[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 45, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 45CFR1321.53]



[Page 215-216]

 

                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE

 

CHAPTER XIII--OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

                           AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

PART 1321_GRANTS TO STATE AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ON AGING--Table of 

Contents

 

                 Subpart C_Area Agency Responsibilities

 

Sec. 1321.53  Mission of the area agency.





    (a) The Older Americans Act intends that the area agency on aging 

shall be the leader relative to all aging issues on behalf of all older 

persons in the planning and service area. This means that the area 

agency shall proactively carry out, under the leadership and direction 

of the State agency, a wide range of functions related to advocacy, 

planning, coordination, inter-agency linkages, information sharing, 

brokering, monitoring and evaluation, designed to lead to the 

development or enhancement of comprehensive and coordinated community 

based systems in, or serving, each community in the planning and service 

area. These systems shall be designed to assist older persons in leading 

independent, meaningful and dignified lives in their own homes and 

communities as long as possible.

    (b) A comprehensive and coordinated community based system described 

in paragraph (a) of this section shall:

    (1) Have a visible focal point of contact where anyone can go or 

call for help, information or referral on any aging issue;

    (2) Provide a range of options:

    (3) Assure that these options are readily accessible to all older 

persons: The independent, semi-dependent and totally dependent, no 

matter what their income;

    (4) Include a commitment of public, private, voluntary and personal 

resources committed to supporting the system;

    (5) Involve collaborative decision-making among public, private, 

voluntary, religious and fraternal organizations and older people in the 

community;

    (6) Offer special help or targetted resources for the most 

vulnerable older persons, those in danger of losing their independence;

    (7) Provide effective referral from agency to agency to assure that 

information or assistance is received, no matter how or where contact is 

made in the community;

    (8) Evidence sufficient flexibility to respond with appropriate 

individualized assistance, especially for the vulnerable older person;

    (9) Have a unique character which is tailored to the specific nature 

of the community;

    (10) Be directed by leaders in the community who have the respect, 

capacity and authority necessary to convene all interested persons, 

assess needs, design solutions, track overall success, stimulate change 

and plan community responses for the present and for the future.

    (c) The resources made available to the area agency on aging under 

the Older Americans Act are to be used to finance those activities 

necessary to achieve elements of a community based system set forth in 

paragraph (b) of this section. For the purpose of assuring access to 

information and services for older persons, the area agency



[[Page 216]]



shall work with elected community officials in the planning and service 

area to designate one or more focal points on aging in each community, 

as appropriate. The area agency shall list designated focal points in 

the area plan. It shall be the responsibility of the area agency, with 

the approval of the State agency, to define ``community'' for the 

purposes of this section. Since the Older Americans Act defines focal 

point as a ``facility'' established to encourage the maximum collocation 

and coordination of services for older individuals, special 

consideration shall be given to developing and/or designating multi-

purpose senior centers as community focal points on aging. The area 

agency on aging shall assure that services financed under the Older 

Americans Act in, or on behalf of, the community will be either based 

at, linked to or coordinated with the focal points designated. The area 

agency on aging shall assure access from the designated focal points to 

services financed under the Older Americans Act. The area agency on 

aging shall work with, or work to assure that community leadership works 

with, other applicable agencies and institutions in the community to 

achieve maximum collocation at, coordination with or access to other 

services and opportunities for the elderly from the designated community 

focal points. The area agency may not engage in any activity which is 

inconsistent with its statutory mission prescribed in the Act or 

policies prescribed by the State under Sec. 1321.11.