The Administration for Community Living is starting to pump $1.4 billion in extra funding into home care support programs and other Older Americans Act programs.
The cash infusion comes from the new American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This money will increase total Older Americans Act funding 66% over the ordinary level, according to Congressional Research Service figures..
The affected programs are separate from the Medicaid nursing home benefits program, and from other Medicaid and Medicare long-term care programs.
One big, $460 million ARPA boost will go to the federal Home and Community Based Supportive Services program, White House officials said.
That program, which was on track to receive $393 million in funding, provides home care services and adult daycare services for older adults. The list of support services includes help with household cores, grocery shopping, transportation to essential services, and case management.
The program will now get a total of $854 million in 2021 federal funding.
Care providers can also use the Home and Community Based Supportive Services money to vaccinate older Americans against COVID-19 and to help older people cope with the effects of social isolation, officials said.
A $750 million ARPA allocation will go to federal programs that provide home-delivered meals and meals distributed through community centers for older Americans.
