TOPEKA — Fear that federal funding cuts will mean loved ones won’t receive nutritional food and safety checks through Meals on Wheels is driving an increase of calls to agencies across Kansas.
“It’s scary,” said Laurel Alkire, executive director of Senior Services Inc. of Wichita. “I’ve had a lot of families call me about their mom or dad. We’re trying to not overreact, but it’s very concerning.”
The fear is generated by potential federal funding cuts from multiple sources that could affect Meals on Wheels budgets nationwide, said Josh Protas, an advocate at the organization’s national office, Meals on Wheels America.
“I think there’s a lot of confusion and a lot of anxiety that we’re hearing from across our network that is in response to multiple threats that are happening all at once,” he said.
Programs facing federal cuts include those funded by Health and Human Services, which has faced “massive” cuts of budget and personnel, Protas said. A leaked budget document signaled intentions to cut and split apart some programs that serve older adults.
Also of concern is the ongoing budget reconciliation process, which among other things may include elimination of social services block grants and cuts to the Older Americans Act, he said.
“Social Services Block Grants are a critical source of funding for many Meals on Wheels programs to help fill in the gaps where there are shortfalls in other funding sources,” Protas said.
PROPOSED CUTS to Medicaid also could harm Meals on Wheels budgets because those funds sometimes offer reimbursements, he said.
Isys Schmitt, director of nutrition at the Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging, said her agency serves 18 counties at 28 sites in northwest Kansas.
“I do hear the concerns from participants,” she said. “I think it’s more they hear these things on the news, and they automatically think it’s going to affect our program very badly.”
Her agency receives about 25% of its funding from federal sources, 25% from the state, and the rest in contributions, Schmitt said.
Protas said Meals on Wheels programs are all funded through different mechanisms, so it’s difficult to tell how cuts might affect each program. Some get almost no federal funding, while others may receive 80% of funds from federal sources.
Staying calm, planning ahead
Julie Govert Walter, executive director of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging Inc., is assessing potential cuts and trying to plan for how her agency might be affected, including the Meals on Wheels program it runs.
“We’re right now telling people don’t panic,” she said. “We don’t want our elder Kansans to stress out over the uncertainty. At the same time, we want lawmakers in Washington to understand that the Older Americans Act programs are making significant differences in the lives of older Kansans and their caregivers and their families.”
ABOUT HALF of Walter’s agency budget is derived from the Older Americans Act, with about 34% of the allocation and related in-kind match donations supporting the meals program in 18 northeast Kansas counties.
