HHS awards $900k to create LGBT elders center

The Department of Health & Human Services on Wednesday announced it has awarded an LGBT advocacy group $900,000 to create the first national resource center on LGBT aging.

In a statement, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said her department awarded the grant to Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders because the organization’s new center will offer essential tools for elders in the LGBT community.

“The Resource Center will provide information, assistance and resources for both mainstream aging organizations and LGBT organizations and will provide assistance to LGBT individuals as they plan for future long-term care needs,” she said.

Given though the department’s U.S. Administration on Aging, the award totals out at $900,000 over the course of three years. According to HHS, SAGE will work to create the center with 10 organizations that have expertise in areas such as mainstream aging, LGBT aging, culture change and competency and program evaluation.

As part of the process for creating this center, SAGE plans to develop a comprehensive, web-based clearinghouse that will include social networking tools, an “Ask the Experts” service and web-based trainings.

Michael Adams, executive director of SAGE, said in a statement the new center will be “a monumental step forward for the LGBT community.”

“SAGE is extremely gratified to be given this opportunity to create and oversee the Resource Center in close cooperation with the Administration on Aging,” Adams said.  “We are confident that working with AoA and our partners – who represent an extraordinary collaboration between the aging services network and the LGBT community – we will make a difference in the lives of every LGBT older person in every community in this country.”