Allegheny County to scale back services for older adults amid projected $5M budget shortfall

The budget crisis stems from a convergence of factors that have strained resources over time. A primary issue is structural: the population of adults aged 65 and older has grown by over 20% in the last decade, and the cost of living has risen by nearly 40%, while funding from the state has remained largely flat. This long-standing issue was exacerbated by the recent exhaustion of federal pandemic relief funds, such as those from the American Rescue Plan, which had been providing an extra $3 to $3.5 million annually. The final blow was the loss of a $2 million contract from the state's Office of Long-Term Living due to federal Medicaid-related changes.

In response to the shortfall, the county will scale back some services, cap others, and institute waitlists for new applicants. While officials have assured that mandated services like essential in-home care and protective services will continue for current recipients, non-mandated support will be reduced. New applicants for home-delivered meals, home support, home modifications, and personal care will now be placed on waiting lists. As of Friday, there were already people on waitlists for home-delivered meals and in-home support services. Additionally, in-home support like grocery shopping and cleaning will be capped at four hours per month, and the agency will no longer fund items such as medical supplements or incontinence supplies.

Alex Jutca, the interim director of the county's Department of Human Services, described the choices as painful but necessary to confront the current budget realities. He emphasized that these measures are intended to navigate the immediate crisis while acknowledging that the underlying trends of a growing senior population and rising costs will persist. The county anticipates the older adult population will reach about 285,000 by 2030, which will continue to stretch the gap between funding and service demand.

This situation in Allegheny County is not unique within Pennsylvania. Last year, over a dozen senior centers in eight other counties were forced to close, and many more are at risk. Twenty other Area Agencies on Aging in the state expect to cut programs, and more than 20 anticipate expanding their waitlists for services. For now, Allegheny County officials encourage older adults in need to contact the SeniorLine information center, where staff will attempt to connect residents on waitlists with other available community resources.