Council on Older Persons (COOP)

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The Council On Older Persons (COOP)

The Council On Older Persons (COOP) is an advisory committee of The Center for Community Solutions, COOP’s mission is to promote a better understanding of aging and address the issues and concerns of older persons in Greater Cleveland through citizen-led needs assessment, policy development, community education, and advocacy. COOP’s members include leaders in the aging network who come together to develop strategies, lead advocacy efforts, and implement solutions.

Health, Human Services, and Aging Committee Meetings (HHSA)

The Health, Human Services, and Aging Committee reviews and makes recommendations on legislation concerning the various county social services agencies, including Department of Job & Family Services, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, and Senior and Adult Services.

History of COOP

The Council on Older Persons (COOP) was established as a committee of the Federation for Community Planning (now CCS) around 1940. Its purpose was to study the field of the care of the aged and to make recommendations for improvements of programs for older people, analyze available resources, and be influential in meeting the needs of the aged.

By-Laws

The Council on Older Persons (COOP) serves as an advisory committee for The Center for Community Solutions and as a resource to support communities, organizations, and institutions to promote the well‐being of older adults through education, awareness, and advocacy. Read the COOP By-Laws.

Accomplishments

In its nearly 70 years, COOP has been instrumental in the development of many significant programs and laws for older people, both locally and nationally. A few of them are: The PASSPORT program; the Ohio Guardianship Law; the Ohio Adult Protective Services Law; the Cuyahoga County Department of Senior and Adult Services; and the OPTIONS Program.

Issues

COOP’s focus is centered on issues and programs that affect the well-being of all older persons. These include the range of choices for long-term care and adult protective services. COOP is also identifying and studying concerns of older persons that can be addressed through public policy; recommending action strategies to impact these issues; and implementing the strategies approved by COOP members.

Principles

COOP adopted principles which are non-partisan and contain broad statements that can be applied over time. The principles provide a framework to guide direct or indirect contact with federal, state, and local legislators as well as other entities that influence public and social policy associated with older person and those who are disabled.

COOP Members

To learn more about our work, please feel welcome to contact William Tarter, Jr., wtarter@CommunitySolutions.com.