Ohio Department of Aging

The Ohio Department of Aging, formerly the Ohio Commission on Aging, is a cabinet-level agency in Ohio. The director of the department is the chief advisor to the Governor concerning issues affecting older Ohioans, and policy changes at the federal Administration on Aging.^[1]

History

In 1966, Ohio established the Division of Administration on Aging, the prececesor to the Department of Aging, within the Department of Mental Hygiene and Corrections.^[1] On June 26, 1984, the Ohio Commission on Aging attained full departmental status and became the Ohio Department of Aging.^[2]

Director

The current director is Bonnie Kantor-Burman, SC. D.^[3] Prior to being appointed by Governor John Kasich in January 2011, she was the executive director of the Pioneer Network, a national advocate for nursing home reform. She served 15 years as the director of the Office of Geriatrics at The Ohio State University.

Mission and Programs

The department's mission is to to provide leadership for the delivery of services and supports that improve and promote quality of life and personal choice for older Ohioans, adults with disabilities, their families and their caregivers.^[4] Perhaps their best-known program is the popular Golden Buckeye program. The department administers Medicaid waiver programs that allow older adults on Medicaid to receive the care they need in settings other than nursing homes, such as the PASSPORT home care and Assisted Living Waiver programs. They also administer programs funded by the federal Older Americans Act, such as nutrition and transportation services for older adults, healthy lifestyle program, the civic engagement initiative and more.^[5]

With few exceptions, the department does not provide direct services to Ohioans. Rather, services are coordinated and managed by a network of 12 area agencies on aging. The area agencies screen potential clients, recruit service providers and more. The department monitors the area agencies for fiscal and program compliance..^[6]

External links

• Ohio Department of Aging

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "History - Ohio Department of Aging". http://www.aging.ohio.gov/information/oda/history.aspx. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 
2. ^ Ohio Secretary of State Sherrod Brown (1965). The State of Ohio-Official Roster; Federal, State, County Officers, and Departmental Information. State of Ohio. p. 361. http://books.google.com/books?id=sY4uAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Ohio+Department+of+Aging%22&dq=%22Ohio+Department+of+Aging%22&pgis=1. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 
3. ^ "Director - Ohio Department of Aging". http://www.aging.ohio.gov/information/oda/director.aspx. Retrieved 2011-08-23. 
4. ^ "About". Ohio Department of Aging. http://aging.ohio.gov/information/oda/. Retrieved 23 August 2011. 
5. ^ "services". Ohio Department of Aging. http://aging.ohio.gov/services/. Retrieved 23 August 2011. 
6. ^ "areaagencies". Ohio Department of Aging. http://aging.ohio.gov/resources/areaagenciesonaging/. Retrieved 23 August 2011.