18 o establish a national database of State, sub-State, and local I&R resources; o phase-in caller access to the 800 service by geographic region; promote the 800 number with a broad range of potential consumers; and 0 encourage sponsorship of the service among public and private sector organizations. The Locator Service will begin to operate in Region I on May 1 and, if successful, is expected to be expanded nationwide within two years. Likewise, we have focussed considerable resources on improving services for American Indian, Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian elders. Under Title VI, Part A, awards are made to tribal organizations and Alaska villages which represent at least 50 older American Indians or Alaska Natives who are 60 years of age or older, to pay all of the costs to provide supportive services and nutrition services to older 19 Indians. There are no funding match requirements. There are currently 193 grantees receiving Title VI, Part A, funds. Grantees provide a broad range of services and must assure that nutrition services and information and referral services are available. Legal and ombudsman services, if provided, are to be substantially in compliance with the requirements of Title III. Other services which may be provided under these grants include: o services which facilitate access - such as transportation, outreach, escort, individual needs assessment, and service management; services provided in local areas -- such as continuing education, health and health screening, water purification, temporary shelter, day care, protective services, and o services provided in the home -- such as home health, homemaker services, chore, visiting and telephone reassurance, and fuel assistance; and organization is cATENT U PROZIVI: The T.. Prt E. funds to provide clde: Narve Hewanens in the five mort istants of the State with congregate meal, transmitation, heath awareness and screening, education and recreation, classÈS, ESCUT SEVICs, and visiting and telephone reassurance In order to improve Titi. Vi service, and as directed in the 1987 Amendments, the Commissioner on Aging has established ar interagency Tasi: Force on Olde: Indians This Task Force has met regularly during the past year and has addressed a number of issues, including income security, transportation, and access. The Tasi: Force will be submitting a report of the findings and recommendations to the Commissioner in June. 21 In keeping with AoA's public/private sector initiative under Title II of the Act, AoA's Office of American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiian Programs, along with AARP's Minority Affairs Initiative conducted a pilot training session for a cross section of Indian leaders in the areas of health, housing, and income security. We anticipate continuing this type of training in the future. We consider this an excellent opportunity to accomplish the legislated requirements and to reach out beyond Tide VI grantees and address elderly Indian issues in the larger Indian community. Another major effort which the Administration on Aging is undertaking is to focus on all of the vulnerable elderly whom a recent needs assessment indicated are truly underserved. First, let me give you some background on the Endings Based on a requirement of fie 1987 amendinens to fie Older Americans Act, each State Agency on Aging conducted a resis assessment and submited to Endings a fie Admmszaion on Aging. We, in turn, provided a national report to the Congress. Because of 22 the diverse methodologies used by each State in the study and the complexity of the subject, the findings from one State to the next could not be compared. However, in the area of supportive services, States frequently identified needs related to in-home services and access services. In the area of nutrition, needs were identified for both congregate and home-delivered meals. A number of States indicated waiting lists for services such as meals and in-home care. Following the 1987 Amendments, the Administration on Aging developed a new Program Performance reporting format to accommodate the additional service data collection requirements imposed by the amendments. State Agencies on Aging used this new format for the first time in reporting Fiscal year 1990 data. Based on our own experience, and comments received from the States, we have determined that changes in the service data base reporting would enhance the quality and utility of the data which we receive. Therefore, I have convened a Task Force to revise the data collecting form and have solicited from each State their ideas as to |