|
|
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
AUGUST
Ashley Tolbert
Area Agency on Aging
|
|
|
NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (SARPC), I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of our state legislators representing the SARPC Region for their tireless and dedicated service to the Region in their efforts to resolve the state budget issues. The possibility of severe cuts in several of the programs and services administered by SARPC for the Region was very real at the start of this past legislative session. However, due to the outstanding commitment our legislators have to serving this Region and to the collective influence and respect they have within the legislature and by Governor Bentley, significant budget cuts were minimized or avoided altogether allowing SARPC to continue meeting the needs of our member governments and the senior and low-income residents of the region.
Chris Miller
|
TRANSPORTATION
FTA 5310 (Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities) Awards.
The Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the Designated Recipient for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 Urban Area Funding for the Mobile Urban Area. The FTA 5310 Project Selection Committee met on September 11, 2015 and awarded the following for capital projects:
| AGENCY |
FEDERAL AMOUNT |
CAPITAL / OPERATING |
| Mobile ARC |
$163,886 |
Capital |
| City of Saraland |
$43,200 |
Capital
|
| City of Satsuma |
$24,800 |
Capital
|
| Goodwill Easter Seals |
$43,200 |
Capital
|
| City of Prichard SAIL Center |
$43,200 |
Capital
|
This coming summer we will have another round of funding. There will only be around $100,000 for operations (paying your drivers) and about $300,000 for capital (vehicles).
______________________________________________________________________________
Rural Planning Organization
The Rural Planning Organization (RPO) Committee met this past Wednesday at the Baldwin County Central Annex in Robertsdale, Alabama.
Items on the agenda included a review and adoption of the Work Program for Fiscal Year 2016, which is the program budget for the transportation planning staff for the rural areas of the SARPC region; a review and adoption of the Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan which details the transit needs of the elderly, disabled, and low income populations of both the rural and urban areas; an update of the RPO's Transportation Plan and List of Safety Needs; and a presentation of ALDOT's current and future transportation projects in Mobile, Baldwin and Escambia Counties. The presentation included bridge projects, capacity projects, interstate maintenance projects, and resurfacing projects. Some of the projects discussed included a bridge replacement over Conecuh River in Escambia County, a divergent diamond interchange at Interstate 10 and 181, completing the new US 98 from Schillinger west to the state line, an update of the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge, and resurfacing several shielded routes throughout the three counties. The documents mentioned above are all available on our website.
_______________________________________________________________________________
HSCTP
Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan (HSCTP)
Staff recently completed the FY 2016-2019 Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan. Meetings were held in July and August - one in each county of the region to gather input about the current transportation services and needs. Federal Transportation Law Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) requires that specialized transit projects for the elderly, the disabled, and people with low incomes be included in a locally developed, coordinated human service transportation plan. The goal of the Plan is to enhance access to transit service in Southwest Alabama through the coordination of existing and future services. The key elements of a Coordinated Plan include the following:
- Identify common origins and destinations for targeted populations
- Inventory existing transit services
- Identify unmet needs
- Identify possible wasteful duplication of efforts
- Recommend provisions for cost-efficient transit services
The final document is available on our website HERE.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Non-Motorized Mobility Study for Downtown Mobile
Toole Design Group is finalizing the recommendations of the Non-Motorized Mobility Study for Downtown Mobile.
The purpose of the study was to consider bicycle and pedestrian safety and connectivity within the downtown area and along the radial connections to the Henry Aaron Loop. The study has now been completed. The deliverables will be ready by the end of the fiscal year. For further information and presentations, see
HERE
.
|
WORKING FOR CAREGIVERS
Area Agency on Aging staff were joined by the Baldwin County Council on Aging on a team for the Walk to Remember held in Fairhope on Saturday September 12. SARPC's Area Agency on Aging will also have a team for the Mobile event in Langan Park on November 7, all supporting Alzheimer's research and education. The next Caregiver College will be at the VIA! Center in Mobile on November 12. The Alabama Cares Program is currently enrolling caregivers for its respite program for FY 16.
|
FAREWELL LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
 This will be my last newsletter article as Director of the Employment and Economic Development Services Department. Effective October 1, 2015, I am retiring from South Alabama Regional Planning Commission. I want to thank the Board and Staff of the Planning Commission for the opportunities and support that I have received over the 13 years I have been employed by the Commission. It has been an honor to be a part of this organization and work with the communities and member governments. The SARPC region will continue to be my home. I look forward to enjoying all the attributes of this wonderful place we call South Alabama.
Warmest Regards,
Jenny White
|
AREA AGENCY ON AGING CELEBRATES 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT
To meet the diverse needs of the growing numbers of older persons in the United States, President Lyndon Johnson on July 14, 1965, signed into law the Older Americans Act. The ACT set out specific objectives for maintaining the dignity and welfare of older individuals and created the primary vehicle for organizing, coordinating and providing community based services, opportunities and advocacy for older Americans and their families. The ACT promotes the well-being of older individuals by providing services and programs designed to help them live independently in their homes and communities. The ACT also empowers the federal government to distribute funds to the states for supportive services for individuals over the age of 60.
The ACT included the establishment of an aging network that includes State Units on Aging, our Alabama Department of Senior Services housed in Montgomery, and regional Area Agencies on Aging. The South Alabama Regional Planning Commission is designated by the State of Alabama as the Area Agency on Aging to serve Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile Counties. Some services are provided by the Area Agency on Aging and others are providing through our contracting agencies such as the Baldwin County Council on Aging, and local towns and cities who operate senior centers and meal programs.
The Area Agency on Aging is physically located in the offices of the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission in the GM&O building in downtown Mobile. Staff are in each county in the region on a regular basis. Services provided include Supportive and Caregiver Services, Nutrition and Health Promotion, Elder Justice and Elder Rights, and Long Term Ombudsman. The Area Agency on Aging is a starting point to find out about services for older adults in your community. Our Aging and Disability Resource Center provides free information and referral, benefit screening and application assistance, and options counseling to older adults and their families, and is manned by certified, licensed aging professionals from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM Monday to Friday except holidays.
Come join us as we celebrate our Golden 50th Anniversary by "Getting into the ACT" at our upcoming Senior Expos and learn more about how the Area Agency on Aging and other aging service providers help provide a happier and healthier aging community. The Baldwin County Senior Expo will be held at the Coliseum in Robertsdale October 1st and the Mobile Senior Expo will be held at the ABBA Shrine Center in May 2016. Information is also available online at agingsouthalabama.org or by calling us at 433-6541 or 1-800-243-5463.
|
BUDGET UPDATE
The most recent State budget indicated an approximate 5% cut for Aging Services. The impact of these cuts will be longer waiting lists for services, but cuts will be absorbed by normal program attrition and services will be maintained for people currently receiving services.
At the federal level,
in both chambers must recent proposed budgets, Older Americans Act (OAA) programs were spared the sweeping cuts made to other agencies and programs and most core OAA programs were level funded.
However, the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) were cut by 42 percent in the Senate Labor-HHS bill.
It is critical that your Members of Congress keep hearing from people in their local communities about the harmful effects of constrained federal funding under current fiscal policy, budget caps and sequestration! Please contact your Senators and Representatives and encourage them to reach a compromise to eliminate budget caps and the threat of additional cuts under sequestration. Make sure they understand that funding levels for non-defense discretionary programs, including OAA and other aging programs, are at historic lows and cannot absorb continued cuts while still providing critical services for vulnerable seniors at home.
|
MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT OCTOBER 15 - DECEMBER 7, 2015
Th
e State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) is preparing for the Medicare Open Enrollment Period this fall. To help prepare professionals who work with seniors and people on Medicare during this busy and important time of year, SARPC's SHIP program is hosting its annual Medicare Update Train the Trainer event, to be held at VIA! on October 8th. In addition, the SHIP program continues its monthly Welcome to Medicare Workshops for persons turning 65 held at SARPC, the Bay Minette Library, and the Unity House in Atmore. SHIP Volunteer Training was held on
September 14th.
|
SENIOR EXPO - COLISEUM IN ROBERTSDALE
 Baldwin County seniors enjoy the Senior Expo at the Coliseum in Robertsdale. This year's event is on October 1 from 9:30-1:30. Come join in the celebration of 50 years of the Older Americans Act with free admission, free anniversary totes, cupcakes and lunch. For information, contact Gay Watson at 706-4671.
|
LEAN TRAINING TO BE CONDUCTED SEPTEMBER 24 & 28
LEAN Training to be conducted with Medicaid Waiver Staff September 24 and 28.
To prepare for Alabama's Medicaid Managed Care reform, especially the Integrated Care Networks for long term care services and Medicaid Wavier services, the Area Agency on Aging has contracted with Auburn University Montgomery to develop a SARPC-focused, "lean" management and process improvement/reengineering training module. This is intended to build internal capacity to respond to a new environment of cost controls, quality measures and competition.
|
ALABAMA MASTERS GAMES IN OXFORD, AL, OCTOBER 5-8
Our Gulf Coast regional champions will travel to Oxford to compete again senior athletes from across the State during the first week of October. This year we have 56 local athletes competing. SARPC staff will be joined in Oxford by Heidi Hanchey of the City of Mobile, Sarah Duncan of the City of Robertsdale, and Carolyn Vines of the City of Orange Beach. We expect our seniors to bring back many champion ribbons.
|
Our Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and A Matter of Balance have realized a 100% increase in classes/participants this fiscal year. Classes are upcoming at the Semmes Senior Center, Foley Senior Center, James Nix Center, and at the Unity House in Atmore.
|
GOVERNMENT PLANNING UPDATE
USDA Announces Funding for Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge
USDA's Forest Service announced funding for urban and community forestry projects that have a national or multi-state application and impact focused on one of three areas: (1) Analysis and Solutions for Development and Redevelopment Impacts on Urban and Community Forests, (2) Building Human Health Through Urban and Community Forestry, and (3) Climate Change and Its Impact on Trees and Water. An applicant may apply to more than one category; however they are to use a separate application for each category. While the purpose of these grants is to address national issues, there may be efforts in your community that meet these criteria. For full information on this opportunity, please go to:
http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/nucfac.shtml
[CFDA number: 10.675], or [Grant Opportunity No.: USDA-FS-UCF-01-2016]. The grant applications are to be submitted through
www.grants.gov
. Contact Nancy Stremple, Natural Resource Specialist, Executive Staff, National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, (NUCFAC)
[email protected]
or your Forest Service Regional Urban Forestry Program Manager, if you are interested in applying and have any questions. The Forest Service Regional Urban forestry Coordinators are located at
http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/contact_regional.shtml.
______________________________________________________________________________
EPA Releases Resources to Support Local Foods, Local Places Initiative
Local Foods, Local Places will provide direct planning support to selected communities. A team of experts will help community members develop action plans that use local foods to support healthy families and communities and to drive downtown and neighborhood revitalization. The assistance process features a community workshop that brings people together to develop shared goals and steps to achieve them. Together, EPA, USDA, CDC, DOT, Appalachian Regional Commission, and DRA are investing $800,000 in workshops (and seed funding for ARC and Delta Regional Authority communities) through this round of Local Foods, Local Places.
Representatives of communities (including neighborhoods or main street districts) anywhere in the United States are eligible to apply. We encourage applications from communities that are economically challenged and in the early phases of their efforts to promote local foods and community revitalization. Special consideration will be given to communities in federally designated Promise Zones or USDA StrikeForce counties. Application deadline: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, September 15, 2015. To learn more, please go to:
http://www2.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places
.
______________________________________________________________________________
SBA Has Tool to Help Businesses Determine Strength of Their Supply Chains
T
he Small Business Administration (SBA) has found that roughly 40 to 60 percent of businesses never recover from a crippling disaster. This means firms need to not only develop business continuity plans for themselves, but they need to work to verify the continuity plans of their suppliers as well. As we approach hurricane season, this is a good reminder for firms - especially small firms that make up the fabric of so many of our communities - to do this. Interested parties can access the website at
http://www.preparemybusiness.org/
for information about everything from assessing how vulnerable your supply chain is to determining your most critical business functions.
______________________________________________________________________________
Conference Information
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
