COA BOARDS & FRIENDS GROUPS
What is a COA Board?
A Council on Aging (COA/Council) operates under Chapter 40 Section 8B of Massachusetts General Laws, permitting municipalities to establish COAs for coordinating aging programs alongside the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. COA board members hold responsibility to their town or city government and the community, with their duties outlined in legal charters or warrants. Understanding and upholding the COA’s mission, often centered on aiding the aging population, is crucial. COAs function as the primary public social service agency in many municipalities, addressing needs starting from age 50 and facilitating independence through information, support, and resource linkage.
Operating within the municipality’s legal framework, COA board members carry public responsibilities akin to elected officials, necessitating comprehension of state laws and ethical obligations. COAs identify and address unmet needs, often incorporating education and advocacy, requiring board members’ commitment to the agency’s mission and adherence to legal and ethical standards.
View/Download Board Resource Guide
What is COA Friends Group?
News You Can Use
Utilizing Senior and Veterans Tax Work-Off Programs
These programs are an effective way of creating lasting, positive relationships with community participants. They can be the means of getting some help that your budget may not allow, such as Memory Café leadership, Age- and Dementia-Friendly Action Team leaders, meal deliverers, receptionists, greeters, etc. If you can dream it up, it’s possible!
Homelessness Prevention through the MA Statewide Hoarding Taskforce
Our behavioral health colleagues at the MA Association of Mental Health (MAMH) received a two-year grant from the Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds that will enable the MA Hoarding Resource Network to focus on stabilizing housing and strengthening eviction prevention for people living with hoarding disorder.