Monday, February 07, 2022
Lately, when we hear the word “breakthrough,” we’re usually talking about a COVID case but this year on February 2, when Governor Pritzker released his new budget proposal for FY 23, we had a truly exciting breakthrough. This one came in the form of a single line item in the state budget that signifies a hard-won policy victory for the aging network and the people we serve. The Illinois Area Agencies on Aging (I4A)have been working to fund the 2004 Illinois Caregiver Act to strengthen services to unpaid caregivers in Illinois. This year the state budget proposal finally includes $4 million to do just that. These funds will help reduce social isolation among older adults and enhance support for caregivers to avoid burnout and premature placement in long-term care facilities. These funds will cover outreach, respite, counseling, legal assistance, and emergency gap filling services.
While the budget isn’t yet approved by the legislature and there is still work to be done to raise these funds to a level that will meet the need, we count it as a win that the administration recognized the importance of these services for caregivers. AgeGuide and I4A will continue to advocate for funding for caregivers during the budget negotiations.
In Other Aging Budget News…
The FY 23 Illinois State budget for the Department on Aging proposed by Governor Pritzker includes $1.65 billion in federal, state, and General Revenue Funds. This represents a significant and much-needed investment in aging services and a step toward rectifying the consequences of twenty years of underinvestment in funding due to increased demand, cost of living increases, and growth in the aging population. While most programs will receive level funding this year, there were a couple more bright spots in the budget for older adults:
- $14.2M in additional funding for Home Delivered Meals will provide approximately 12 million more meals to 95 thousand older adults. This infusion of funding will support much needed expansion of cultural/ethnic meal options, medically tailored meals, more daily meals for those at highest nutritional risk, and more community dining partnerships with restaurants and hospitals.
- $100.7M for the Community Care Program, including additional home and community-based services in the form of assistive technology, and environmental modifications. This also includes a $14M investment in the program’s workforce to increase quality and retention.
Next Steps
While this budget is certainly a step in the right direction, more work needs to be done to ensure Illinois is a place that supports older adults to age at home and in the community whenever possible. The Governor’s budget is only the first step in the long process of budget negotiations and we will continue to keep you updated on advocacy needed around these critical aging services.
