Missouri senior meal coverage faces lapse in service

More than 150,000 vulnerable adults in Missouri are facing an unprecedented issue.

The Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) provides free, vital services like meal delivery, transportation and caregiver respite to these older adults, allowing them to live independently.

“The overarching goal of AAAs is to help people age in place in their own homes and communities,” said AAA executive director Julie Peetz.

There are 10 AAA agencies in Missouri. Texas County’s local AAA is SeniorAge, which is based in Springfield. (https://senioragemo.org/)

Federal funding to continue the statewide AAA program has been secured, however, Peetz said the state did not allot enough spending authority to pay for the program through the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

In March, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), which administers AAA’s funding, will exhaust the spending authority to reimburse agencies for services they provide, meaning there will be a three-month gap in coverage.

“That’s a quarter of the year,” Peetz said. “That’s a huge, huge issue.”

It’s unclear how this error came about, Peetz said. The necessary funding exists and has already been set aside for AAA, DHSS simply doesn’t have permission from the state to disperse the dollars.

Peetz said she has reached out to AAA veterans and agencies in other states, and determined that nothing like this has happened before in the program’s more than 50 year history.

“This situation is unprecedented, and it’s very alarming and very frightening for everybody involved,” Peetz said.

Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Supplemental Appropriations budget includes expanded spending authority for AAA.

Peetz said she has reached out to lawmakers on the House Budget and Senate Appropriations committees about the impending issue.

“Everybody’s supportive,” Peetz said. “The huge problem right now that we’re facing is the timing.”

Peetz said seniors who rely on AAA need the legislature to pass the supplemental budget soon so there is no lapse in services.

“There’s just an urgency about getting it done in a timely manner, and we’re encouraging the legislators to pass it before they go out on their spring break, so that the AAAs are assured, knowing that their funds would be available,” Peetz said.

The agencies in Missouri are preparing contingency plans in the event that the budget does not pass before the end of March. Peetz said some are no longer taking on new clients, while others are turning toward their communities to provide resources for AAA’s aging clientele.

For some elderly Missourians, especially those without loved ones nearby, AAAs are their lifeline to the world beyond their home, Peetz said. Without meal delivery services and other assistance, some will no longer be able to remain in their homes.

“I don’t want to be too dramatic, but for some people, it’s a make-or-break whether or not you can stay in your home or you need to go into institutional care,” Peetz said.