Following information was pulled from an eNews item from Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee:

In 2011, Congress will consider reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA), and amendments to the Act effective in FY 2012. In anticipation of this process, the Administration on Aging (AoA) is soliciting input concerning the reauthorization through three mechanisms:

• AoA-Convened Listening Forums;
• OAA Reauthorization Input Events; and
• Direct Input via the AoA Web site.

AoA-Convened Listening Forums will be held in three cities. The input provided will be recorded, compiled and summarized by Scripps Gerontology Center. The dates and locations of the national listening forums are:

Thursday, February 18, 2010, Dallas, TX
Embassy Suites Hotel Dallas Near the Galleria
14021 Noel Road
Dallas, Texas 75240
(972) 354-3659

Thursday, February 25, 2010, Washington, DC
The Westin Alexandria-DC, Alexandria, VA
400 Courthouse Square
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 253-8628

Wednesday, March 3, 2010, San Francisco, CA
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 981-3638

The forums in Dallas and San Francisco will run 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will begin with morning panel sessions organized to focus on a limited number of national topic areas in the following broad categories: Elder Rights and Elder Justice; Prevention & Wellness – Healthy Aging; and Aging Network Infrastructure for Serving Diverse Needs. The Washington, DC, forum will run 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will include the three categories of topics above as well as a fourth category, Capacity of the Aging Network.

Following the panel sessions, each forum will host a general session to allow participants to present their views on the reauthorization of the OAA. In order to provide as many people as possible the opportunity to offer input, each participant will be limited to three minutes. Persons planning to make presentations during the general session should pre-register with Abbe Lackmeyer, 866-598-0102, linscoae@muohio.edu to reserve a time slot. If all slots are not filled through pre-registration, a limited number of on-site time slots may be available.

OAA Reauthorization Input Events may be held by any national, state, tribal, regional or local organization. These can range from workshops, board meetings, public forums, or conferences designed to solicit public input regarding issues to be considered during the next reauthorization of the OAA. Following the events, summary reports developed by the sponsoring organization(s) may be submitted to AoA . So that AoA may more easily track this important input, please pre-register your events.

Direct Input via the AoA Web site will provide an opportunity for any individual or entity to provide input related to reauthorization of the OAA separate from an organized event or listening forum. Submit input via the AoA Web site.