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At KC Shepherd's Center, we are committed to promoting the dignity, independence, and wellbeing of ALL older adults. Through leadership, coalition building, and advocacy, we work to ensure public policies reflect the needs and realities of aging adults.
What is Happening:
Missouri’s seniors are facing a looming crisis. Currently, a 20% funding cut is being considered for the Senior Services Growth & Development Program (SSGDP). While this may look like a budget adjustment on paper, for our older neighbors, it is a direct threat to their ability to live with dignity and independence in their own homes.
This program provides the essential "safety net" services that keep Missourians from being forced into institutional care prematurely.
Every dollar cut from the SSGDP creates a bottleneck. When we remove preventative services, we force seniors into crisis management. For every $1 cut from this program, the state is projected to incur $3–$5 in added Medicaid expenses as seniors are pushed into hospital emergency rooms and Medicaid-funded nursing homes
How it affects KC Shepherd's Center and our Mission:
For a senior living on a fixed income, these services are not luxuries—they are life-sustaining. A 20% reduction in funding translates to:
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Growing Hunger: The statewide loss of approximately 283,000 meals means that thousands of homebound seniors will face long waitlists for Meals on Wheels, losing the reliable nutrition and wellness checks they depend on.
- Lost Mobility and Safety: Vital home modifications—like wheelchair ramps and stairlifts—will be cut. For many, these are the only things preventing a catastrophic fall or a permanent move to a nursing facility.
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Isolation in Rural Counties: In rural counties, AAA-coordinated transit is often the only way for a senior to get to dialysis, a doctor's appointment, or a grocery store. Without these funds, these seniors are effectively abandoned.
- Increased Hardship for Families: Family caregivers provide billions in unpaid labor. By reducing respite care and essential supplies (like mobility aids and incontinence items), these cuts accelerate caregiver burnout and force families to make the heartbreaking choice of nursing home placement.
What can you do?
We must honor Missouri’s seniors by protecting the programs that allow them to age in place.
Contact the House Budget Committee Members who are reviewing this portion of the budget on Monday & Tuesday of next week.
Message Template:
Please reject the proposed 20% cut to the Senior Services Growth and Development Program (SSGDP) funds to Area Agencies on Aging in HB10. Don't take away the meals and home-care services our seniors rely on for their dignity and independence.
House Budget Committee Members to Contact:
Leadership: Dirk Deaton, Chair (Dist. 159); (573)751-9801 | Dirk.Deaton@house.mo.gov
Bishop Davidson, Vice-Chair (Dist. 130); (573) | 751-2381Bishop.Davidson@house.mo.gov
Betsy Fogle, Ranking Member (D135) ; (573) 751-9809 | Betsy.Fogle@house.mo.gov
Members:
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