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initiative focussing on older Indian veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs, the

Administration on Native Americans and AoA are working together to promote this

initiative for broader involvement and collaboration with other Federal agencies.

Another focus of the Task Force is how to improve access to Social Security

benefits. This effort will build on work begun in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 1991

by a group of Indian leaders who participated in a leadership and empowerment training seminar conducted by The American Association of Retired Persons with support from AQA.

The Task Force has also convened meetings to hear from significant Indian constituencies (representatives from Federally and State recognized tribes as well as from urban Indian organizations) about their views of Federally supported programs For Indian elders.

The Task Force is now in the process of developing a report to submit to the Commissioner on Aging, including recommendations for targeting services to Indian

elders.

Before proceeding to a discussion of the Title VI program, I would like to note that the efforts of the office will both benefit from, and can contribute to, the successful implementation of the National Eldercare Campaign which Dr. Berry launched in January of this year. The campaign is designed as a nation-wide, multiYeffort to mobilize resources to assist older persons at risk of losing their selfsufficiency. Threats to self-sufficiency can take many forms: declining mental or

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physical health, abuse or neglect by family, friends or caretakers; low income; and the lack of a caregiver in times of need. Many older minorities, people who live in rural areas, women and the "old old" who are often widowed or living alone must deal with additional barriers and handicaps.

The National Eldercare Campaign encompasses all forms of care, ranging from in-home supportive services and respite care to institutional care. We in the Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Programs know firsthand the difficulties which Native American elders often face in maintaining their independence. We look forward to helping mobilize additional resources through the National Eldercare Campaign to enhance the self-sufficiency of older Native Americans. We also anticipate that the Older Americans Act Eldercare Volunteer Corps, which Dr. Berry launched on April 18, will help support and strengthen both the established program efforts which our office carries out as well as our efforts in conjunction with the National Eldercare Campaign. I will now provide a brief overview of the specific program activities for which the Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs is responsible.

Older Americans Act. TITLE VI - Grants for Native Americans

Under Title VI of the Older Americans Act, AQA annually awards grants to provide supportive and nutritional services for older Native Americans. As you

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know, the 1987 Amendments to the Older Americans Act added Native Hawaiians to the American Indians and Alaskan Natives who were already being served by Title

VI. The Title VI program was first funded in Fiscal Year 1980, with 85 tribal organizations receiving grants. Currently, 193 tribal organizations receive Title VI, Part A grants and one organization representing Native Hawaiians receives a grant under Part B of Title VI. This represents an increase of 135 percent in eleven years. These grants are used to promote opportunities for older Native Americans to secure and maintain independence and self-sufficiency and to ensure, to the extent feasible, that services, opportunities, or other appropriate assistance are available to those older Native Americans in need. Nutrition services and information and referral services

are required under these grants. Other services which may be provided include:

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services provided to residents of care-providing

facilities, such as case management, counseling, and

group services.

AoA has enhanced the technical assistance offered to Title VI grantees by funding a private consulting firm to provide assistance to grantees in improving grantee coordination with Title I programs in the provision of supportive and nutrition services. They also provide training for Title VI grantees on making more effective use of resources available under both Titles III and VI of the OAA. Additionally, AoA issued a Program Instruction to all State and Area Agencies on Aging detailing steps to be taken to increase targeting of services to older individuals who are in greatest economic or social need, with special focus on older Indians.

Summary

We are excited about these initial steps we have undertaken to address the problems confronting older Native Americans. This office is committed to working with the rest of AoA to fulfill the requirements of the OAA.

This concludes my prepared remarks. I will be pleased to answer any questions

which you and the other Members may have.

Thank you.

Senator ADAMS. Thank you, Ms. Jackson. I have one question and then I will turn to Congressman Martinez.

Will you explain to me how you feel your office will benefit from the Elder Care Program Campaign?

Ms. JACKSON. You are talking to a novice in the office.

Senator ADAMS. That is all right. On elder care, we are all novices and that is why I ask the question.

Ms. JACKSON. Personally, I feel that Indian communities can be leaders in elder care because I expect we are already doing things in Indian communities that will come under the umbrella term "elder care" that AOA is anticipating is going to be happening in non-Indian communities.

When we look at the funding level of the elderly services in Indian communities and then see the services that are being provided, it is apparent that a lot more resources are going into those services than just funding from AOA and I think that is what the whole Elder Care Campaign is about, is getting additional funding sources to support services for elders.

Senator ADAMS. Private?

Ms. JACKSON. Private, tribal-in our case, a lot tribal. In-kind services from other agencies.

Senator ADAMS. Thank you.

Congressman Martinez?

Chairman MARTINEZ. I do not know that I have questions. I had a personal visit by Dr. Berry to my office and I am quite convinced that she understands the program as it should be delivered and what needs to be done.

I do not think I could get a commitment from her as far as whether the Secretary would support a $300 million increase in the funding level but I understand that is a very difficult thing for someone within the office to tell the President and Administration who chooses to cut funding rather than approve funding that we need more funding and still retain their position.

I am, however, though, impressed by the move that he made that we were contemplating in our legislation, that of moving and elevating the position of the AOA Commissioner. This is something that I think is a very positive step and I have expressed that to Dr. Berry.

I do have one question, though.

You mentioned the 135 percent increase in eleven years. Do you not mean 135 percent increase in the number of tribes who receive the grants?

Ms. JACKSON. Yes.

Chairman MARTINEZ. That is a lot different than 135 percent increase, as it would appear, in the number of dollars. It was not the number of dollars that increased.

Ms. JACKSON. No, I was not talking dollars. I was talking grant

ees.

Chairman MARTINEZ. I just wanted to make sure that that was clear.

Again, I think that we need to work together and move towards providing more services. I think continually we have heard in almost every hearing that we have held-we have held seven and