Buncombe County advisory panel reallocates supplemental aging funds, approves Jewish Family Services rate change

The Buncombe County Home and Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) advisory committee on June 25 approved reallocating supplemental county aging funds to cover provider overspending and accepted a unit-rate change for Jewish Family Services that staff said should reduce a large overage.

The action responds to a year of disrupted services and shifting funding streams, committee members said, including congregate-meal site closures and a temporary switch to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that allowed “grab-and-go” meals. Committee members and staff described multiple providers showing overspent allocations as of May and said $50,000 in additional county funds had become available to help make those providers whole.

Why it matters: the HCCBG supplemental dollars are the county match that helps ensure continuity of nutrition, transportation and in‑home services for older residents. Committee members said reallocating the county funds now would prevent service interruptions for providers that have reported spending above their HCCBG allocations.

What the committee approved and why: staff reported that Meals on Wheels, Jewish Family…