Ohio Department of Aging

Last updated
Department of Aging
Cabinet Level Agency overview
FormedJune 26, 1984 (1984-06-26)
Preceding agencies
  • Ohio Commission on Aging
  • Ohio Division of Administration on Aging
Jurisdiction Ohio
Headquarters246 N. High St./1st Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Cabinet Level Agency executive
  • Ursel J. McElroy [1] , Director
Website www.aging.ohio.gov

The Ohio Department of Aging is the administrative department of the Ohio state government [2] responsible for delivery of services and support that improves and promotes quality of life and personal choice for older Ohioans, adults with disabilities, their families and their caregivers. 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. [3]

Contents

History

In 1966, Ohio established the Division of Administration on Aging, the predecessor to the Department of Aging, within the Department of Mental Hygiene and Corrections. On June 26, 1984, the Ohio Commission on Aging attained full departmental status and became the Ohio Department of Aging. [4] [3]

Director

Governor Mike DeWine appointed Ursel McElroy as his nominee to lead the Ohio Department of Aging on January 10, 2019. [5] [3]

Mission and Programs

The department's mission is 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. [3] 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.

With a 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]

Related Research Articles

Medicaid United States social health care program for families and individuals with limited resources

Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and personal care services. The main difference between the two programs is that Medicaid covers healthcare costs for people with low incomes while Medicare provides health coverage for the elderly. There are also dual health plans for people who have both Medicaid and Medicare. The Health Insurance Association of America describes Medicaid as "a government insurance program for persons of all ages whose income and resources are insufficient to pay for health care."

Long-term care Services for the elderly or those with chronic illness or disability

Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is a large state government agency in the U.S. state of North Carolina, somewhat analogous to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The NCDHHS has more than 19,000 employees. The NCDHHS has its origins in the former North Carolina Department of Human Resources (DHR). The head of NCDHHS (Secretary) is appointed by the Governor of North Carolina and is a member of the North Carolina Cabinet in the executive branch of the North Carolina government. The NCDHHS was created in 1971.

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System is the state agency that administers Arizona’s Medicaid program. Medicaid was created to provide healthcare to individuals who qualify by financial need. The $14.6 billion dollar program covers the behavioral and physical health care services for more than 1.9 million Arizonans. In 2019, AHCCCS covers approximately 48% of Arizona’s children and 54% of babies born in the state.

The California Medical Assistance Program is California's Medicaid program serving low-income individuals, including families, seniors, persons with disabilities, children in foster care, pregnant women, and childless adults with incomes below 138% of federal poverty level. Benefits include ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, dental (Denti-Cal), vision, and long term care and supports. Approximately 13.3 million people were enrolled in Medi-Cal as of January 2018, or about one-third of California's population; in Tulare County and Merced County, more than 50% of county residents were enrolled as of September 2015.

Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) are programs within the United States that provide comprehensive health services for individuals age 55 and over who are sufficiently frail to be categorized as "nursing home eligible" by their state's Medicaid program. The ultimate goal of PACE programs is to keep eligible older adults out of nursing homes and within their communities for as long as possible. Services include primary and specialty medical care, nursing, nutrition, social services, therapies, pharmaceuticals, day health center services, home care, health-related transportation, minor modification to the home to accommodate disabilities, and anything else the program determines is medically necessary to maximize a member's health. If you or a loved one are eligible for nursing home level care but prefer to continue living at home, a PACE program can provide expansive health care and social opportunities during the day while you retain the comfort and familiarity of your home outside of day hours.

State Library of Ohio

The State Library of Ohio is a state agency that provides services to state government and all types of libraries to ensure that all Ohio residents, rich or poor, rural or urban, receive the best possible library service and are able to engage in lifelong learning which strengthens the economic health of Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for supervising the state's public assistance, workforce development, unemployment compensation, child and adult protective services, adoption, child care, and child support programs. Prior to July 2013, ODJFS was also the state agency responsible for the administration of Ohio's Medicaid program. In July 2013, a new state agency was created, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM), Ohio’s first Executive-level Medicaid agency. ODJFS employs about 2,300 full time employees and has an annual budget of $3.3 billion.

Older Americans Act Federal initiative aiming to provide services to older adults

The Older Americans Act of 1965 was the first federal level initiative aimed at providing comprehensive services for older adults. It created the National Aging Network comprising the Administration on Aging on the federal level, State Units on Aging at the state level, and Area Agencies on Aging at the local level. The network provides funding – based primarily on the percentage of an area's population 60 and older – for nutrition and supportive home and community-based services, disease prevention/health promotion services, elder rights programs, the National Family Caregiver Support Program, and the Native American Caregiver Support Program.

Medicaid managed care Medicaid and additional services in the United States through an arrangement between a state Medicaid agency and managed care organizations (MCOs) that accept a set payment – "capitation" – for these services. As of 2014, 26 states have contracts with MCOs to deliver long-term care for the elderly and individuals with disabilities. There are two main forms of Medicaid managed care, "risk-based MCOs" and "primary care case management (PCCM)."

Oklahoma Department of Human Services

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) is an agency of the government of Oklahoma. Under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services, OKDHS is responsible for providing help to individuals and families in need through public assistance programs and managing services for seniors and people with disabilities.

Oklahoma Health Care Authority Oklahoma state agency responsible for the administration of medicaid and health services

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OKHCA) is an agency of the government of Oklahoma responsible for providing health insurance benefits for the state's SoonerCare members. The Authority is the state-level counterpart to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging is a cabinet-level agency charged with providing aid to Pennsylvania's approximately 3 million individuals age 60 and older. Although the bureau operates some services directly, such as the Pharmaceutical Contact for the Elderly (PACE) prescription drug program, it generally serves as a clearinghouse of funding and information for county-level Area Agencies on Aging. The department was formed under the governorship of Milton Shapp.

CareStar, Inc. (CareStar) is a private, Ohio-based healthcare corporation which provides home and community-based case management services in government, agency and residential operations. CareStar is one of the contracted case management agencies for the Ohio Home Care Waiver Program and HOME Choice through the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM). CareStar spends about $2 million a year on health benefits for more than 300 employees and their families. Based on Better Business Bureau (BBB) files comparing multiple criteria in several categories, CareStar has a BBB Rating of A+ on a scale from A+ to F.

Mental health reform in North Carolina

The state of North Carolina is undertaking a comprehensive policy shift on how the government budgets for and manages resources for mental health, developmental disability, and substance abuse services. The 1915 (b)(c) Medicaid Waiver Program was chosen by the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance as a way to control and more accurately budget for the rising costs of Medicaid funded services. The 1915 (b)(c) Waiver Program was initially implemented at one pilot site in 2005 and evaluated for several years. Two expansion sites were then added in 2012. Full statewide implementation is expected by July 1, 2013.

Wisconsin Department of Health Services Wisconsin State Agency for health services.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WisDHS) is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Wisconsin responsible for maintaining public health. It administers a wide range of services in the state and at state institutions, regulates hospitals and care providers, and supervises and consults with local public health agencies. Its responsibilities include public health; mental health and substance abuse; long-term support and care; services to people with disabilities, medical assistance, and children’s services; aging programs; physical and developmental disability services; blindness disability programs; operation of care and treatment facilities; quality assurance programs; nutrition supplementation programs; medical assistance; and health care for low-income families, elderly, and the disabled.

The Utah HCBS waiver program is a state-run program that serves individuals in Utah with intellectual disabilities or related conditions (ID/RC). HCBS stands for Home and Community-Based Services.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) is the principal advisory group to the United States Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on policy development and provides coordination and support for HHS's strategic and policy planning, planning and development of legislation, program evaluation, data gathering, policy-related research, and regulatory program. ASPE refers both to the position, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the office directed by that position. Since its authorization in 1965, ASPE has played an instrumental role as an internal strategy group, think tank, and incubator supporting the priorities and needs of the Secretary, and consequently, the Department as a whole.

Medicaid Waiver programs help provide services to people who would otherwise be in an institution, nursing home, or hospital to receive long-term care in the community. Prior to 1991, the Federal Medicaid program paid for services only if a person lived in an institution. The approval of Federal Medicaid Waiver programs allowed states to provide services to consumers in their homes and in their communities.

As of 2017, approximately 1.4 million Americans live in a nursing home, two-thirds of whom rely on Medicaid to pay for their care. Residential nursing facilities receive Medicaid federal funding and approvals through a state health department. These facilities may be overseen by various types of state agency.

References

  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2021-03-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Ohio Rev. Code § 121.01 et seq.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "About the Ohio Department of Aging" . Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  4. 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. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
  5. "Ursel McElroy, Director of Department of Aging, Governor Mike DeWine" . Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  6. "Ohio Department of Aging - Find Services". Ohio Department of Aging. Retrieved 11 July 2018.