Narrative: b. 1. B.

There are 13 Area Agency on Aging (AAA) in Washington State providing services across 13 different Planning & Service Areas (PSA). The AAAs have a long history of collaborating with different entities to facilitate comprehensive service support systems for older adults. Their public planning processes include analyses of local trends and needs. In Washington State, this facilitation extends to adults with disabilities, family caregivers of persons of all ages, including children with developmental disabilities and in-home care agencies for persons with developmental disabilities. Washington’s AAAs are both providers of direct services and funders of community service providers. They maintain close relationships with their partnering subcontracted providers to ensure that services are provided in conformance with their area plans, state and federal requirements, and consumers’ individual choices. The SCSEP programs coordinate closely with the AAAs for understanding community service needs and facilitating cross-referrals and to understand available services and assist participants to access services. These relationships also assist individuals determined ineligible for SCSEP, but in need of help to navigate the aging & disability network. The AARP Foundation, which operates both as a National grantee and the State grantee sub-grantee, has been a long-time national partner with the Administration on Aging for improved services for older adults, including family caregivers and older workers.

The AAAs are continually working via government to government relationships with tribes located in their PSAs, including those that receive funding under Title VI of the OAA. This is a work in progress with ongoing improvement and refinement.