New Sponsor Soon to Be Directing Older Worker Program

by Jonathan Weaver

Effective February 1, an employment program that affects local senior citizens at work will have a new sponsor.

Executive Director Janet Talerico explained to Armstrong County Commissioners at their last public meeting that changes are coming to the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP).

“The Department of Labor puts the services out for bid for federal sponsors. Senior Service America is no longer the federal sponsor for several areas in Pennsylvania,” Talerico said. “Effective February 1, AARP will actually administer the SCSEP program directly.”

But first, commissioners had to approve a one-month extension – until January 31 -to the current sponsor, Maryland-based Senior Service America.

“This will take us to the point that Senior Service America will be transitioning to AARP as the national sponsor,” Talerico said. “There will still be a SCSEP program in Armstrong County – it will just be administered by AARP as of January 31.

“There shouldn’t be any decrease.”

According to a Department of Labor report published earlier this year, more than $434 million will be funded to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as national non-profit agencies (such as AARP), to operate the program nationwide in the 2016/17 fiscal year (which began July 1 and runs until June 30, 2017).

The report also states that, while the same amount of money was requested to operate during the 2015/16 fiscal year, the 2016 budget will improve the program by adjusting and simplifying income eligibility to serve those most in need - allowing for employment in for-profit organizations – and awarding demonstration grants to support on-the-job experience.

According to their website, AARP Foundation operates in 21 states and Puerto Rico. The foundation has an office along Ardmore Boulevard in Pittsburgh.

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