Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) today released the performance results of five more local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) as part of its historic action to overhaul how Pennsylvania’s AAA Network is monitored for compliance, ensuring older adults stay healthy, safe and thriving in their homes of choice as they age.
Last year, the Department officially launched its new Comprehensive Aging Performance Evaluation (CAPE). This innovative tool streamlines monitoring through a more comprehensive system, where each of Pennsylvania’s 52 AAAs is evaluated for different performance metrics – like protective services – during a singular monitoring review instead of over a course of multiple visits. This approach gives the Department a better snapshot of the local organization’s overall functioning, helping PDA quickly identify problems and opportunities for improvement, ensuring older adults are protected and safe in their communities.
Five more AAAs – Allegheny, Berks, Forest/Warren, Northumberland, and Potter – join the growing list of agencies that have recently been evaluated, bringing the total number of results for AAAs on PDA’s website to 25, covering 36 counties.
“Pennsylvania is making unprecedented progress in keeping older adults safe by conducting a consistent, scheduled, comprehensive review of each Area Agency on Aging’s performance through the CAPE, and we continue to meet our promise to share this information publicly,” said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. “The development of CAPE is a cornerstone of our commitment to ensuring we are delivering quality services to older adults in every community in PA. Through this process, we’re identifying what these local agencies need in order to improve performance and strive for excellence in serving older adults.”
PDA works with a network of 52 AAAs to deliver services to older adults. The Department disburses millions of dollars annually to AAAs to fund these services, and one of the Department’s most important responsibilities is to monitor the performance of each AAA to make sure they are meeting performance standards. However, the Department’s system for doing so has previously been fragmented, inconsistently scheduled, and did not always focus on objective measures.
CAPE represents the first major overhaul and upgrade of the Department’s monitoring system in decades. In April 2025, for the first time ever, PDA began posting performance results on its website for AAAs monitored under CAPE – giving public visibility to the Shapiro Administration's increased accountability and oversight. Results of CAPE are routinely posted to the Department’s website, with clearly defined, simple key categories for each AAA. Each key category reflects one of the multiple areas where PDA monitors AAAs.
Under CAPE, the Department continues to monitor AAA data and performance monthly; in addition, each AAA is comprehensively monitored on a consistent schedule, with regular communications to discuss the outcomes, ensure that they are taking steps toward any needed performance improvement, and provide additional training and technical assistance as needed.
Investing in Older Adults
The new system is part of the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of Pennsylvania’s rapidly growing older adult population and making certain the Commonwealth remains a place where they can thrive in their golden years.
Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed 2026-27 budget invests more than $6 million to continue implementing CAPE, increasing oversight and accountability of the AAA network and transforming the coordination of services for older adults through the PA Link.
Since taking office in 2023, Governor Shapiro has invested more than $20 million to make life better for older Pennsylvanians by helping them stay safe, healthy and engaged in their communities and to continue building community supports as they age. The Shapiro Administration also released Aging Our Way PA at the Governor’s direction, which sets a 10-year strategy to build more inclusive, supportive communities for the more than 3 million older adults who call Pennsylvania home.
Learn more about how Pennsylvania is serving the needs of older adults by visiting the Department of Aging's website.