Magna Carta News
Friday, October 31, 2003
Oklahoma House of Representatives
October 31, 2003
By REGINA BIRCHUM
House Media Specialist
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Lawmakers plan to resurrect a bill from last session that would create an independent state Department on Aging.
The announcement was made Thursday during a meeting of the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Human Services. The legislative panel has been examining the start-up costs, efficiencies and scope of creating a separate state agency for aging services, which currently are administered by the Department of Human Services.
Rep. Darrell Gilbert, D-Tulsa, vice chairman of the subcommittee, said the goal is to create a department that can deliver services at reduced costs and improve delivery of services to the elderly.
Legislators will incorporate suggestions from the panel into Senate Bill 726, which was introduced last year to establish an Oklahoma Department on Aging but stalled in the House of Representatives during the committee process.
Department of Human Services Director Howard Hendrick said that aging services constitute a bigger percentage of expenditures than any other program in his agency. "The demand for service is growing," he said. "And it's going to continue to grow."
According to the most recent federal census, 599,080 Oklahomans are age 60 or older. In 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 985,235 as those in their 50's approach retirement age. Gilbert warned that the first wave of "baby boomers" will turn 60 in 2005. "It will have a significant impact" on demand for services, he said.
Hendrick said the state must also examine how to get maximum value out of its funds, determining what services are provided through federal dollars and preventing state duplication. He noted that services once provided by the Eldercare program, which was administered by the state Health Department before it was discontinued this past year due to budget cuts, are now being provided by the DHS through a similar, federally funded program.
Roy Keen, director of DHS's Aging Services Division, said states that have the largest elderly populations are generally those who have established a department on aging. Creating a separate, stand-alone agency could help attract more federal funds for senior services, he added.
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October 31, 2003
By REGINA BIRCHUM
House Media Specialist
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Lawmakers plan to resurrect a bill from last session that would create an independent state Department on Aging.
The announcement was made Thursday during a meeting of the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Human Services. The legislative panel has been examining the start-up costs, efficiencies and scope of creating a separate state agency for aging services, which currently are administered by the Department of Human Services.
Rep. Darrell Gilbert, D-Tulsa, vice chairman of the subcommittee, said the goal is to create a department that can deliver services at reduced costs and improve delivery of services to the elderly.
Legislators will incorporate suggestions from the panel into Senate Bill 726, which was introduced last year to establish an Oklahoma Department on Aging but stalled in the House of Representatives during the committee process.
Department of Human Services Director Howard Hendrick said that aging services constitute a bigger percentage of expenditures than any other program in his agency. "The demand for service is growing," he said. "And it's going to continue to grow."
According to the most recent federal census, 599,080 Oklahomans are age 60 or older. In 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 985,235 as those in their 50's approach retirement age. Gilbert warned that the first wave of "baby boomers" will turn 60 in 2005. "It will have a significant impact" on demand for services, he said.
Hendrick said the state must also examine how to get maximum value out of its funds, determining what services are provided through federal dollars and preventing state duplication. He noted that services once provided by the Eldercare program, which was administered by the state Health Department before it was discontinued this past year due to budget cuts, are now being provided by the DHS through a similar, federally funded program.
Roy Keen, director of DHS's Aging Services Division, said states that have the largest elderly populations are generally those who have established a department on aging. Creating a separate, stand-alone agency could help attract more federal funds for senior services, he added.
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