To develop, biennially, a proposed State Plan for the services provided by State Agencies to the elderly of the Commonwealth and to report on such plan to the Governor and General Assembly.)(*1)

Purpose of Plan. The 1977 General Assembly added the mandate above to the responsibilities of the Office on Aging in order to identify a focal point for comprehensive planning for aging services. While other mandates of the Office require a variety of studies, budget and program analyses, and responsibilities under the Federal Older Americans Act, this new mandate asked the Office to propose, in a single plan, services to be provided by the numerous State agencies which include the elderly in their respective target populations.

The plan which follows presents proposals developed by the Office on Aging. It often addresses the future activities of other State agencies and local agencies, but it is in no way binding on these agencies. Furthermore, while agencies were asked to comment on proposals affecting them, they do not necessarily endorse these proposals. In preparing the plan, however, Office on Aging staff has drawn heavily on the planning staff of other agencies and this assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

This two-year plan covers a period from July l, 1980 to June 30, 1982-fully two years after the time when the plan was prepared. The recommendations, therefore, anticipate certain developments during the interim two years. An analysis of aging programs in the 1978-1980 budget preceded preparation of this plan (see Aging Budget. 1978-1980) so that agency activities during the biennium could be estimated.

1980-1982 also represents the second biennium in a six-year planning period addressed by the Office on Aging in its long-range plan, "Virginia's Direction in Aging...A Timely Matter." That document outlined goals, recommendations, priorities, costs, and a work schedule in a wide range of areas. The goals of the plan have been assumed in preparing this shorter range plan. In addition, many of the recommendations proposed here are adapted from the six-year plan recommendations-i.e., they represent that portion of the long-range objectives which should be addressed in 1980-1982.

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(*1) Chapter 271, § 2.1-373 of the Code of Virginia.