This report describes promising and emerging innovations on the use of alternative funding strategies, such as local property tax levies, to address the growing need for programs to better serve older adults. It examines how communities in three different states are utilizing local funding streams to support services for older adults. These states have instituted levy-supported initiatives to supplement services, including home-delivered and congregate meals, personal care and homemaker services, home repair support, medical and nonmedical transportation, and emergency response systems, for older adults. These promising and emerging innovations can help people with long-term services and supports needs continue to live in their own homes and communities.
This report is part of a series of promising practices and emerging innovations from the 2020 LTSS State Scorecard. This report was produced with support from AARP Foundation, The SCAN Foundation, and The Commonwealth Fund, and a grant from the RRF Foundation for Aging. Parts of this research supported by the RRF Foundation for Aging are also described in a forthcoming article by the authors titled “Local Initiatives to Fund Services for Older Americans: Community Recognition of the Importance of Social Care,” appearing in the Journal of Applied Gerontology and referenced in this report.