Part V: Preference to Those with Greatest Needs

Hispanics constitute the largest minority group in this region. Therefore, providers employ individuals who are bilingual and bicultural in Spanish and English. Providers use flyers and/or publications in both Spanish and English to reach elders and their families throughout the region.

Demographic reports generated through AIMS and the Access data base that SEAGO uses to track congregate meals, transportation, and legal assistance document that low-income and minority elders are being served. In SFY 2008-09 in Cochise County, 55 percent of case managed clients were at or below 125 percent of poverty, in Graham County 44 percent were at this level, in Greenlee County 37 percent were at this level, and in Santa Cruz 67 percent were at this level.

According to AIMS demographic reports, 57 percent of the individuals who were case managed in SFY 2008-09 were minority. During that same year, 54 percent of congregate meals participants in the region were at or below poverty, and 40 percent were
minority.

As for transportation services, 69 percent of riders in the region that year were at or below the poverty level and 44 percent were minority. SEAGO uses site codes to track where services are being provided, and these codes document that rural communities are being served.

In order to identify individuals who are eligible for assistance, individual client assessments are completed by case managers on anyone who may qualify to receive home and community based services (HCBS).

Through this assessment, services are targeted to those who lack a support system, those who are low income, and those who are most vulnerable, including adult protective service referrals. Many of the individuals who are case managed are at risk of institutionalization.

The SEAGO AAA is participating in a food stamp outreach program funded by the United Way of Southern Arizona. The purpose of this program is to increase participation by elders in the SEAGO region.

The SEAGO insurance counselor’s efforts to find individuals who qualify for the Low Income Subsidy (LIS) for Medicare Part D and for Medicare Saving Programs have been very successful, because MIPPA targets for the number of LIS individuals to be served were met by January 2010.

Many of the Medicare beneficiaries are disabled. SEAGO has a good working relationship with the DIRECT, which is a Center for Independent Living, with a branch named “CochiseAbility.” In addition, SEAGO has worked with Southeastern Behavioral Health Services and with the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

SEAGO’s 18 contracted service providers plus its many community partners enable a very tiny Area Agency on Aging to function and to implement this Area Plan by collaborating, by making referrals, by jointly providing training opportunities, by sharing facilities, and most importantly by communicating and problem solving.