A new issue brief, authored by Madeline Shea and Aaron Tripp, provides an overview of key provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 which offer the potential to make communities better places to grow older. ARPA provides an opportunity for states to build sustainable, person-centered systems and infrastructure for older Americans. These provisions aim to allow older Americans to age in their home and communities.
The provisions examined in the issue brief include addressing both long-standing and emerging needs of older adults for state government officials, including staff of Medicaid, aging, and housing and community development agencies; state legislators and their staff; and advisors to governors.
The ARPA funds are now available to states and local governments and will allow the development of better systems for older Americans. Key areas of opportunity outlined in the brief include
- Building integrated data systems
- Expanding affordable housing with services
- Enhancing quality measurement and value-based purchasing models
- Developing workforce recruitment and retention strategies
- Ensuring access to internet services and assistive technology
- Aligning Medicaid and Medicare services and payments
- Creating ongoing structures to engage stakeholders in designing innovative and integrative approaches to meet community needs and monitoring their effectiveness over time
