About Our Mission, Core Values, and Commitment

Our mission is to promote and preserve the independence and dignity of the aging population.

Established in 1974, Tri-County Office on Aging (TCOA) is part of the local, state, and national aging network as a federally-designated Area Agency on Aging serving Region 6: Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties.

Working in partnership with agencies and service providers across the area, TCOA embraces a person-centered philosophy that focuses on how a person wants to live their life while honoring their preferences.

TCOA, along with the Consortium Board and Advisory Council, is dedicated to supporting older adults, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities to live as independently as possible and remain safely in their own homes and communities.

TCOA Core Values

Person-Centered

TCOA prioritizes equity, empowerment, and individualized support, reflecting a genuine commitment to honoring the autonomy and uniqueness of each person’s experience and journey. We provide distinctly individualized services, meeting participants where they are and empowering each to control their journey.

Accountable and Responsible

TCOA maintains integrity in all interactions with colleagues, participants, funders, and the community. We actively seek feedback and use data to inform our practices. We fulfill our promises and commitments, demonstrating stability and consistency, and adhere to high standards of honesty and ethics. We have an unwavering dedication to our mission.

Diverse and Inclusive

TCOA works to foster a diverse and inclusive environment and actively supports spaces where everyone belongs and is treated with dignity. We deeply respect each person’s choices and life experiences. We continually seek opportunities to grow and learn from our team, participants, and community. We proudly acknowledge and celebrate differences and foster an environment where all voices are heard and valued.

Community Driven

TCOA embraces the reliance on one another and our interconnectedness within the Tri-County fabric. We are responsive and proactive. While we grow, we strive to maintain a grassroots perspective to sustain our connection with the community. We act as a convenor, bringing people together to address collective needs and aspirations.

A Person-Centered Approach

Live Life Your Way a with Person-Centered Approach

At Tri-County Office on Aging, we embrace Person-Centered Thinking, ensuring that individuals receiving long-term care are at the heart of their own planning. Traditionally, Medicaid and regulatory standards shaped care plans, but we recognize that each person has unique needs, goals, and dreams. Everyone deserves meaningful daily experiences, strong relationships, social opportunities, and a valued place in the community.

Benefits of a Person-Centered Approach Include:

Personalized planning tailored to individual preferences
Respect for cultural values and traditions
A network of support from committed allies
Focus on strengths rather than limitations
Expanded choices for participants
Options for service delivery: Traditional or Self-Determination

A Balanced Approach

We maintain a strong foundation of health, safety, and family involvement, while empowering individuals with more control over their care. This approach does not reduce existing services or require new funding—it simply enhances how we support individuals in achieving the life they desire.

Q=CSI (Quality Equals Choice, Satisfaction and Independence)

Members of the CSI group define quality as perceived by the consumer for Project Choices (MI Choice) and the Self Determination Option, in order to provide, assess and increase quality care.

The CSI Group, facilitated by the Tri-County Office on Aging, meets bi-monthly on the third Thursday, starting in January, at 1:30 p.m. at their Lansing location. This consumer-driven collaboration focuses on defining and improving the quality of care within Project Choices (MI Choice) and the Self Determination Option, providing a platform for feedback and evaluation. Members, including consumers and advocates, discuss quality issues and identify areas for enhancement, ensuring homecare services align with consumer needs. New members are encouraged to join these discussions and contribute to shaping the future of care.

NCQA Accreditation

TCOA has achieved a 3-year accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for Case Management of Long-Term Supports and Services (LTSS) for the Project Choices/MI Choice Medicaid Waiver Program.

Earning NCQA Accreditation demonstrates that TCOA is dedicated to coordinating the delivery of care in a person-centered and integrated manner to help individuals function optimally in their preferred setting. The standards are intended to help organizations achieve the highest level of performance possible, increase adherence to care guidelines, and create an environment of continuous improvement.

About the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA):
NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NtCQA’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more-informed health care choices. NCQA can be found online at www.ncqa.org, on Twitter @ncqa, on Facebook and on LinkedIn

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Policies and Procedures
(Updated June 15, 2015)

Tri-County Office on Aging has updated its FOIA Policies and Procedures to comply with updates the Michigan Legislature made as part of 2014 Public Act 563. Click the links below to access TCOA’s’ updated policies and procedures. If you have questions or would like to file a FOIA request, please contact TCOA’s FOIA Coordinator.

TCOA Annual Reports

Financial Information

Tri-County Office on Aging
Annual Implementation Plan

Michigan’s 16 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are regional, non-profit agencies created by federal and state legislation to respond to the needs of older adults in every local community. These entities are, in part, funded by the Bureau of Aging, Community Living, and Supports (ACLS Bureau) and each is a designated planning and service area which operates a service delivery system that offers a range of community-based supports and services. Tri-County Office on Aging (Region 6) proudly serves Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties.

Under standard C-2 of the Operating Standards for Area Agencies on Aging, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) must operate under a Multi-Year Plan/Annual Implementation Plan (MYP/AIP) approved by the State Commission on Services to the Aging (CSA) to ensure proper implementation of the mandates of the Older Americans Act and the Older Michiganians Act.

Current Multi-Year Plan and Annual Implementation Plan

Multi-Year Plan Public Hearings and Comment Period

Share your thoughts on proposed services for older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers through Tri-County Office on Aging with non-Medicaid federal, state & local funding as outlined in the Multi-Year Plan.

Following a needs assessment process, TCOA identified potential goals, objectives, and corresponding activities for the 2027–2029 planning cycle. A draft summary of the Multi-Year Plan will be available here or by request no later than April 15, 2026.

Public Hearings have been scheduled to receive input:

Wednesday, May 6 at 1:00pm
Briggs District Library
108 E. Railroad St., St. Johns, MI 48879

Monday, May 11 at 11:00am
Charlotte Community Library
226 S. Bostwick, Charlotte, MI 48813

Thursday, May 14 at 1:00pm*
Tri-County Office on Aging
5303 S. Cedar St., Bldg. 1, Lansing, MI 48911

*Hybrid via Microsoft Teams with call-in option. Contact TCOA’s Planning and Program Development Manager for meeting information prior to May 1. Light refreshments will be available at TCOA.

To share comments without attending one of the hearings, please contact Planning and Program Development Manager at: 517-887-1348 or [email protected]