As the number of older Missourians increases, demand for programs serving older adults and people living with disabilities has grown dramatically. However, the availability of and funding for these services has not kept pace. See the Missouri Budget Project Report and interactive budget tracker which provides an overview of state programs serving older adults and people living with disabilities in Missouri, suggesting that Missouri does not adequately fund services for older adults and people living with disabilities, particularly critical wrap-around services targeted toward community dwelling Missourians that are designed to prevent and delay the need for much more costly institutional care.
According to the Missouri Budget Project, findings suggest that Missouri does not adequately fund services for older adults and people living with disabilities, particularly critical wrap-around services targeted toward community dwelling Missourians that are designed to prevent and delay the need for much more costly institutional care.
Findings by Missouri Budget Project include:
- Recent cuts to home-based care threaten to roll back the progress and cost savings that have been realized due to Missouri’s shift away from institutional care, pushing older Missourians into more costly and restrictive care settings.
- Funding for programs designed to support independent community living and enhance quality of life for older adults and people living with disabilities is both low and stagnant. These programs account for less than 1% of the state budget and have grown little over time despite increasing need for and rising cost of providing services.
- Community-based supports and services have been hit especially hard by cuts related to budget shortfalls in the last decade. These programs were cut by over 40% between FY2017 & FY2018 and have yet to recover to prior levels.
- Programs enacted through statute, such as the “Circuit Breaker” tax credit and the senior levies, do not automatically adjust to keep pace with demand, leading to an erosion in the value of benefits over time and fewer Missourians able to access needed services.