KEWANEE — The Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging (WIAAA) board is responding to a recent article about the Henry County Senior Citizens Center losing its designation as a Community Focal Point (CFP), a change that will affect local seniors.

Executive Director Lacey Matkovic said the decision to terminate the HCSC’s CFP designation followed an extended review process and was not made lightly.

MORE: Henry County Senior Center loses key designation, impacting services for area seniors | Kewanee Voice

While staffing decisions at the Henry County Senior Center (HCSC) are separate from WIAAA’s designation process, Matkovic emphasized that CFP services will continue under a new provider.

Effective Oct. 1, 2026, Project NOW/Rock Island County Senior Center will assume the CFP role for Henry County, ensuring older adults, caregivers and adults with disabilities continue to have uninterrupted access to essential services.

The new provider will announce its physical location and transition details later this year.

Matkovic said the Kewanee center had been on provisional status for 18 months due to underperformance in key CFP services, particularly caregiver‑related programs.

The center was first placed on probation in July 2024 and granted an extension through January 2026 to improve participation and service delivery.

“Weekly activity reports and clear benchmarks were monitored by WIAAA staff,” Matkovic wrote in an email exchange with The Kewanee Voice. “Ultimately, it was determined that services were not being delivered at the level necessary to fully meet the needs of older adults and caregivers in Henry County.”

WIAAA provided marketing materials and outreach guidance to help the center boost participation, including flyers, postcards and caregiver‑specific resources. Matkovic said providers are encouraged to go beyond passive distribution by using media outlets, community presentations and professional networking to reach seniors directly.

In her earlier comments, HCSC Director Cassandra Schmoll said outreach for programs in Henry County was challenging.

When asked to respond to WIAAA comments, Schmoll noted that many residents over 60 remain employed and don’t have time to join in program activities. Seniors over 70, she said, often have a difficult time reaching out to ask for assistance. She said her team used billboards, social media and distributed materials to libraries and doctors’ offices to attract seniors to the programs but struggled to meet participation projections.

Matkovic addressed comments made by Schmoll suggesting the board planned to shift the center’s meal delivery from hot to frozen meals, clarifying that there is no directive by the board requiring a shift from hot meals to frozen meals in the Home Delivered Meals program.

“Any such change would occur only under specific circumstances, such as documented food safety concerns or logistical challenges in rural areas,” she said. “Our priority remains ensuring that all older adults receive safe, reliable and appropriate meal services.”

Regarding reinstatement, Matkovic said CFP designations are permanent unless voluntarily relinquished or formally revoked by the WIAAA Board of Directors.

“Should this policy change in the future, HCSC would be permitted to reapply for CFP designation at that time,” she said.

Schmoll, who plans to retire this fall, said the center would need to bid on services moving forward.