Tufts Health Plan Foundation is offering an online information session on Wednesday, June 19. The session is open to community organizations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island working to make their communities better places to grow up and grow old. Continue reading
Tag Archives: advocacy
Controversial ‘Public Charge’ Proposed Rule Draws Comments from State Officials, Orgs
A controversial proposed rule submitted on October 10 by the Trump administration – via draft regulation changes under the Department of Homeland Security – sought to amend “public charge” policies that determine how the use of public benefits impact a person’s ability to obtain legal permanent resident status in the US. Continue reading
Gov. Baker Signs Nation-Leading Law to Strengthen Alzheimer’s, Dementia Treatment
Governor Baker was joined by members of the Administration, Legislature and healthy aging community today at the ceremonial signing of H.4116 An Act relative to Alzheimer’s and related dementias in the Commonwealth during an event at the Alzheimer’s Association in Waltham. Continue reading
Governor Baker Co-Authors Newsweek Op-Ed on Alzheimer’s
Along with Montana Democrat Governor Steve Bullock, Governor Charlie Baker co-authored an opinion-editorial in Newsweek urging both sides of the aisle to come together to support the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256). Continue reading
Federal ‘Grandparents Raising Grandchildren’ Bill Signed into Law
U.S. Senate Aging Committee Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Bob Casey (D-PA) applauded the signing of the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act (S. 1091), legislation they authored that will create a one-stop-shop of resources to support grandparents raising grandchildren. U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Peter King (R-NY) introduced companion legislation in the House. Continue reading
Age-Friendly News Clips: May 2018
Periodically, the Healthy Aging Collaborative will share news articles that mention state and local efforts to make cities, towns and regions in Massachusetts Age- and Dementia Friendly.
Check out the following articles from May on the momentum of this movement building across the state. Continue reading
EOEA to Host Statewide Listening Sessions on New Home Care Worker Registry Bill
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) will host a series of public statewide listening sessions on recent changes to Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L.) specifically, Chapter 139 of the Acts of 2017 requiring EOEA to create a Home Care Worker Registry (HCW Registry). Continue reading
Revised Community Benefit Guidelines Released by Attorney General’s Office
After almost one year of Advisory Task Force meetings and listening sessions, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced revised Community Benefits guidelines for nonprofit hospitals and HMOs. Continue reading
Tufts Health Plan Foundation Awards $1.1 Million to Advance Policies and Practices Supporting Healthy Aging
The Tufts Health Plan Foundation today announced new community investments of more than $1.1 million. The eight new grants reflect a commitment to advancing inclusive policies that create thriving and vital communities that work for people of all ages. For 2017, Foundation community investments top $3.15 million, including 30 new grants and on-going support for 15 multi-year initiatives.
“Communities have greater interest in age-friendly initiatives. There’s a growing understanding of the critical role older people play. They are an asset to community, and their voices and insights are invaluable to the public discourse on what communities need,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, vice president, corporate citizenship for Tufts Health Plan and president of its Foundation.
The Foundation’s new grants support initiatives to engage and train more advocates to participate in policy discussions; extend dementia-friendly programs to new communities; and address gaps limiting access to services and healthy, nutritious food. All are aligned with the Foundation’s focus on support for communities that work for everyone.
Grants in Policy and Advocacy
- Healthy Waltham (Waltham, MA)
Waltham Connections for Healthy Aging
To build momentum for the second and third years of this city-wide, age-friendly initiative. Two-year grant for $100,240. - Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (Boston, MA)
Older Adult Nutrition Access Project
To improve older people’s participation in the SNAP program by training enrollment agency staff and promoting systemic advocacy and coalition building to defend federal nutrition programs. One-year grant for $60,000. - Massachusetts Senior Action Council (Quincy, MA)
Seniors Power Up!
To organize and train diverse low-income older people in Massachusetts to use their collective voices to influence key public policy issues affecting their lives and their communities. Two-year grant for $150,000. - Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (Providence, RI)
Senior Voices for Aging in Community – Year 3
To engage low-income seniors and develop them as community leaders with the capacity to effectively advocate for policy change. One-year grant for $50,000.
Grants focused on collaboration and community engagement (James Roosevelt, Jr., Leadership Fund):
- Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging and Senior Center Directors (Easthampton, MA)
Dementia Friendly Massachusetts – Scale and Sustainability Phase (2018-2020)
To scale the Dementia Friendly Initiative so more Massachusetts communities embrace and become active dementia-friendly communities. Three-year grant for $302,068. - Rhode Island College Foundation (Providence, RI)
Building an Age-Friendly Rhode Island, 2018-2019
To build a powerful community coalition to advocate, design innovative solutions and develop programs/services for an Age-Friendly Rhode Island. Two-year grant for $252,400. - SeniorCare, Inc. (Gloucester, MA)
Age and Dementia Friendly Cape Ann
To work with four Cape Ann communities to establish the first combined age- and dementia-friendly effort. Three-year grant for $190,650.
The Foundation also awarded a grant focused on Systems and Best Practices.
- Alzheimer’s Association of Rhode Island (Providence, RI)
State of RI Alzheimer’s Five Year Plan Update
To support the update of Rhode Island’s five-year plan on Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders. One-year grant for $15,000.
The new grants engage nearly 80 community organizations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
UMB Gerontology Blog: Federal Tax Reform Puts Senior Affordable Housing in Danger
The growing number of older adults in Massachusetts and nationally are running up against a lack of affordable housing options and the situation is already in crisis mode, according to Len Fishman, director of the UMass Boston Gerontology Institute.
In the Gerontology Institute’s Blog, Fishman spotlights how the current affordable senior housing crisis would be made worse by the US House of Representatives version of tax reform, which may force people out of communities where they have spent their lifetime in many cases.
As Fishman explains, “the most important remaining government program assisting the construction and preservation of affordable housing like that involves the tax-exempt private activity bonds and an accompanying 4 percent low-income housing tax credit.” Continue reading
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