Department of Health and Human Services. Division of Aging and Adult Services. Board of Aging and Adult Services

The Board of Aging and Adult Services, created in 1961 as the Committee on Aging ("Laws of Utah, 1961," Chapter 129), has the statutory power and responsibility to set policy for the Division of Aging and Adult Services (UTSVH00002-A). The Council on Aging became the Board of Aging in 1969 and adopted its current name in 1983. Two executive orders affecting the Council on Aging were issued in 1967 by Governor Calvin L. Rampton. The first placed the Council on Aging under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Department of Health and Welfare (UTSVH01116-A). The second declared that the name of the Council on Aging be changed to the Board on Aging and that the board's administrative unit be called the Division on Aging. The board assumed all of the functions, powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Council on Aging except for those which were executive or administrative in nature. A 1983 amendment produced several changes. Upon recommendation that the board's name reflect its responsibility for all adults, the legislature added the phrase "and Adult Services." The amendment also increased board membership from five to seven.

Originally, the Committee on Aging was established to assist the U.S. Congress in improving and developing programs to permit the country to take advantage of the experience and skill of older persons, to create conditions to better enable them to meet their needs, and to further research on aging. The committee conducted a state conference on aging to gather facts and reported its findings and recommendations to the White House Conference on Aging.

Since extensive programs in behalf of the aged were already being carried on by the Department of Public Welfare (UTSVH01284-A), the Department of Employment Security, the Department of Health, and to some degree by the Department of Education, the Council on Aging was established to provide information, stimulation, and coordination rather than act as a direct service agency.

When the legislature in 1969 statutorily placed the board within the Department of Social Services, lawmakers authorized the board to establish programs and policies for discharging the duties of the division. This legislation included authority to (a) review existing programs for the aging and make recommendations to the division, governor, and the legislature for improvements in such programs; (b) adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of the Social Services Act; and (c) approve the allocation of federal funds received by the division for projects and programs concerning the aging.

Adult social services programs were administratively transferred from the Division of Family Services to the Division of Aging in 1979 by the executive director of the Department of Social Services. The boards of both divisions continued to share responsibility for determining policy for adult social programs until 1983 when the legislature made the Division of Aging and Adult Services responsible for the disabled adult and aging citizen.

Policy-making authority specified in the 1988 revision of the Social Services Code includes: coordinating with local area agencies on aging which receive funds under contract with the division in setting policy; establishing by rule procedures for developing policies which ensure that local area agencies are given opportunity to comment and provide input on any new policy of the board and on proposed changes in existing policy of the board; and providing a mechanism for review of its existing policy and for consideration of policy changes proposed by local area agencies.

Seven members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the State Senate make up the Board of Aging and Adult Services. Members are appointed to four-year terms and are eligible for one reappointment. None may serve more than two terms. A chairperson is elected from among the members of the board. The board is empowered to adopt bylaws to govern its activities. A chairman appointed by the governor presided over the 11-member Committee on Aging (1959-61). A full-time director appointed by the 11-member Council on Aging (1961-69) acted as chief administrative officer of the council. The 1983 amendment to the Social Services Act also transferred responsibility for appointing the division director from the board to the executive director of the Department of Social Services (UTSVH01116-A).

The Committee on Aging was statutorily created in 1959 by the 33rd State Legislature. Seven appointees and four ex officio members made up the eleven-member committee. Of the seven appointed members, five were named by the governor and one each by the speaker of the house and president of the senate. The four ex officio members included the chairman of the Industrial Commission, the Chairman of the Board of Health, the chairman of the Department of Public Welfare (#1284), and the chairman of the Board of Education.

This body was replaced two years later when the 34th Legislature created the Council on Aging. Consisting of eleven members, the council included three citizen (non-state employee) members appointed by the governor, two each appointed by the speaker of the house and the president of the senate, and one each named by the Industrial Commission, the Department of Health, the Public Welfare Commission (#1310), and the superintendent of public instruction. The Utah Legislative Council served as an advisory council to the Council on Aging.

Two executive orders affecting the Council on Aging were issued in 1967 by Governor Calvin L. Rampton. The first placed the Council on Aging under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Department of Health and Welfare (#1116). The second declared that the name of the Council on Aging be changed to the Board on Aging and that the board's administrative unit be called the Division on Aging. In amending the 1967 Social Services Act in 1969, the 38th State Legislature formalized Governor Rampton's action by statutorily creating a five-member Board of Aging within the renamed Department of Social Services. The board assumed all of the functions, powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Council on Aging except for those which were executive or administrative in nature.

A 1983 amendment produced several changes. Upon recommendation that the board's name reflect its responsibility for all adults, the legislature added the phrase "and Adult Services." The amendment also increased board membership from five to seven.