LGBT Aging Commission approves nine‑point strategic plan, seeks funds for full‑time director

The Commission on LGBTQ Aging voted to approve a strategic plan that lays out nine priority areas for the next phase of the commission’s work, commissioners said at their quarterly meeting.

The plan, described by Lisa Krinsky, director of the LGBTQI+ Aging Project and staff facilitator for the commission, enumerates nine priorities including strengthening commission infrastructure (including funding for a full‑time commission director), building a DEI lens into all work, boosting public visibility, conducting a statewide needs assessment for LGBTQ older adults, expanding social supports, improving access to affirming health care and long‑term care, advancing safe and affordable housing, and evaluating cultural competency training for providers.

The document was presented as a final draft after editing by staff and volunteers. “We sent out the draft or what we hope is our final draft for your review,” Krinsky said during the meeting. Commissioners discussed the plan and, by a show of hands, approved it. The minutes for the commission’s December meeting were also moved for approval; Pat Jelen moved the motion to approve the minutes.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the plan will guide how the commission spends its staff time and advocacy energy over the next several years. The commission intends to translate the high‑level strategic priorities into a concrete work plan and to form implementation work groups to carry out tasks such as creating a website, formalizing operating standards, and developing a statewide needs assessment.

Key details: The strategic plan calls for a statewide needs assessment aimed at capturing a broad cross section of LGBTQ older adults; commissioners said the draft target for that survey is up to 1,000 respondents but that the figure is aspirational. The plan also lists policy priorities the commission will monitor and press on, including implementation of the state’s LGBTQI Long Term Care Bill of Rights and proposals addressing home care eligibility for people living with HIV under age 60.

Budget and staffing: Commissioners discussed an FY‑26 budget request to fund a full‑time commission director. The group reported that the commission’s appropriation this year was $75,000 and that the FY‑26 request will seek $120,000 to support a dedicated staff position and related administrative infrastructure.

Meeting procedure: The meeting used a show‑of‑hands vote rather than a roll‑call; commissioners who explicitly spoke during the vote acknowledged support for the plan. The transcript records Pat Jelen as moving to approve the December minutes; the minutes were approved by a majority in the meeting’s record (one commissioner raised a hand to record non‑approval during the minutes vote and one commissioner said they were abstaining because they had not attended the December meeting). The strategic plan vote was recorded as approved by commissioners in attendance.

Next steps: Commissioners agreed to form a follow‑up group to translate the strategic plan into an actionable work plan, to develop implementation timelines, and to begin the FY‑26 budgeting process to secure funding for staff.