SUANN Listserv Question

Title IIID Funding

(d) TitleIII-D, disease prevention and health promotion services. Title III-D funds are used to leverage other resources to increase public understanding of how healthy lifestyle choices throughout life reduce the risk of chronic health conditions in later years. AAAs allocate funds to general types of organizations with public health, education, community-based agencies, hospitals and medical institutions, and senior centers being the most common. Title III-D funds provide programs and services to include:

(1) routine health screening;

(2) physical fitness programs;

(3) health promotion programs on chronic disabling conditions;

(4) nutrition screening and educational services on preventive health services;

(5) health risk assessments or information on age related diseases and chronic disabling conditions;

(6) mental health screening, education, and referral;

(7) home injury control services;

(8) counseling regarding social services and follow up health services; and

(9) gerontological counseling.

Available at:

Question:

(6/15/05) How is your state allocating its Title IIID dollars - specifically what types of programs are you funding?

Responses:

(6/15/05) Unfortunately our providers do not have many programs which utilize IIID dollars. I am going to be working on that over the next year or two. I have been in this job for 6 months and recognizing some of the idiosyncrasies is difficult. It looks like most of the AAA's are using the money for assessments. I am anxious to start the new fiscal year and do some traveling so that I can see exactly what our programs are doing. I am interested in seeing how other states are handling IIID.

(6/15/05) California uses a formula to distribute the Medication Management funds. The Part III D Health Promotion and Disease Prevention funds are distributed to the AAAs. They provide a variety of programs following the Administration on Aging objectives.

I have attached a list of III D activities developed from a recent survey of the AAAs in California. Please know that some areas receive very little funding and others receive significant amounts of funding.

list of IIID activities 6.15.05.doc

(6/16/05) In Rhode Island, we use an RFP process to award funding to a variety of agencies (concentrating on low income/minority target groups) for health promotion/disease prevention activities such as dental screenings, health screenings concentrating on blood pressure, cholesterol, etc., falls prevention, etc. The medication management funding is awarded to our states Pharmaceutical Assistance Benefits Manager ( Rhode Island has a state pharmaceutical assistance program) for statewide medication management counseling and information sessions.

(6/16/05) Almost all of the 12 allowable categories are used throughout the aging network in Utah. I have been promoting health education knowledge; letting the senior know what is good for them, how to go about getting correct physical exercise as well as working with them on stress release activities. What I am finding is that we really need the Health
Educator involved in this Program to make it work. You can offer a lot
of activities, education, training, but unless you get the senior really
engaged, it won't last long. I liken it to a personal trainer, someone
who knows what they are talking about and wants to help each senior do
their best. We are getting more area agencies hiring health educators
to coordinate comprehensive health education services planning for the
seniors. I think this is the direction for the future. We need to
address the needs of those seniors who are not the sporty outgoing
yuppies; turn our attention to those seniors who with a little help and
direction can make their lives more pleasant by motivating them to do
some simple exercises and activities to keep them moving. The senior
center is the place to get this help, and the community has many
resources to help.

(6/17/05) In the District of Columbia, all of our Title IIID funds are directed to our three free-standing senior wellness centers. As their name implies, these centers have a focus on health and wellness for those 60 and older.

(6/23/05) Indiana uses a funding formula to distribute III D to the AAAs, where it is used for programs relating disease prevention/health promotion. This may include activities such as health fairs and screenings; senior games etc..