Division of Aging Councils and Committees

Governor's Advisory Council on Aging

The Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging (GAC) consists of 33 members including 29 members appointed by the Governor, two members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The GAC is staffed by the Division of Aging.  The GAC has the following duties:

  • Make recommendations to the Governor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services aimed at improving human services to the elderly.
  • Study ways and means of promoting public understanding of the problems of the aging and consider the need for new State programs in the field of aging.
  • Advise DHHS in the preparation of a plan describing the quality, extent and scope of services being provided, or to be provided, to elderly persons in North Carolina.
  • Study the programs of all State agencies which provide services for elderly persons and advise the Governor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the coordination of program to prevent duplication and overlapping of such services.
  • Advise the Governor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services upon any matter which the Governor and the Secretary may refer to it.

Want to learn more? 

Rebecca Freeman
(919) 855-3421

Interested in applying for appointment to the council?

Visit the governor's boards and commissions page to submit an application. 

Senior Tar Heel Legislature

The North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature was created by the North Carolina General Assembly with the passage of Senate Bill 479 in July of 1993. The Senior Tar Heel Legislature was created to:

  • Provide information to senior citizens on the legislative process and matters being considered by the North Carolina General Assembly.
  • Promote citizen involvement and advocacy concerning aging issues before the North Carolina General Assembly.
  • Assess the legislative needs of older citizens by convening a forum modeled after the North Carolina General Assembly.

Each of the 100 North Carolina counties is entitled to one delegate to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature. Most counties also have an alternate delegate. Delegates and alternates must be age 60 or older. The North Carolina Division of Aging provides staff support for the Senior Tar Heel Legislature in cooperation with the 16 area agencies on aging, which are responsible for conducting the selection of delegates and alternates.

Want to learn more? 

Visit the NC Senior Tar Heel Legislature webpage. 

Community Advisory Committee Members

Community Advisory Committee members are volunteer advocates in each county who are appointed by the county commissioners to serve on the nursing and adult care home community advisory committees in each county (G.S. 131E-128 and 131D-31). There are over 1,000 volunteers state-wide. These volunteers are trained and assisted by the regional ombudsmen. The primary purposes of the advisory committees are to maintain the intent of the Nursing Home and Adult Care Home Resident Bill of Rights within nursing homes and adult care homes across North Carolina and to promote community involvement and cooperation with such homes to ensure quality of care for older adults. The advisory committees are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners in each county. The committees are responsible for advising the county commissioners of the general conditions existing in the long term care facilities within each county. The committees fulfill this obligation through formal and informal visits to the facilities. In addition, they submit quarterly and annual reports to the county commissioners and the Regional Ombudsman. Community Advisory Committees assist individuals in resolving grievances with facilities at the local level. The extent of the assistance is limited to the success of mediation or conciliation at the local level. The committees do not have the regulatory power to force a remedy.

Although the community advisory committees have the authority to assist in resolving a grievance with the consent of the resident or responsible party, the bulk of the complaint investigations and resolution activity is handled by the Regional Ombudsman.

Interested in becoming a Community Advisory Committee member?

Contact your Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners or your local Ombudsman Program.