Week 4 Journal log

During week four, I found myself to be and extremely busy intern at COSA. I attended a
meeting wit COSA!s Ad"isory board and I attended a #ubli$ earing. %ot meetings were
benefi$ial towards my internsi# ex#erien$e. I learned tat #rior to any internal de$isions being
made at COSA& a##ro"al must $ome from COSA!s Ad"isory board. 'e Ad"isory board will
state in(uiries and gi"e teir o#inions about "arious to#i$s. Wen dire$ting or o"erseeing a
uman ser"i$e agen$y, I tink it is im#ortant to a"e a $oun$il to gi"e ad"i$e and su##ort, about
ow to im#lement and de"elo# ser"i$es.
At te #ubli$ earing COSA Dire$tor, Denise Stewart dis$ussed te annual #lan for te )*+4,
)*+- fis$al years. 'is fis$al year!s annual #lan #ro.e$ted flat funding for most of its ser"i$es
tat refle$ts $ut from te state!s budget. COSA re$ei"es most of its funding troug te
/ennsyl"ania De#artment of Aging %lo$k 0rants and te state De#artment of /ubli$ Welfare!s
Offi$e of 1ong 'erm 1i"ing 2edi$aid 3unds. It also re$ei"es some funding from federal and
lo$al sour$es.
Denise is anti$i#ating tat COSA will re$ei"e 4+4.56 million. 1ast year COSA re$ei"ed
4+6.+5 million. Denise is o#ing te legislator $ange teir minds #rior to July +, )*+4. COSA
really need funding to $ontinue to su##ort #rograms for seniors. 1ast year, te state forwarded
45**,*** in s#e$ial funding to COSA to su##ort te O#tions #rogram, wi$ is funded by
/ennsyl"ania 1ottery #ro$eeds
'e #lan must be submitted to te /ennsyl"ania De#artment of Aging for a##ro"al. Denise
Stewart stated tat, se o#es lawmakers make note of te large #o#ulation of seniors li"ing in
souteastern /ennsyl"ania. COSA!s #ro"ides funding to eigt senior $enters, se"eral ealt and
wellness #rograms, te 3amily Caregi"er Su##ort #rogram and te O#tions #rogram.