budget for critical supports and services in the following areas:
• Support and strengthen the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program by adding 33 new full-time positions at an estimated total cost of $3 million in the MDHHS budget.
• Assist family and informal caregivers by supporting a permanent $5 million appropriation distributed to area agencies on aging (AAAs) so they can continue to develop Caregiver Resource Centers and pass the Caring for MI Family Tax Credit to provide tax relief of up to $5,000 per year for family caregivers.
• Expand access to the MI Choice Waiver program by rebalancing state expenditures between Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and institutional care and supporting an increase of the participant’s asset limit to reflect inflation.
• Increase access to Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) by supporting the Silver Key Coalition’s request of a $7 million increase for ACLS Bureau in-home services and making the $1 million increase granted for home-delivered meals during the last fiscal year permanent.
We are grateful for your continued support and all that you do for older adults, especially with your help in addressing these important issues. For more details on Senior Action Week’s platform of legislative action, visit 4ami.org or call CEO Christine Vanlandingham at 269-985-0103.
Sincerely,