Commission on Aging asks to use remaining ARPA funds for one-time senior services enhancements

Colin McGurkin, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 24 that the Idaho Commission on Aging’s budget largely implements the federal Older Americans Act and the Idaho Senior Services Act and that the commission has relied on federal one-time awards — including ARPA — for modernization and service enhancements.

The commission’s FY2024 expenditures totaled about $16.7 million, McGurkin said, with nearly 88% of that spending recorded under trustee and benefit payments that flow to the state’s six local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). He said that figure represented roughly $10.4 million in federal funds and $4.2 million from the general fund to support direct services.

“Direct services of the commission are provided by these 6 AAAs,” McGurkin said. “Broadly speaking the role of the agency is to keep aging Idahoans safe and healthy in the communities of their choice through a coordinated network of community based services.”

The commission has a history of one-time federal appropriations tied to ARPA. McGurkin said the agency received a $5.2 million one-time federal appropriation for ARPA-related drawdowns used for caregiver education, COVID-related services, adult protective services enhancements and a pilot to support unpaid…