ADVISORY: Older Worker Bulletin No. 03-06

TO            :    All Senior Community Service Employment Program Grantees       

FROM       :  _____________________         ___________________
                     John R. Beverly, III                 Ria Moore Benedict
                     Administrator                         Chief
                     Office of National Programs      Division of Older Worker Programs           

SUBJECT   :   Census 2000 County-by-County Data

1.     REFERENCES:  Older Worker Bulletin 03-03

2.                BACKGROUND:  The Older Americans Act Amendments of 2000 at sections 503(a)(4)(A), 507(b), and 508 requires the equitable distribution of program resources based on State Plan priorities.  Recently, the Census Bureau provided information from the 2000 decennial census on the number of people age 55 and over and below 125 percent of the HHS poverty level by county and State.

3.                PROCEDURES:  To make this information available quickly for the distribution of positions and for other purposes we have located it on our website at http.wdsc.doleta.gov/seniors.  To access it, click on What’s New and then 2000 Census Data.  Grantees are required to use this information for the next SCSEP Equitable Distribution (ED) report, which is due no later that October 1, 2003.  Grantees may only use census data in determining position allocations and must submit, in writing, any proposed changes in distribution that occur after submissions of the ED report to the Federal Representative for approval.  All grantees are strongly encouraged to coordinate any proposed changes in position distribution with the other grantees servicing in the state, including the state project director, prior to submitting the proposed changes to their Federal Representative for approval.

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4.                Future PLANS:    We plan to place an interactive spot at the Website which will allow grantees to complete the ED report on-line.  That effort is projected to be completed in the near future.  Meanwhile, the current information is available to assist project operators and planners.

5.     EFFECTIVE DATE:  Immediately.

5.                INQUIRIES:  Questions should be directed to your Federal Representative.

TDNO:RBenedict/MJ/8-1-03/RmN5636/x33198

Cc:  Beverly/Benedict/Files/onp/onpr/dowp/bulletin03/censusavailable.doc