Office for the Aging secures short extension for unmet-needs funding; county approves budget adjustment

The Tompkins County Office for the Aging told the Health and Human Services Committee on Aug. 20 that the county received an extension for previously awarded 2024 allocations to its unmet-needs and transportation programs, and the committee unanimously approved a budget adjustment to authorize the extension (ID 13483).

Why it matters: The office said late allocations in 2024 required multiple committee and legislative actions. The extension allows the office to increase staffing and contracts temporarily and to continue a transportation program until the extended deadline in September.

The office presenter said the transportation program (the state-supported program commonly referenced as "Go Go Grandparent" in statewide materials) had been running at roughly $88,000 a month and exhausted its county-allotted funding in July; the county secured an extension to cover operations through September. The office also increased a contract with a legal services provider listed in materials as Law New York to continue client services; the presenter said the expansion responds to demand after late-year allocations.

Committee members voted by roll call and approved the extension: Dan — yes; Randy — yes; Amanda — yes; Shauna — yes; chair — yes.

What’s next: The Office for the Aging said it had no further verbal updates but will continue to report program-level outcomes to the committee as the extension proceeds.