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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Lujan, B.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/2/06

HB HJM 36

SHORT TITLE White House Conference on Aging Task Force

SB

ANALYST Lewis

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

NFI*

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

*See narrative.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD)

Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC)

Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

Human Services Department (HSD)

Governor’s Committee on Concerns of the Handicapped (GCCH)

Department of Transportation (DOT)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Memorial 36 requests that the Aging and Long-Term Services Department convene

a task force to study New Mexico’s response to the resolutions of the 2005 White House Confer-

ence on Aging and develop recommendations for implementation.

The memorial further requests that:

the task force identify strategies and resources necessary to prepare New Mexico for the fu-

ture aging disabled population;

the task force include representation from the Department of Health, the Human Services

Department, the Department of Finance and Administration, the Department of Transporta-

tion, the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, the Governor’s Commission on Disabil-

ity, the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, the Indian Affairs Department, the

Veterans’ Services Department and others as may be appropriate;

House Joint Memorial 36 – Page

2

the task force report its findings to the interim Legislative Health and Human Services Com-

mittee during its November 2006 meeting;

the members of the New Mexico congressional delegation be requested to support adequate

federal funding to meet the anticipated needs of the aging population in New Mexico;

the New Mexico congressional delegation be requested to support reauthorization of the fed-

eral Older Americans Act of 1965; and

copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Aging and Long-Term Services Department, the

Department of Health, the Human Services Department, the Department of Finance and Ad-

ministration, the Department of Transportation, the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Author-

ity, the Governor’s Commission on Disability, the Developmental Disabilities Planning

Council, the Indian Affairs Department, the Veterans’ Services Department and the members

of the New Mexico congressional delegation.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Human Services Department (HSD) suggests a thorough analysis of the cost implications to the

agencies identified in HJM36. However, the lead agency, Aging and Long-Term Services De-

partment (ALTSD), indicates that no additional funding or FTEs will be required.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

In 1950 President Harry Truman directed the Federal Security Administration to hold the first

national conference on aging. At that time American demographics were shifting, and the num-

ber of elderly was increasing rapidly. The purpose of the 1950 conference was to assess the chal-

lenges posed by the changing population. The first designated “White House Conference on Ag-

ing” was held in 1961. Subsequent White House Conferences on Aging were held in

1971, 1981

and 1995. Substantial information about the 2005 White House Conference on Aging can be

found at its web site at

http://www.whcoa.gov/

.

The Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) and the joint memorial note that New

Mexico’s emerging population of individuals over the age of 65 will almost double by the year

2025; and that New Mexico will then have the fourth highest percentage of individuals over the

age of 65 (more than 26 percent) in the country. ALTSD notes below the top 10 resolutions

adopted by the 2005 White House Conferences on Aging, and the number of delegate votes each

received:

Rank Text of resolution

Votes

1 Reauthorize the Older Americans Act within the first six months following the 2005

White House Conference on Aging.

1061

2 Develop a coordinated, comprehensive long-term care strategy by supporting public

and private sector initiatives that address financing, choice, quality, service delivery,

and the paid and unpaid workforce.

1015

3 Ensure that older Americans have transportation options to retain their mobility and

independence.

1002

4 Strengthen and improve the Medicaid program for seniors.

969

House Joint Memorial 36 – Page

3

5 Strengthen and improve the Medicare program.

962

6 Support geriatric education and training for all healthcare professionals,

paraprofessionals, health profession students, and direct care workers.

937

7 Promote innovative models of non-institutional long-term care.

934

8 Improve recognition, assessment, and treatment of mental illness and depression

among older Americans.

929

9 Attain adequate numbers of healthcare personnel in all professions who are skilled,

culturally competent, and specialized in geriatrics.

920

10 Improve state and local based integrated delivery systems to meet 21st century needs

of seniors.

883

According to the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC), persons with develop-

mental disabilities are living longer lives due to advances in medical technology and health ser-

vices. Older persons with developmental disabilities are living in the community with family

members or through supported living situations instead of in public institutions as they did in the

past. Aging persons with developmental and other disabilities require many of the same services

and supports that older persons without developmental disabilities receive.

According to the DDPC, a majority of the top 50 resolutions from the White House Conference

on Aging pertain to older persons with developmental and other disabilities as well as to aging

members of the general population. These include:

Expand opportunities for developing innovative housing designs for seniors’ needs.

Encourage redesign of senior centers for broad appeal and community participation.

Encourage community designs to promote livable communities that enable aging in place.

Create a national strategy for promoting elder justice through the prevention and prosecution

of elder abuse.

Improve recognition, assessment and treatment of mental illness and depression among older

Americans.

Attain adequate numbers of health care personnel in all professions who are skilled, cultur-

ally competent and specialized in geriatrics.

Promote geriatric education and training for all health care professionals, paraprofessionals,

health profession students, and direct care workers.

The DDPC asserts that, as the task force examines aging issues for older New Mexicans and

their families, it is imperative that older persons with developmental and other disabilities be in-

cluded.

The Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) notes that one area of concern regarding

the resolutions adopted by White House Conference was that specific needs affecting the Native

American population were not addressed. DFA suggests that HJM 36 would allow New Mexico

to provide a response that does address issues that are important to New Mexico's rural and mul-

House Joint Memorial 36 – Page

4

ticultural populations. ALTSD

agrees, noting that ALTSD Secretary Armstrong found it objec-

tionable that there was no resolution dedicated to Native Americans. ALTSD notes that the con-

ference did not allow any new resolutions to be discussed and adopted that had not been selected

prior to the convening of the conference. The ALTSD plans to use HJM 36 to find ways of

bringing Native American issues to the table.

According to the Indian Affairs Department (IAD), the needs of Indian elders are often different

from elders of other population bases. A 2004 National Indian Council on Aging report stated

that there are numerous challenges to providing needed services to vulnerable Indian elders. Ser-

vice interventions that are needed span a broad spectrum and include support for health and

medical care, caregivers, court advocacy, housing, information and referral, counseling, guardi-

anship, assistance in securing protective orders, shelters, and emergency funds.

IAD notes that the Office of Indian Elder Affairs under the Aging and Long Term Services De-

partment (ALTSD) is tasked to advocate on behalf all Indian elders in the state in a coordinated

and effective manner and work with tribal providers, statewide, to strengthen their capacity to

deliver a wide range of services. Because of the often rural and isolated nature of many of the

Indian reservations in New Mexico, many Indian elders face barriers in accessing quality health

care and other sources. Such barriers could be addressed in the Task Force report.

IAD concludes that this bill will affect the 22 Tribes, Nations and Pueblos as it pertains to cultur-

ally appropriate and sensitive ALTSD programs that are accessible to New Mexico’s elderly In-

dians. The outcome of the state’s policies and plans for Indian seniors and adults with disabilities

also will affect the tone and quality of the proposed task force recommendations because of the

unique barriers and gaps in Indian Country.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The Department of Transportation (DOT) suggests that this type of interagency coordination is

needed to leverage and apply federal and state funding more efficiently and effectively to serve

the needs of older Americans and people with long-term disabilities.

The ALTSD plans to

dedicate administrative and support staff to the management of the task force;

take the lead in all areas; and

ensure that a “findings report” is ready and delivered to the Legislative Health and Human

Services Committee (LHHS) for its November 2006 meeting.

According to ALTSD, no additional funding or FTEs will be required by to carry out the memo-

rial’s intent.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

According to the DDPC, if the task force is not convened, the state will lose an opportunity for

proactive development and implementation of programs and services for older New Mexicans,

including those with developmental disabilities.

ML/mt