Commission on Aging outlines ARPA spending, requests modest inflation increases for FY2026

The Idaho Commission on Aging told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 24 that it has spent several million dollars in one-time federal funds on meal programs, caregiver supports and modernization projects and is seeking a modest ongoing increase for FY2026.

Colin McGurkin, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the committee that “the Commission on Aging implements the Federal Older Americans Act and Idaho Senior Services Act” and summarized the agency’s multi-year funding pattern, including repeated one-time federal awards tied to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies.

The request and why it matters

McGurkin said the commission and its six local Area Agencies on Aging use federal grants plus general fund appropriations to provide in-home and community-based services aimed at keeping older Idahoans “safe and healthy in the communities of their choice.” He told members the commission’s FY2024 expenditures totaled about $16.7 million and that roughly 88% of that amount was trustee and benefit payments to local AAAs.

McGurkin and Director Judy Taylor described several ARPA- and CARES-related one-time appropriations that the commission used for meal-service modernization, caregiver education and a pilot to expand the public health workforce. McGurkin said the agency had received about $5.2 million in one-time federal ARPA appropriations and had requested $1.8 million in FY2025 to draw down remaining ARPA balances before the federal deadline of Sept. 30, 2025.

Program details and committee questions

Taylor, introduced as “Director of the Idaho Commission on Aging,” told the committee the agency has used federal and state funds for nutrition, caregiver support and adult protective services. She said the commission received ongoing general-fund increases in FY2025 for a financial specialist (1.0 FTP) and added general-fund nutrition funding ($805,000) to reduce meal wait lists and serve more seniors.

Taylor described caregiver programs the commission runs through Older Americans Act funds and a state-funded “high-risk caregiver grama” targeted to caregivers of people with memory issues. She said community health workers funded through ARPA were embedded with local AAAs and used for assessments and planning in the high-risk caregiver program, and that “those workers will stay.”

Committee members asked for more specificity on some lines. Senator Cook asked about amounts spent specifically on Alzheimer’s-related services; McGurkin responded that he did not have a specific Alzheimer’s-dollar figure and said he would follow up. Representative Price asked whether one-time funding would support Meals on Wheels; Taylor said nutrition is a top priority and reported that recent appropriations allowed the commission to raise meal reimbursement rates and eliminate its home-delivered meal wait list.

Budget request and agency assurances

McGurkin said the commission’s FY2026 request aligns with the governor’s recommendation and seeks $162,600 in ongoing general funds to cover inflationary increases (including $155,000 to increase trustee and benefit payments by 3% and $7,600 for a 2% operating increase). He also said the agency requested a $500,000 one-time federal appropriation to pay final ARPA invoices before the Sept. 30, 2025 deadline; of that amount McGurkin said $450,000 would pay AAAs for final invoices and $50,000 would cover staff time and limited operating costs.

Taylor and McGurkin repeatedly characterized ARPA and CARES Act awards as one-time funding. Taylor told the committee she had been advised by the governor’s office that one-time money should be used for one-time needs, and she said the commission “followed that guidance to the T.” McGurkin added the agency asserted that the one-time ARPA spending “does not result in ongoing obligations or loss of expected services.”

What the committee asked for next

Committee members requested follow-up details on items such as the portion of ARPA spent on staff time, the specific use of Alzheimer’s-related dollars and a written description of how the commission’s base budget supports Meals on Wheels. McGurkin and Taylor said they would provide additional details by email or in follow-up responses to the committee.

Taylor closed by reiterating the commission’s mission and saying, “I confidently assure you that all appropriated funds will be used to advance our mission, invested wisely, with outcomes monitored and reported transparently.”