Regional Council of Governments
The Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA) operates as a Regional Council of Governments consisting of representatives from Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union counties. These eight Central Ohio counties correspond to COAAA’s Planning and Service Area.
Overview
This operating model, which began January 1, 2026, enables COAAA to better serve older adults and individuals with disabilities in its eight-county region, further expand its service models, and launch innovative programs to meet emerging community needs.
A strategic plan developed in 2024 found COAAA could best manage its migration to the MyCare Next Generation service model mandated by the Ohio Department of Medicaid by transitioning to a regional government entity. By aligning agency operations with peer Area Agencies on Aging in Ohio, the agency adopted best practices, met new state and federal requirements, and ensured operational sustainability.
In turn, COAAA increased services, improved partnerships with regional stakeholders and better prepared the region for the future needs of older adults and people with disabilities, all while maintaining public accountability and transparency, and will continue to serve the region with no disruption to services, providers, or contracts.
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission spearheaded the creation of the Regional Council of Governments through convening a regional stakeholder group and providing technical assistance.
In 2024, COAAA made more than 47,000 home visits to Central Ohio older adults and people with disabilities, supported more than 500 recently discharged hospital patients with in-home care to avoid accidents and re-admission, provided education and information to over 10,000 residents and caregivers through seminars and events, and provided more than 37,000 residents with referrals to community resources, including affordable housing, transportation and caregiver support.
COAAA was founded in 1974 and operated as a Division of the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department until 2025, when the Regional Council of Governments for the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging was established.
There are 622 Area Agencies on Aging (often called triple-As) in the United States. Every US county is served by an area agency, which was established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans 60 and over. The Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging (o4a) is the statewide network serving as a collective voice for Ohio’s 12 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs).