Resources

The AGing, Independence, and Disability (AGID) Program Data Portal is an on-line query system based on ACL-related data files and surveys, and includes population characteristics from the Census Bureau for comparison purposes. The system allows users to produce descriptive information in graphical or tabular form, at the level of detail most suited for their needs. The four options or paths through AGID provide different levels of focus and aggregation of the data – from individual data elements within Data-at-a-Glance to full database access within Data Files. AGID was developed in recognition of the need.

The Administration on Aging (AOA) is the principal agency of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services designated to carry out the provisions of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA). In 2013, AoA became part of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and headed by the Administrator, who reports directly to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Administration for Community Living administers various grant programs for an array of supportive services, as well as state and local efforts to develop comprehensive systems of care for older people and their family caregivers. Data and information on these programs is gathered through the National Aging Program Information System (NAPIS) in collaboration with an aging network that includes 56 State Agencies on Aging, 629 Area Agencies on Aging, 246 Native American organizations, and over 29,000 local community service organizations.

NAPIS data makes it possible for ACL to develop and disseminate information about services for the aging to Congress, states and other stakeholders. The components of the NAPIS system found in AGID include:

• The State Program Report (SPR) which includes population data, service profiles, and information on clients and staff for each state and territory. Information provided by the SPR describes the services provided under Title III of the OAA.
• The National Ombudsman Reporting System (NORS), describes the services provided under Title VII (Chapter 2) of the OAA: Long Term Care Ombudsman efforts on behalf of residents of long term care facilities. The state NORS reports include cases, complaints, program statistics and narrative input.
• Title VI of the OAA grants awards to tribal and native organizations representing older American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

The data collected through NAPIS are integrated, refined, and disseminated to the public through a number of means, including the AGID system.

Data is received, stored, and analyzed through the web-based Comprehensive Aging Reporting and Data System (CARDS). The NAPIS CARDS system enables state and other grantees to electronically submit data and information to the NAPIS database, while enhancing the timeliness, reliability, efficiency and effectiveness with which ACL manages and makes use of the data.

To meet the diverse needs of the growing numbers of older persons in the United States, the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA), as amended, created the primary vehicle for organizing, coordinating and providing community-based services and opportunities for older Americans and their families. All individuals 60 years of age and older are eligible for services under the OAA, although priority attention is given to those who are in greatest need.

The OAA established a national network of federal, state, and local agencies to plan and provide services that enable older adults to live independently in their homes and community. This interconnected structure of agencies is known as the National Aging Network and is headed by the U.S. Administration for Community Living. The network includes 56 State Agencies on Aging (SUA), 629 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), 246 Native American aging programs, over 29,000 service providers, and thousands of volunteers.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) awards funds for nutrition and supportive home and community-based services to the SUAs, AAAs, and Tribal organizations. In addition, funds are awarded for disease prevention/health promotion services, elder rights programs (long-term care ombudsman program, legal services, and elder abuse prevention efforts), the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) and the Native American Caregiver Support Program (NACSP).

OAA funding for programs is allocated to each SUA based primarily on the number of persons 60 years of age and over (70 years of age and older for the NFCSP) in the state. Most states are divided into planning and service areas (PSAs), so that programs can be tailored to meet the specific needs of older persons residing in those areas. The SUA grants funds to the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) designated for each PSA. The AAA determines the needs of older persons in the PSA and works to address those needs through the funding of local services and through advocacy. The ACL grants funds directly to Federally Recognized Tribal Organizations based on the number of Tribal elders who are 60 years of age and older.

Data are typically updated on an annual basis, within weeks after meeting data verification and validation requirements. The State Program Report, National Ombudsman Reporting System, and Title VI Tribal and Native Organizations databases are updated on an annual basis, shortly after completion of data certification activities. The Census-based data in AGID – Population Estimates, Decennial Census 2010 data, and American Community Survey data – are also updated on an annual basis, as soon as the data is released by the Census Bureau. The National Survey of OAA Participants survey data are collected annually and posted to AGID shortly after completion of an extensive range of consistency checks and edits. The National Survey on Area Agencies on Aging survey was conducted once in 2005/2006.

The timing of updates varies from database to database depending on the availability/release of the information.

All of the information on AGID is public information and can be reproduced for free with appropriate citation. Please cite data as follows: “Administration for Community Living, agid.acl.gov. Data Source: …, accessed Month, Day, Year”. The data source may be cited using one of the seven databases that currently make-up the system.

They don’t. The data are downloaded from the Census Bureau website and presented on AGID as a matter of convenience to the AGID user. There are some constructed variables within the information, yet these are limited to simple percentage variables constructed from the original counts.

The Rural Population variables were moved from Population Estimates to Census 2010. These counts and percentages were prepared by the Census Bureau in March of 2013.

The data are based on the Census rural definitions. Please visit http://www.census.gov/geo/reference/ua/urban-rural-2010.html for more information.

The 2010 Decennial Census Special Tabulation in the Data Files -> ACL Special Tabulations section provides state-specific tables with urban and rural counts broken out by age and gender for the US, state, counties, place, census tracts, and PSAs.

The survey data is a nationally representative sample that was not designed to provide state-level estimates. The databases available in “Data-at-a-Glance” are all state-based datasets and thus can be displayed in a U.S. map. As an alternative, there are regional geographic stratifiers available to the user of the National Survey data in “Custom Tables”, yet the output is limited to tabular form.

Beginning with Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft added the Compatibility View feature, which allows Internet Explorer to better display websites designed for older versions of Internet Explorer. AGID uses a modern design and rich controls that will not work with Compatibility View. The compatibility view button is located on the right side of the address bar, at the top of the browser window. Please visit http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-11 for more information.

Right-click on the link and choose the 'Save Target As' or 'Save Link As' option, then save the document to your hard drive.

Click the 'AGID Support' link at the bottom-left of the page, then use the form to submit your question.

Internet Explorer has a Compatibility Mode setting. For most sections in AGID, this setting needs to be turned off. If you are using IE 10 and see black bars covering portions of the maps, then Compatibility Mode should be turned on. The compatibility view button is located on the right side of the address bar, at the top of the browser window. Please visit http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/use-compatibility-view#ie=ie-11 for more information.

The option to select the Margin of Error for ACS data in the Data-at-a-Glance section has been removed. Instead, all Margin of Error data is displayed for all ACS data. The Margin of Error data is also included in the table upon download.

The option to export to Excel or CSV for Data-at-a-Glance and Custom Tables data is available. We encourage using the export feature so you can better manipulate and layout the data to suit your needs using Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet software.