Supporting Veterans and Seniors

Supporting Veterans and Seniors

• Strengthened supports for older Rhode Islanders by increasing senior center funding every year for the past four years and doubling the state’s investment since taking office.
• Ended state taxation of military service pensions in FY 2023, applicable to every veteran who retires from active duty and wants to make Rhode Island their home. Military retiree income feeds the local economy, and these veterans bring a wealth of knowledge and backgrounds benefiting Rhode Island.
• Dedicated funding for the VetPass Transportation Program to ensure injured, ill, and disabled veterans have reliable access to VA health care, employment, food, and stability supports—recognizing transportation as a critical factor in reintegration, housing stability, and sustained engagement with the VA system.
• Increased the maximum pension exemption from $20,000 to $50,000, which will allow personal income tax filers to exempt up to $50,000 for qualified single filers and $100,000 for joint filers.
• Provided $25,000 in 2025 to sustain the Veterans’ Café Program—run by RIVETS in partnership with the Office of Healthy Aging and Meals on Wheels—offering community-based meals, social connection, and health and wellness education for veterans at risk of isolation.
• Through the Office of Health Aging, invested $1.6 million in community-based programs and services in FY 2026, enabling older adults to age healthily, happily, and in the manner they choose.
• Continued to implement the Rhode Island Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) 2024-2029 State Plan. This ambitious plan details 36 strategic recommendations on how to improve the quality of life and accessibility of care for Rhode Islanders with dementia and their caregivers by the end of this decade.  

• Continued to increase support for Meals on Wheels of RI in FY 2026, adding $50,000 in additional state general revenue for meal delivery to Rhode Island seniors.
• Continued support and enhancement of the Rhode Island Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) to better align with current vision and connect more deeply with customers and stakeholders. A rebranding clarified the mission and future direction for the ADRC and their service to older Rhode Islanders, adults living with disabilities, and family caregivers. The ADRC fielded over 20,000 inquiries, serving over 6,000 Rhode Islanders in FFY 2025 with information and guidance, options counseling, and application assistance.
• Provided critical assistance through the Office of Healthy Aging’s (OHA) State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to Rhode Islanders affected by the loss of Medicare Advantage coverage at a major hospital system, delivering counseling, plan evaluation, and enrollment support, and coordinating with CMS to establish a special enrollment period for impacted beneficiaries.
• Expanded intergenerational programming through the OHA’s partnership with the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) Cyber-Seniors program, deploying trained students to help older adults build digital literacy, access online services, and overcome technology barriers that can contribute to social isolation.
  • Received national recognition from Generations United, which designated the OHA–URI Cyber-Seniors partnership a “Program of Distinction” for excellence in intergenerational collaboration and its positive, measurable impact on both older adults and youth.
• Announced Statewide Home Renovation funding that prioritizes support for older adults aging in place, helping residents remain safely in their homes and communities through targeted housing improvements.