WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich this week announced the publication of Aging Our Way, PA — a 10-year strategic plan that will help transform service delivery to create the age-friendly Commonwealth that all residents deserve now and in the future.
Aging Our Way, PA will serve as a road map for older adult services in Pennsylvania, ensuring services meet the needs of older adults as they move through different stages of life, addressing everyday issues such as healthcare, transportation, housing, long-term care and social connections.
“Pennsylvania took one year to develop Aging Our Way, PA while other states, like California, took two to three years to complete their plans,” Shapiro said. “By quickly and conscientiously crafting this plan, we are showing residents of our Commonwealth and the nation that we are getting stuff done. We all know our older adults are vital members of our communities. As we all age, we deserve the programs and supports we need to thrive. Aging Our Way, PA presents a bold vision for Pennsylvania’s future and with the release of this plan, we will begin to lay the foundation to build more inclusive, accessible, and cost-effective systems and infrastructure that support the needs of our community members across the Commonwealth.”
By 2030, the population of Pennsylvanians aged 60 and over is projected to surpass 3.8 million, accounting for 1 in 3 Pennsylvanians, and older Pennsylvanians are expected to outnumber every other age group.
Recognizing this rapidly growing population, Gov. Shapiro signed an Executive Order in May 2023, directing the Department of Aging (PDA) and other agencies in his Administration to develop a master plan called Aging Our Way, PA.
“We know our Commonwealth’s older adult population is growing faster than any other demographic, and with that comes opportunities to evaluate how living as an older adult in the Commonwealth is now and how we can make it better in the future,” said Secretary Kavulich. “Aging Our Way, PA is the road map for making those improvements in the way older adults are cared for, how they receive and connect to services and supports, and how they can get the most out of their communities to age in place.”
The goals of Aging Our Way, PA are broken down into three levels of details: five priorities, which are the biggest themes; 36 strategies, which are middle-level guiding ideas; and 163 tactics, which are specific actions with clear results. The plan’s five priorities are:
• Unlocking Access: Designing and offering fair, affordable options and opportunities for all older adults to age in a healthy and active way, no matter what their situation is.
• Aging in Community: Eliminating barriers so older adults can age in their own homes and communities while being comfortable living in familiar surroundings.
• Gateways to Independence: Promoting safe, accessible, convenient transportation regardless of personal mobility.
• Caregiver Supports: Building supports and resources so people who take care of others have the help, training, and rest that they need.
• Education & Navigation: Leading a network of community partners to promote services so that information about helpful services is easier for older adults to find.
PDA worked with the 52 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), along with the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A), to host more than 200 virtual and in-person listening sessions across all 67 counties to gather input for the plan from stakeholders, caregivers, older adults and advocates. More than 20,000 Pennsylvanians participated in various degrees, with nearly 3,600 comments submitted, and 490 people participating in PDA’s virtual sessions.
Rep. Meuser co-sponsors legislation to combat waste, fraud, misuse of federal funds
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, this week co-sponsored H.R. 8343 — the Enhancing Improper Payment Accountability Act — which would support the protection of taxpayer dollars by enacting more comprehensive reporting requirements for new federal spending programs and ensuring all programs are compliant with current reporting standards.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) defines improper payments as any payments “that should not have been made or were made in the incorrect amount.” Meuser said each year, hundreds of billions of dollars are improperly paid, with FY 2023 alone seeing $236 billion in improper payments across 71 government programs.
The Enhancing Improper Payment Accountability Act would classify new federal spending programs appropriated over $100 million annually as “susceptible to significant improper payments” for their first four years. It mandates stricter and timely reporting requirements for these programs, requires agencies to report on their anti-fraud controls and fraud risk management efforts in annual financial reports to Congress, and demands that the President’s budget disclose information on agencies and programs that fail to report on improper payments.
“Over $2.7 trillion in tax dollars has been mishandled by big government spending in the past twenty years,” Meuser said. “Hardworking Americans, especially Pennsylvanians, must be assured that their tax dollars are responsibly managed and invested. The Enhancing Payment Accountability Act will strengthen reporting requirements for programs and activities susceptible to improper payments, equipping Congress and executive branch agencies with the necessary tools to detect and prevent the misuse of federal funds. This bill is an important step in addressing our government’s spending crisis, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this practical legislation.”
H.R. 8343 was reportedly favorably by the House Committee on the Budget by a vote of 18-7. It currently awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives.
Rep. Cartwright announces list of FY25 Community Project Funding submissions
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, this week announced he has submitted 15 Community Project Funding requests to the House Appropriations Committee for funding consideration ahead of the fiscal year 2025 congressional appropriations process.
All five counties in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District are represented in Cartwright’s selections.
“As a Member of Congress, one of my top priorities is to deliver federal tax dollars back to the people I serve,” Cartwright said. “In the three years since Community Project Funding was reintroduced, I’ve successfully brought home more than $87 million in Community Project Funding dollars for Northeastern Pennsylvania. These projects will make a real difference in our district by strengthening infrastructure, creating good-paying jobs, supporting public safety, and boosting economic development.”
In 2021, the House adopted a submissions process for Community Project Funding (CPF) requests by individual Members for specific projects that will benefit the communities they represent.
Since then, Cartwright has secured funding for every single project he has submitted to Appropriations.
In Fiscal Year 2022, he successfully secured $19.6 million for his district; in Fiscal Year 2023, he brought home another $52.7 million; and in Fiscal Year 2024, he procured $15.35 million.
FY2025 Luzerne County submissions:
• $1 million — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.
For the construction phase of the long-term project to expand the terminal space by approximately 10,000 square feet and improve the overall passenger experience and flow of the Avoca Airport to increase public safety and security at the airport.
• $1,909,837 — Kingston Police Department equipment and technology upgrades.
For upgrading equipment and technology to increase officer safety and effectiveness of law enforcement operations in the borough of Kingston.
• $2,384,064 — Hazleton Police Department Equipment and Technology upgrades.
For upgrading the Department’s technology, vehicles and other equipment in order to improve response times, enhancing officer safety and promote accountability.
• $1 million — Wilkes-Barre Township Safe Streets & Sidewalks Project.
For building out and deploying a municipal-wide public safety surveillance network with integrated license plate reader technology to improve the provision of public safety and security.
• $2,480,000 — Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority.
To update 1,147 linear feet of interceptor line running under the City of Wilkes-Barre, ensuring reliable wastewater service, eliminating the risk of raw sewage release and pipe collapse, while protecting public health and the environment.
• $1 million — Redevelopment Authority of Luzerne County.
To improve traffic signals at six crossroads within the public rights-of-way on PA Route 309, a two-lane road without traffic signals, in Plains Township. The outdated existing infrastructure is not sufficient to manage current traffic volume in the area.
• $1 million — Early Childhood Care Learning Center, Jewish Community Alliance of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Kingston.