231.14 Commission duties and authority.

1. The commission is the policymaking body of the sole state agency responsible for administration of the federal Act. The commission shall:

a. Approve state and area plans on aging.

b. Adopt policies to coordinate state activities related to the purposes of this chapter.

c. Serve as an effective and visible advocate for older individuals by establishing policies for reviewing and commenting upon all state plans, budgets, and policies which affect older individuals and for providing technical assistance to any agency, organization, association, or individual representing the needs of older individuals.

d. Divide the state into distinct planning and service areas after considering the geographical distribution of older individuals in the state, the incidence of the need for supportive services, nutrition services, multipurpose senior centers, and legal services, the distribution of older individuals who have low incomes residing in such areas, the distribution of resources available to provide such services or centers, the boundaries of existing areas within the state which are drawn for the planning or administration of supportive services programs, the location of units of general purpose, local government within the state, and any other relevant factors.

e. Designate for each planning and service area a public or private nonprofit agency or organization as the area agency on aging for that area. The commission may revoke the designation of an area agency on aging pursuant to section 231.32.

f. Adopt policies to assure that the department will take into account the views of older individuals in the development of policy.

g. Adopt a method for the distribution of federal Act and state funds taking into account, to the maximum extent feasible, the best available data on the geographic distribution of older individuals in the state, and publish the method for review and comment.

h. Adopt policies and measures to assure that preference will be given to providing services to older individuals with the greatest economic or social needs, with particular attention to low-income minority older individuals, older individuals with limited English proficiency, and older individuals residing in rural areas.

i. Adopt policies to administer state programs authorized by this chapter.

j. Adopt policies and administrative rules pursuant to chapter 17A that support the capabilities of the area agencies on aging and the aging and disabilities resource centers to serve older individuals and persons with disabilities experiencing Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.

2. The commission shall adopt administrative rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer the duties specified in this chapter and in all other chapters under the department’s jurisdiction.

86 Acts, ch 1245, §1008

C87, §249D.14

88 Acts, ch 1073, §1

C93, §231.14

2003 Acts, ch 141, §4; 2005 Acts, ch 45, §4, 5; 2009 Acts, ch 23, §17; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §263; 2012 Acts, ch 1086, §4, 5; 2018 Acts, ch 1049, §4

Subsection 1, paragraph g amended