The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is pleased to announce the approval of New Hampshire’s State Plan on Aging (SPOA) by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The four-year plan, coordinated through the DHHS Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services (BEAS), is committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive statewide system of long-term services and supports that prioritizes person-centered care.

“New Hampshire’s State Plan on Aging will provide us with an opportunity to align and strengthen the work of BEAS within the service delivery system across the state, and transform how we collaborate with statewide partners to accomplish our goals,” said BEAS Bureau Chief Wendi Aultman. “This plan will serve as a roadmap to move forward in our efforts and strategies to further advance the system of care for healthy aging in New Hampshire.”

The number of older adults is expected to increase rapidly in the next two decades. The Plan will support core foundation programs of the Older Americans Act to achieve several outcomes, including:

• Increased access to community-based supports and services that provide older adults and their families with help, guidance, support and choice;
• Increased availability of person-centered care and planning, regardless of where they access the system;
• Reduced risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults, allowing them to live in safety and dignity;
• Programs and services designed to decrease the risk of loneliness and isolation; and
• Advancing age-friendly communities.

The plan takes effect on October 1, 2023, and will run through September 30, 2027.