Idaho Commission on Aging outlines ARPA drawdown plan, seeks modest ongoing increases for FY2026

The Idaho Commission on Aging told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 24 that it intends to draw down remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds before the federal deadline and is requesting small ongoing general-fund increases for fiscal 2026.

Colin McGurkin, budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the committee the commission requested $1.8 million in one-time federal ARPA funds to be spent before the September 30, 2025 ARPA deadline and described the commission’s role as implementing the federal Older Americans Act and the Idaho Senior Services Act.

The commission’s work funds nutrition, transportation, caregiver assistance, adult protective services and related programs delivered by six local area agencies on aging. McGurkin said the commission expended about $16.7 million in fiscal 2024, with roughly 88% of that in trustee and benefit payments to local AAAs. He said the agency has used ARPA and other one-time federal awards since FY2022 for modernization projects and service enhancements, and has authorized 15 full-time positions with one vacancy reported.

Director Judy Taylor, who appeared for the commission, said ARPA-supported activities have included meal-service expansions, caregiver education and outreach, enhanced adult protective services and a pilot to support unpaid caregivers of people with dementia. “We have followed guidance that one-time money should be spent on one-time needs and enhancements,” Taylor said, adding that some items funded with ARPA — such as association memberships for adult protective services staff and additional respite hours in the high-risk caregiver program — will be reduced when the funds expire.

On the commission’s FY2026 request, McGurkin said the agency and the governor align in asking for $162,600 ongoing from the general fund, including $155,000 to increase trust and benefit payments by about 3% to local AAAs to cover rising costs such as labor, insurance and fuel, and $7,600 for a 2% operating increase within the commission. He also said the agency requested one ongoing FTP and $76,700 from the general fund for a financial specialist and $805,000 ongoing for nutrition program funding for AAAs.

Taylor told the committee that the commission had used ARPA funds to reduce meal wait lists and that recent appropriations raised meal rates by 25 cents per meal; she said the agency now reports no waiting lists for home-delivered meals. She said one-time ARPA appropriations were intended for modernization and to avoid creating ongoing obligations when the funds expire.

The committee asked for additional detail on Alzheimer’s- and dementia-specific spending and on the portion of staff time charged to ARPA; McGurkin and Taylor said specific line-item amounts were not available during the hearing and that staff would follow up with the committee. Taylor also said $500,000 in one-time federal funds were requested to pay final invoices and fully draw down remaining ARPA money before the federal deadline, with $450,000 allocated to AAAs and $50,000 to cover staff time, contract processing and minor operating costs.

The commission’s presentation and committee questions focused on preserving nutrition and caregiver services while drawing down one-time federal grants and aligning ongoing state funding with base needs.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the commission’s request during the hearing.