Planning is necessary if the states are to succeed in developing comprehensive and coordinated systems of long-term supports for older Americans and persons with disabilities and their families. The TASC Planning Zone is a one-stop source for states designed specifically to support the development of comprehensive State Plans on Aging. We hope that you will find it helpful to your planning needs. The focus of the site is to stimulate thinking on:

• The state's vision and mission
• AoA's strategic vision and initiatives
• State and federal priorities
• New challenges and priorities
• Demographic and program data
• Quality assurance and improvement efforts

The TASC Planning Zone is geared towards planners at all professional levels, and is designed to be used by all states in their planning activities. Intended to serve as a quick-reference source, this online planning resource site represents the current state of thinking on developing strategically-focused State Plans on Aging.

Navigation links with drop down menus are placed at the top. Additionally, all the pages in each section include right column navigation links. Although portions of this site are arranged sequentially to walk you through the steps of creating a State Plan on Aging, each section is a self-contained ready reference.
How the Site is Organized

This Web site is divided into three main parts. Areas in the site outline elements to be included in a State Plan narrative, describe the techniques of comprehensive planning, and examine various planning methods.

The three main parts of the site include:

• The Planning Process: This section identifies 11 Key Decision Points in State Aging Plan development. Each entry includes methods and approaches that SUAs might use to address: Mission and Values; Environment (Internal/External Assessment); Issues; Needs; Assets; Barriers; Goals and Objectives; Strategies; Outcomes; and Plan Monitoring.
• The State Plan: Although not intended to serve as a template, this section offers an in-depth look at writing the State Plan on Aging.
• Resource Links: The site also has a virtual library, which includes links to the sources referenced in this Web site and numerous additional links related to issues of planning.

To assist state efforts in developing comprehensive State Plans, the U.S. Administration on Aging provided technical support funding to the National Association of State Units on Aging and planning grants to the States of Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania to make improvements in one or more aspects of their State Aging Plans.

The TASC Planning Zone is one important aspect of the NASUA Comprehensive State Planning Initiative. NASUA is available to provide training to states on the use of this Planning Resource Tool and to support State Units on Aging in developing comprehensive State Plans.

The TASC Comprehensive State Planning Zone is supported, in part, by the U.S. Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services, Grant No. 90-AM-3032.