county, a single city with population of at least 250,000, or a single Indian Reservation." I would suggest to you that an additional statement be added to provide that "Smaller areas may be designated as "Project Areas" upon review and recommendation of the State Agency with subsequent approval of the Secretary or his delegated authority." 909.18 Coordination of other Agencies Part 909.38, A.-requires that Supporting Social Services including: comprehensive outreach, transportation, Information and referral services health and welfare counseling services; Nutrition education and recreational activities be provided. Section B of this part further provides that, Not more than 20 percent of a State's Allotment for a given fiscal year shall be used for the provision of Social Services prescribed in this section. I would suggest to you that the 20 percent limitation for Supporting Social Services inadequate to provide the projected demands for Supportive Social Services particularly that of transportation. A comprehensive review of the priorities of AoA Title III should be completed with the objective of coordinating there priorities with the stated goals and objectives of Title VII. It is further suggested that a task force be established to study the feasability, on a national level, of expanding the authority of Title VI of the Social Security Amendment of 1967, to include a direct tie in with the requirements of Supportive Social Services as provided for in Title VII. The following should be reviewed: 1. Assurance that each of the 50 states has completed its plans for, and has implemented the necessary machinery to contract with private and/or public agencies, organizations, and institutions for the purchase of supportive social services. 2. The requirement of third (3rd) party funding. 3. The eligibility requirement of former, current or potential recipient of public assistance. 4. The matching requirements revised to be more consistant with matching requirements of Title VII (Title XVI requires 75/25). 5. To include a provision that Title XVI matching requirements may include "In Kind Contributions." 909.21 Project Awards I would suggest to you that part E, of this item, "Each project must serve an average of at least 100 meals daily throughout the project area," be amended to include that, “This provision may be waived in the event that Local geographic and/or SRS approval. 909.22 Strengthening of Existing programs I would suggest to you that you add the words "and expand" be added to line three (3) of this paragraph following the word "strengthen.” 909.34 Selection of Congregate Meal sites. I would suggest to you that either in this section: or Part 909.59, "Allowable Costs, that there be a provision for the purchase of equipment and vehicles under the title of capital expenditures. 909.40 Charges to recipients for cost of meals.-Part E. This section must be reviewed and explained in much greater detail regarding the eligibility of persons using food stamps for home delivered meals, the USDA guide lines are quite specific regarding the limitation placed on this provision. 909.49 Purchase of goods and services. Part C should provide for renewal, options on contractual agreements provided both parties are satisfied with performance of the contract, 909.60 USDA Donated Foods Would suggest that USDA or the Administration on Aging prepare for distribution a handbook and/or guidelines that would clearly define the type of donated foods available, The procedure for acquisition of such foods, and periodic equivalent cost charts for accounting purposes, especially when food service is contracted out to a private profit making firm. Senator PERCY. Well, I appreciate that very much, indeed. STATEMENT OF MRS. SAN JUAN BARNES, DIRECTOR, SENIOR NEIGHBOR AND COMPANION CLUB, WASHINGTON, D.C. Mrs. BARNES. Thank you. I am the director of a 3-year-old program in Washington known as the Washington Urban League. I am delighted to be allowed to speak about the nutrition program for the elderly. Although I have seen the project grow from three to 17 clubs serving 348 older Americans a five-course meal 5 days a week in a social setting, I still am concerned about the circumstances surrounding the eating habits of the elderly. I was very happy to hear you say this morning the Army-the country has found ways of feeding the Army, regardless of where it is and we should do the same for the senior citizens. I would like to speak to the contributions to the program. I feel that they should be the same. As to the tendency to cheat, the senior citizens of today are so thankful and happy to be able to participate in a program such as this that they are willing to contribute their bit to the project and I think that the cheating is very, very small, if any. If fact, that was their way of life. They know they must pay the way. Emphasis has been placed on the broad scope of the elderly, but it also includes specifically that forgotten elderly segment of the population, namely the American Indians, the black Americans, the orientals, and the Spanish-speaking people. These are the people who suffer most for they, too often, not only have to go without food, but generally, are not aware of the social services that are theirs for the asking, simply because they have not been exposed to this information. The needs of the elderly have been analyzed. The results well documented. Now remains the challenge of implementation to reflect the goals spelled out in the nutrition bill. These proposed regulations do so very effectively. For this I am happy and I commend the committee. However, as viable as the nutrition program might be, a question arises in my mind as to the feasibility of some parts of the mandate. For instance, there are presently existing programs of long duration that have become a way of life for some elderly. The structure of these programs is not compatible with the 5-day-week site concept, for in these programs, the elderly meet only once or twice a week. Yet the senior citizens who participate in these programs look forward to that 1-day gathering with their friends and neighbors. SOCIAL SERVICES CREATE BRIGHTER LIFE The procedure of dressing up and coming to the congregate feeding station for a hot meal and social services such as nutrition education, counseling and health services, recreation, and may I add one service not included in the regulation listing, consumer education. That is very important. All of this already has given these senior citizens a newer and brighter outlook on life. I am only saying, gentlemen, that as comprehensive as the goals of the nutrition program are, if the 5-day week, hot-meal onsite-only concept remains the mandate, then there will be senior citizens who unnecessarily will go hungry and will be denied the social services that may help them to lead a better life. One hot meal a day in a site for 5 days or more a week in a social setting involving social services is ideal. Let us keep it and try to insist on this arrangement as much as possible but let us also try to provide for the people who meet for a lesser time per week. At least one hot meal a day in the same environment as the 5-day-week program under the same circumstances is better than no meal at all. Further, gentlemen, it has been proven that these programs are not a waste of money, energy, or time but instead are a means of reaching more elderly, especially the isolated, to motivate them as well as to educate them and to provide social services. So I beg of you to include this group of programs in the plans for the nutrition program for the elderly. The goals established in the nutrition program are worthy ones, but let us not overreach, for goals set too high may fail to be as far-reaching as they could be or as realistic. The conscience of the Nation has been aroused and concern for the elderly has reached new heights. Let us not be hasty to cut off those programs already meeting the needs of the elderly but instead help to reinforce these efforts as new goals are established. At least, let us try. Thank you for inviting me to be with you this afternoon. I close with the hope that this committee will continued to see fit to work in the interest of enhancing the lives of the senior citizens of this country. In their behalf, again, I thank you. Senator PERCY. Mr. Kramer? STATEMENT OF EDWARD J. KRAMER, DIRECTOR, SERVICES TO THE AGED, HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT, NEW YORK CITY Mr. KRAMER. Thank you, Senator Percy. I am Edward Kramer, director of the services to the aged at the Henry Street Settlement in New York City. I will submit my written testimony* for the record and review the major points which I believe are important. In speaking to many older people, we in New York City, would like to redefine, as was suggested by Mr. O'Malley of our State office, the definition of minority groups to read: "The definition of minority groups should not be limited to specific ethnic or racial groups but should be broadened to include all limited English speaking aged poor." We also believe in-kind resources should be expanded to include credit for property, rent, facilities, and equipment and that the 10-percent non-Federal matching requirements by the State, the State should be able to consider this as a contribution of a local sponsor. Senator PERCY. Could I ask a question there that puzzles me on limited English-speaking aged poor. What if you have very large Jewish communities, low income Jewish communities, but there is no problem about English speaking at all. They might speak perfectly fluent English. There is a particular dietary problem, particularly for a lot of orthodox. Wouldn't that be looked upon as a minority group then? *See p. 288. Mr. KRAMER. I would hope so. Then again, in many orthodox Jewish communities, you find people speak only Yiddish or Hebrew or mixed German or both. Senator PERCY. We should not establish a criteria whether they can speak fluent English or not. For nutrition purposes, we have to take into account that special dietary needs and requirements exist in certain groups in America that must be and should be respected. Mr. KRAMER. I think one of the problems we found with some of the OEO programs and some of the Model Cities programs is that you get in New York and Chicago, the blacks wanting one program, the whites wanting another program, the Polish people wanting this, the Jews feeling they are left out of that. As a person working with people for many years, I want to say let's avoid that now and let's not divide groups. There are enough divisions in this country. If we don't specify but limit it to the aged poor, and the other guidelines that are in the regulations, we would be better off. DEVELOP ETHNIC MENUS AT LOCAL LEVEL To continue, you had mentioned the regulations provide for meals which would meet ethnic and religious obligations, and I would like to recommend that the ethnic menus be developed at a local level with the cooperation of members of the program, of the site, and that the funds somehow be available for the supervision of the religious requirements. For example, if we were to have a kosher program, you would need religious supervision, and it raises a question of who would pay for that. In New York City, the cost for that, to have a supervising rabbi, is $1,200 a year, and I would recommend that some decisions need to be made of where these funds would come from. Will they be the Federal funds, the State funds that come from the site, or should that be a contribution of the religious community? I personally feel it should be a contribution of each religious community, and I am afraid we would get into where we have different leaders who see this as a way of getting Federal funds. I would hope that religious communities will see the benefit of this to contribute. their services. I would like to recommend that we try very hard to get food stamps, to again be able to be accepted for food, meals eaten at the center. It is not allowed at the present time and many people are using the food stamps, the people who are for home-bound meals. But many, many people have food stamps, and want to use them in the center. I hope through your cooperation and the cooperation of the Department of Agriculture this could be worked out. The guidelines I feel are somewhat vague on project staff, and I feel very strongly the selection and competency of project staff be very specifically spelled out. Let's develop job descriptions for the project director, for the nutritionist, and other people working on the staff. Let's not get into the situation where we have people who have been in civil service a long time come down and get these jobs. I think the county, a single city with population of at least 250,000, or a single Indian Reservation." I would suggest to you that an additional statement be added to provide that "Smaller areas may be designated as "Project Areas" upon review and recommendation of the State Agency with subsequent approval of the Secretary or his delegated authority." 909.18 Coordination of other Agencies Part 909.38, A.-requires that Supporting Social Services including: comprehensive outreach, transportation, Information and referral services health and welfare counseling services; Nutrition education and recreational activities be provided. Section B of this part further provides that, Not more than 20 percent of a State's Allotment for a given fiscal year shall be used for the provision of Social Services prescribed in this section. I would suggest to you that the 20 percent limitation for Supporting Social Services inadequate to provide the projected demands for Supportive Social Services particularly that of transportation. A comprehensive review of the priorities of AoA Title III should be completed with the objective of coordinating there priorities with the stated goals and objectives of Title VII. It is further suggested that a task force be established to study the feasability, on a national level, of expanding the authority of Title -VI of the Social Security Amendment of 1967, to include a direct tie in with the requirements of Supportive Social Services as provided for in Title VII. The following should be reviewed: 1. Assurance that each of the 50 states has completed its plans for, and has implemented the necessary machinery to contract with private and/or public agencies, organizations, and institutions for the purchase of supportive social services. 2. The requirement of third (3rd) party funding. 3. The eligibility requirement of former, current or potential recipient of public assistance. 4. The matching requirements revised to be more consistant with matching requirements of Title VII (Title XVI requires 75/25). 5. To include a provision that Title XVI matching requirements may include "In Kind Contributions." 909.21 Project Awards I would suggest to you that part E, of this item, "Each project must serve an average of at least 100 meals daily throughout the project area," be amended to include that, "This provision may be waived in the event that Local geographic and/or SRS approval. 909.22 Strengthening of Existing programs I would suggest to you that you add the words "and expand" be added to line three (3) of this paragraph following the word "strengthen." 909.34 Selection of Congregate Meal sites. I would suggest to you that either in this section: or Part 909.59, "Allowable Costs, that there be a provision for the purchase of equipment and vehicles under the title of capital expenditures. 909.40 Charges to recipients for cost of meals.-Part E. This section must be reviewed and explained in much greater detail regarding the eligibility of persons using food stamps for home delivered meals, the USDA guide lines are quite specific regarding the limitation placed on this provision. 909.49 Purchase of goods and services. Part C should provide for renewal, options on contractual agreements provided both parties are satisfied with performance of the contract, 909.60 USDA Donated Foods Would suggest that USDA or the Administration on Aging prepare for distribution a handbook and/or guidelines that would clearly define the type of donated foods available, The procedure for acquisition of such foods, and periodic equivalent cost charts for accounting purposes, especially when food service is contracted out to a private profit making firm. Senator PERCY. Well, I appreciate that very much, indeed. |