November 4, 2021, Washington, DC—As Congress works to finalize historic reconciliation legislation, a national aging services leader called on lawmakers to hold fast to proposed investments for older Americans and their families—and to at least double support for affordable housing for low income older adults to ensure that everyone can benefit from the critical services envisioned in Build Back Better.

“Congress must not cut one dollar from programs that support older Americans as laid out by the President last week,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, the association representing more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers. “What’s more, we urge them to at least double support for affordable housing—because a safe place to live is a key part of how older adults access the care and services they need.”

In a letter yesterday to Congressional leadership, Sloan urged that the final legislation include meaningful investments for older adults and their families, and explained the critical role of affordable housing:

“Given the severe current shortage of services-connected affordable senior housing, it is difficult to think the goals of [Build Back Better provisions like] increased Home and Community Based Services and Money Follows the Person investments, will be realized,” she writes. “Without a greater investment in HUD’s Section 202 program, low income older adults will continue to languish on the growing waiting lists for service-connected, affordable housing.”

Today, aging services providers across the country are contacting their Members of Congress to reinforce LeadingAge’s positions:

• Affordable Housing with Services (Section 202): Increase to at least $1 billion, the bill’s current $500 million for HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly funding program.
• Home and Community Based Services (HCBS): Preserve or increase the bill’s $150 billion for Medicaid HCBS to allow more older adults to get the help they need to grow older wherever they call home—and to help address the staffing shortages and reduce long wait lists for support by bolstering the wages of the professional care providers.
• Workforce Investments: Preserve or increase the bill’s long-overdue workforce investments to ensure our long-term care system isn’t crushed under the weight of increasing demand as our country ages, including:
  • $1.6 billion for Nursing Home Workforce Training Grants for long-term care providers to address staffing shortages.
  • $1 billion for grants to support the Direct Care Workforce.
  • $425 million to expand Health Profession Opportunity Grants to train low-income recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for high-demand jobs, including as home care aides, CNAs, LPNs and nurses.
  • $20 million for Technical Assistance Center for Supporting Direct Care and Caregiving to support care worker recruitment, education and training, retention, and career advancement.
  • $40 million to support Unpaid Caregivers Behavioral Health Needs of unpaid caregivers of older individuals and older relative care providers.
  • $30 million in funding for Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training.
  • $20 million for Hospice and Palliative Nursing for grants and contracts leading to CNA certification programs.
  • $350 million for individuals to carry-out nontraditional apprenticeship programs.

We represent more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-minded organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we use applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old. Our membership, which now includes the providers of the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, encompasses the continuum of services for people as they age, including those with disabilities. We bring together the most inventive minds in the field to lead and innovate solutions that support older adults wherever they call home. For more information visit leadingage.org.