The Center for Social Gerontology, Inc. (TCSG), since its inception in 1972, has been a non-profit research, training and social policy organization dedicated to promoting the individual autonomy of older persons and advancing their well-being in society. TCSG has pursued this goal through a wide variety of projects, including serving since 1985 as an Administration on Aging-funded National Support Center in Law & Aging.
TCSG’s mission is to help society adapt to the dramatic increase in the numbers of old and very old, and to insure that older persons at all socio-economic and health levels are able to meet their needs and use their talents and abilities in a changing society. We undertake to lead, and even prod, policy makers and others to consider carefully the implications of the aging of America in formulating social policies and programs.
In these roles, TCSG has, since the early 1970s, been actively involved in working on aging programs and advocacy related to the Older American’s Act. A primary focus of TCSG’s activities has been on legal services development on the national, state and local levels. A major part of our legal services development activities has been the promotion of the effective and efficient delivery of legal services for the most vulnerable older persons. A key component of a states’ legal services delivery system and of its elder rights advocacy is the State Legal Services Developer, a position which originated in 1976 through the actions of the federal Administration on Aging and which now exists in all 50 states. TCSG has been deeply committed to the Legal Services Developer concept since its inception and has worked closely with the Developers in the 50 states since they began. TCSG also was instrumental in the creation of the National Association of Legal Services Developers in the late 1980s and continues to provide support to this important organization. In addition, TCSG played a significant role in the formulation and adoption by Congress in 1992 of Title VII of the Older Americans Act – the Elder Rights title – and particularly the State Elder Rights and Legal Assistance Development Program chapter of Title VII.
This web site on State Legal Services Development has been created to provide information and resources which will enhance efforts by Legal Services Developers, providers of legal services for the elderly, state and area agencies on aging, policymakers and others to promote the delivery of legal services to the most vulnerable older Americans.