Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Grant topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State senator announces $250,000 grant for local meal programs, outlines disability and Medicaid actions
Summary
State Senator Matt Leser told the Newington Senior Center Commission he helped secure a $250,000 grant for Newington, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield for meals-on-wheels and congregate meals and reviewed recent state actions on wheelchair protections, Medicaid rates and disability services.
State Senator Matt Leser told the Newington Senior Center Commission that he and the legislative delegation secured a $250,000 grant intended to support meals-on-wheels and congregate meals for Newington, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield. "We got a $250,000 grant for Newington, Rocky Hill, and Wethersfields," Leser said during his presentation to the commission.
The grant is intended for meal programs that serve seniors and people with disabilities; Leser said that, "assuming all three towns receive similar amounts, we're looking at like $83,000" per town as a baseline figure for planning. He encouraged the commission to coordinate with town staff and state aging services to decide whether to spend the funds in a single year or to stretch them over multiple years.
Leser used the commission visit to summarize several other recent legislative changes affecting state services for older adults and people with disabilities. He described new protections for wheelchairs and a complaint route: "You can now file a complaint with the office of healthcare advocate" if repair or service delays persist, he said. He also noted the budget includes a $75 million increase in Medicaid rates to help ensure provider participation.
Leser said the legislature rejected a proposal that would have moved the Community First Choice program to a waiver and that the session increased resources available to people who are deaf-blind from $10,000 a year to $14,000. He also described adding an "integration mandate" to state law so people who are denied access to services on the basis of disability can file complaints with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO).
The senator reminded the commission that the grant for meals was one item among many and offered to help the town plan implementation. Commission staff said they would follow up with state aging officials and town managers to develop an operational plan for using the funds.
Next steps: town staff will meet with state aging officials and the legislative delegation to determine timing and allowable uses; commission members were invited to participate in planning discussions.
