Funding for Louisiana's Elder Unit Moves to Health Department

Some Louisiana lawmakers and most state Council on Aging officials celebrated during the session when legislation was defeated that would transfer the investigation of elderly abuse cases from the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs to the Department of Health and Hospitals.

But since the state budget transferred the funding and staffing for the investigations to the health department, the move has begun without the legislation authored by Sen. Sherri Smith Buffington, R-Keithville.

"With HB1 becoming law, elderly protective service functions from the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs will now be transferred to DHH," said health department Secretary Bruce Greenstein.

"To be clear, this action does not merge GOEA and DHH, and it has no impact on Councils on Aging or Area Agencies on Aging," he said. "This transfer consolidates adult and elderly protective services under one roof, eliminates duplicative services, more effectively leverages resources, and, most importantly, better serves vulnerable populations throughout the state."

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Funding for La's Elder Unit Moves to Health Department