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Department of Health and Human Services > Harris
County Area Agency on Aging > What is the Area Agency
on Aging?
Harris
County Area Agency on Aging
What is the
Area Agency on Aging?
The Harris County
Area Agency on Aging is a part of the City of Houston Department
of Health and Human Services.
The Agency was established in January, 1977 to provide
federally funded social services for the elderly, as authorized
by the Grants for Community Programs on Aging, Title III, Older
Americans Act of 1965.
Under
the overall goal of a comprehensive community based services
delivery system, the Harris County Area Agency on Aging has
the following federally mandated responsibilities:
-
Determine
the need for social and nutrition services with special
attention given to those elderly in greatest economic or
social need.
-
Advocate
for the elderly by increasing the awareness of service providers,
elected officials, civic groups, and the corporate and voluntary
sectors regarding the needs of the elderly.
-
Utilize
federal funds to fill identified service gaps.
-
Provide
technical assistance and training to service providers and
private sector organizations relating to aging programs
and services.
The
Older Americans Act of 1965 and its subsequent amendments authorized
the establishment of state units on aging and “Area Agencies
on Aging” to plan and fund services at the state and local levels.
Currently, there are more than 650 area agencies nationwide.
In
Texas, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
(DADS) is responsible for administering Older Americans Act
programs. DADS
carries a statutory mandate to develop and strengthen services
for the state’s elderly population.
DADS has 28 affiliated Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)
“planning and service areas” within the state.
Harris County and other major metropolitan areas are
designated service areas; the others are multi-county regions.
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