Nearly seven months after a political football game put Kentucky’s seniors on the brink of food insecurity, a rematch could be on the horizon.
During Monday afternoon’s Pennyrile Area Development District meeting in Hopkinsville, Webster County’s Judge Executive and the Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts Legislative Chair Steve Henry brought forth a biennium budget update for local leaders — one that, at present, spells out another massive two-year shortfall for one of the state’s fastest-growing programs and populations.
Henry said that if nothing changes in the next 48-to-96 hours, Kentucky’s senior meal program will receive $10 million each year for the next two — far less than the $20 million annually that was lobbied for by Area Development District leadership.
But once again, Henry said something is amiss.
Right now, Kentucky’s Nutrition Program for the Elderly provides optional, but essential, meal services to residents 60 years old and up, delivering congregate and homebound options, with federal appropriations and general fund asks totaling more than $31 million over the next 24 months.
The current $10 million state allocation, however, means that:
+ As of July 1, nearly 5,000 senior statewide will lose access to meals
+ By the end of Fiscal Year 2027, wait lists statewide will exceed 7,000 individuals
+ And by the end of Fiscal Year 2028, nearly 10,000 seniors statewide may be left without the service
Henry said more than 1,300 bills have been filed since the Kentucky General Assembly gaveled in January, and that the overall proposed budget currently surpasses $31 billion.
PeADD Executive Director Jason Vincent said, as they understand it this moment, the $10 million annually is in the base budget for the Department of Aging and Independent Living, and what remains unknown is how the $10 million will be allocated out to the state ADDs.
Last September, PeADD and its nine-county purview navigated remarkable shortfalls in funding for senior home-delivered meal programs, until the state’s budget director restored nearly $10 million through a line-item transfer.
Vincent said, thankfully, there is more time for problem solving this time around, but on Friday, it is likely the PeADD will stop taking meal clients — until further clarity arrives on the biennium budget.
In January, PeADD officials reported more than 690 active home-delivered meal clients across the region — led by 191 in Christian, 110 in Hopkins and 102 in Trigg — and as of April 2, more than 120 remained on the waiting list, including 47 in Christian, 27 in Muhlenberg and 23 in Hopkins.
Henry added that another problem here is that there is no “flagging language” within the bill specifying the $10 million allocation will go toward senior meals.
Vincent said this could be a “good thing or a bad thing,” because it means the Department can make decisions on the funds “however they want to,” but it could give more flexibility for funds to arrive from other channels.
Vincent further noted that PeADD is “stuck in the middle.”
Sensing the moment, former 16th District Representative and Governor Andy Beshear liaison Martha Jane King said party affiliation is of “no matter” in this case.
It’s time to find a solution.
Full discussion can be found here:
