9 March 1998

The Hon. Harry Reid
The United States Senate
Hart Senate Office Building, Rm. 528
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Reid:

The National Association of Geriatric Education Centers (NAGEC) recognizes the vital importance of having policy makers like you who support programs that improve the health of older Americans. Thus, we ask for your continued support for authorization and appropriations for the nation's Geriatric Education Centers. We believe all 50 states should be served by a fully-funded GEC. Of the 43 GECs, only 30 are currently funded.

To serve all 50 states with a full complement of fully-funded GECs would only cost the federal government around $13 million in FY '99. Thus, we ask for your support to urge the appropriations committees to consider that level of funding to ensure that all older Americans have the best possible health care professionals who possess the added training they need in geriatrics.

The GECs that comprise NAGEC are funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Division of Associated, Dental and Public Health Professions. Trainees throughout the nation include leading allied health professionals, dentists, pharmacists, physicians, nurses, social workers, health administrators and educators.

There is currently a gross imbalance in the numbers of health professionals who have had the opportunity to acquire additional training in geriatrics and the burgeoning older population who need their health and human services. Thus, older Americans need GECs, and GECs need people like you.

Sincerely,

Robert E. Roush, Ed.D., M.P.H. President, NAGEC