OLYMPIA -- The federal government has upheld a decision by the Department of Social and Health Services to withdraw the Human Services Council's designation as the Area Agency on Aging sponsor in SW Washington.

The council has been the sponsor of the Area Agency on Aging for Clark, Klickitat, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, and Skamania counties since the mid 1970s.

The decision to uphold the DSHS action was made on April 25 by the Federal Administration on Aging, which said that DSHS was appropriate in its efforts to withdraw the Human Services Council sponsorship.

"We find that DSHS, after consideration of the argument presented, reasonably reached the findings set forth in 42 U.S.C. §§ 3021 et seq.; 45 C.F.R. Part 1321, Subpart B and appropriately exercised its broad authority over Washington's Area Agencies on Aging in de-designating HSC/SWAA," according to the federal government's response to DSHS.

Under the authority of the Federal Older Americans Act, DSHS will temporarily operate the Southwest Washington Area Agency on Aging until a new sponsor is designated. The Older Americans Act requires that local governments have the first right to become the sponsor of an Area Agency on Aging. The department plans to transfer the operational responsibility to a new Area Agency on Aging sponsor within the next six months.

Secretary Robin Arnold-Williams has committed to working together with the Human Services Council to make this a smooth transition and not interrupt services to vulnerable senior citizens in Southwest Washington.