About GCCOA

Mission:

To promote independence and quality of life for Greene County senior citizens and caregivers by facilitating and supporting the implementation and continual improvement of a comprehensive and coordinated system of contact, care and support.

Objectives:

In order to achieve the Mission of the Council, the Board of Directors, Membership and staff have identified key objectives used to direct the short-term and long-term efforts of the Council. In developing these objectives, planning documents of our local senior centers and senior service providers, the Area Agency on Aging and the Ohio Department of Aging were reviewed.

1. Promote the availability of care options for senior adults and their caregivers.
2. Facilitate the accessibility of information and resources related to senior and care giving issues.
3. Develop and implement a comprehensive information, education and support program for caregivers.
4. Promote the availability of senior adult education through area senior centers.
5. Maximize federal, state, local and charitable funds available to Greene County senior centers and senior service providers.
6. Promote and embrace diversity in providing senior and caregiver education and services in the nine Greene County communities.
7. Promote and participate in the development of aging and dementia capable, compassionate quality staff for home care, hospital care and residential care organizations.

History:

The Greene County Council on Aging was established in 1979 and was
incorporated in 1981. Founding members of the Council were interested professionals and seniors from Greene County. They began coming together in an effort to better understand what services and programs were available for senior citizens. They soon found themselves discussing the many gaps in services.

Until 1996, the Council's treasury averaged anywhere from $50 to $300 and the "work" of the Council was handled solely by volunteers. The main activities of the Council were the holding of membership meetings every other month, the planning of the annual Senior Citizens Day Celebration and the development and revision of a senior service directory. Additionally, the various committees of the Council took on special issues and/or projects on behalf of seniors and the local aging network. These issues included mental health services, transportation, older drivers, guardianship and in-home services. The Council also coordinated a public hearing on service needs every other year .

One long-standing committee of the Council was the Continuum of Care Committee. It was this Committee which had the responsibility of producing the Council's Directory of Services. This Continuum of Care Committee, no longer a standing committee of the Council, was the group that began discussions regarding a more coordinated senior service network for Greene County
and the possibility of placing a senior service levy on the Greene County ballot.
Although the discussions had started a number of years prior, the Continuum of Care Committee met for over two (2) years, working on this issue. In July of 1994, the Council membership adopted the Committee's recommendation that $900,000 in County-wide funds be requested of the County Commission. This original plan would have provided 1/3 of the funds to local communities for
senior centers and other senior organizations. The remaining 2/3 of the funds would have been allocated for specific community-based services for area senior citizens.

The request was presented to the County Commission in 1995 and the Council received a $100,000 grant in 1996. The Council received $150,000 in years 1997, 1998, and 1999. Although the funds provided support to the service system, it acted more as a band aid for the financial challenges being faced by the individual senior service providers. Wanting a more comprehensive and client-driven system, the Council developed a plan to ask the Greene County voters to approve a 5-year senior services levy. After countless hours of research and planning, the senior services levy plan was finalized and presented before the County Commission. The County Commission unanimously passed the resolution to place a 0.8 mil senior services levy on the November 1999 ballot. The successful passage would result in the Council receiving close to $2 million a year. The senior services levy passed and the work began for implementing a client-driven comprehensive service system.  A 0.8 mil replacement levy was approved by the citizens of Greene County in May of 2004 and then replaced with an increase (1.0 mil) in November 2009.

Funding:

Five year 1.0 mil county-wide senior services levy (2010-2014), generating an estimated $3.9 million per year. Minimal financial support is solicited for program specific expenses, such as senior citizens day, caregiver tune-ups, and the kinship caregiver picnic. The Council also has a charitable account set up with the Greene County Community Foundation – Partners In Care Account. This account has been set up as an endowment fund, with future proceeds to be used for programs and services for the growing senior and caregiver populations.

Staff:

• Executive Director, Karen Puterbaugh, LSW, MUA
• Resource Coordinator, Pam Dorsten
• Resource Associate, Brenda Pollock
• Fiscal Manager, Steve Benson
• Partners in Care (PIC) Program Manager, Lynn Martin, RN
• PIC Care Managers
  • Kristy Fickert, LSW
  • Lisa Quesne, LSW
  • Maggie Morrison, LSW
  • Paige Redd, LSW
  • Kathy Schmaltz, LSW 
  • Carol Kunze, LSW
  • Lisa SanGregory
  • Tony Zdybek, LSW
• Beavercreek Care Coordinator, Karen Burkhardt, LSW
• Provider Benefits Specialist, Susan Millward
• Senior Center Liaison, Tim Brickey

Board of Directors: