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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102

§3003 Congressional Declaration of Additional Objectives

Title 42 › CHAPTER 35 — PROGRAMS FOR OLDER AMERICANS › SUBCHAPTER I — DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES AND DEFINITIONS › § 3003

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires creating programs that give health, education, and support services to older adults who need them. Gives extra attention to elders with special needs and, while programs expand, priority to those with the greatest economic and social need. Programs must coordinate services and, when useful, offer meaningful jobs for older and younger people and volunteers. Planning must be a partnership of older people, community groups, and state and local governments, with federal help.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §3003

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Congress finds that millions of older citizens in this Nation are suffering unnecessary harm from the lack of adequate services. It is therefore the purpose of this Act, in support of the objectives of the Older Americans Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.], to—
(1)make available comprehensive programs which include a full range of health, education, and supportive services to our older citizens who need them,
(2)give full and special consideration to older citizens with special needs in planning such programs, and, pending the availability of such programs for all older citizens, give priority to the elderly with the greatest economic and social need.
(3)provide comprehensive programs which will assure the coordinated delivery of a full range of essential services to our older citizens, and, where applicable, also furnish meaningful employment opportunities for many individuals, including older persons, young persons, and volunteers from the community, and
(4)insure that the planning and operation of such programs will be undertaken as a partnership of older citizens, community agencies, and State and local governments, with appropriate assistance from the Federal Government.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in text, means Pub. L. 93–29, May 3, 1973, 87 Stat. 30, known as the Older Americans Comprehensive Services

Amendments

of 1973. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1973 Amendment note set out under section 3001 of this title and Tables. The Older Americans Act of 1965, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 89–73, July 14, 1965, 79 Stat. 218, which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3001 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was not enacted as part of the Older Americans Act of 1965 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1981—Par. (1). Pub. L. 97–115 substituted “supportive services” for “social services”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 3003

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102