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Higher levels of government should provide adequate resources when mandating functions to lower levels of government.

Services should be implemented and operated by the level of government that can most appropriately and efficiently deliver them. 

Congress should increase funding for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) programs. Funding should reflect the increased population of older Americans.

Policymakers should explore new, more consumer-centered systems for providing low-income assistance. 

Congress and state legislatures should ensure that all lawfully present non-citizen residents who qualify for essential low-income benefits have access to them.

Asset limits for public-benefit programs should be increased to ensure that they do not discourage saving. These limits should then be indexed to keep up with inflation.

The federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit levels should be increased to bring beneficiaries up to the poverty level. States should supplement those benefit payments. 

Information about public-benefit programs should be shortened and simplified. This includes application forms, procedures, and program notices.

Outreach to older adults should be an integral component of low-income assistance programs and include targeted outreach to underserved communities, such as rural areas. 

The federal government should require state CSBG and SSBG officials to consult with state and local agencies and organizations representing older people and other groups served by the programs.