Sen. Prague agrees to delaying launch of new Department on Aging

Sen. Edith Prague

Gov. M. Jodi Rell has reached an agreement with state Sen. Edith Prague - the leading proponent of establishing a separate state Department on Aging - to push back the launch date of the new agency from July 1 of this year to July 1, 2010.

“When the state decided years ago to make the then-independent Department on Aging a part of Department of Social Services, I believed it was the right decision for the time,” said Gov.  Rell.  ”I also believe it is the right thing to do now to make the agency a separate office again.

“There are over 473,000 people age 65 or older in Connecticut now. Nationwide, people age 65 and older will make up 20 percent of the population by 2030. This is a large and growing need we must address. We will do that by re-establishing our Department on Aging in a smart, customer-focused way,” Rell said.

Sen. Prague added, “Our plan to breathe life into my long-standing vision for a new Department on Aging is the responsible thing to do for Connecticut’s growing number of senior citizens, and I’m grateful to the governor for her steadfast support.”

“Postponing its launch until next summer is also a responsible step, given our state’s precarious budget circumstance. I’ll eagerly look forward to that date, when a dedicated state agency and cabinet-level commissioner will be on-the-job to help seniors with all the challenges they face,” Prague said.

Once the Department on Aging is fully operational, it will take responsibility for the existing network of services, regional administration and funding allocated under the Older Americans Act.

Other programs the new agency will manage include CHOICES - Connecticut’s program for health insurance assistance, outreach, information and referral, counseling and eligibility screening.

Also under the umbrella of the new agency will be the Alzheimer Respite Care Program; nutritional programs for needy elderly persons; and the Long Term Care Ombudsman program, which investigates and resolves the complaints and concerns of longterm-care residents.

Other programs, such as ConnPACE (the state prescription drug assistance program), will remain under the purview of the Department of Social Services, but the two agencies will coordinate outreach and other efforts.

Posted March 14, 2009