State aging officials warn federal funding uncertainty threatens senior meal programs

Director Munn, director of the South Carolina Department on Aging, told the Legislative Oversight Committee on the department’s recent funding and Meals on Wheels shortages and urged the panel to consider follow-up oversight.

The department’s finance director, Sayeda Galman, said, “So far this year, we've seen about 50% of our federal funds come through,” and told senators the agency has drawn down roughly $12 million of a typical $24 million in federal Older Americans Act support while awaiting additional releases from the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

The shortfall is affecting area agencies on aging (AAA) that deliver home‑delivered meals and other core services. Senators raised whether the department can reallocate money among AAAs or identify unused carryforward funds to cover regional shortfalls through June 30. Director Munn said carryforward and most cash balances are restricted to specific uses and that the department has already sent designated carryforward funds to AAAs for services.

Galman told the committee the department is maintaining a contingency reserve to sustain operations while federal guidance remains uncertain. She said the department has been in contact with ACL and is monitoring the continuing resolution and federal guidance released the previous Friday.

Committee members pressed the department to check whether any AAAs have unobligated funds that could be temporarily reallocated and to revisit historical practices such as limited “clawbacks” or redistribution of unused federal allocations. Director Munn said the department allows AAAs to recategorize spending within broad service categories (for example, shifting funds among allowable line items) and that staff will investigate whether a short‑term redistribution is feasible without harming seniors in regions that rely on their formula‑based allocations.

Senators and staff emphasized urgency: several AAAs reported shortfalls for meal delivery through the end of the fiscal year. Director Munn and Galman agreed to provide the committee with more detailed, region‑level data on obligations, carryforward, and any available unspent balances that could help bridge gaps.

The department also notified the committee it will return at a later hearing to update members on the 2020 Legislative Audit Council review and on follow-ups from prior sessions.

Less urgent: the committee asked the department to continue outreach to ACL for guidance and to provide a timeline for potential reallocation options, including any limitations tied to the department’s funding formula.