On Wednesday, March 18, the Minnesota Senate’s Human Services Committee held a hearing for the Senior Meals and Services Coalition policy bill: SF4508/HF4210.
Senior Meals and Services Coalition representatives Amanda Nickerson, Older Americans Act Program Director for Trellis, and Erick Hedman of Prairie Five Community Action Council, Inc. testified on behalf of the bill, which was introduced and authored by Senator Erin Maye Quade.
The bill proposes changes to the Minnesota Senior Nutrition Program that would modernize the statute language, improve efficiency in service delivery and provide greater flexibility for innovative solutions to address senior nutrition needs. The updated language would expand the types of partnerships providers can create to serve older adults and would allow providers to offer not only prepared meals but also fresh produce, food boxes, meal kits and other innovative delivery methods.
“The changes we seek in this bill will increase access to meals and food for older adults across Minnesota who face malnutrition,” said Nickerson. Added Hedman, “Senate File 4508 will have a profound effect on bringing services to rural Minnesota. It is giving the providers the green light to figure out responsible, efficient and transparent ways of bringing services to people. This bill is a present and also a future investment.”
The Human Services Committee laid over the bill for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.
Stay tuned to our website for additional updates about this legislation as the Coalition continues to advocate for Minnesota’s aging population.