To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Paul Dunaway 565-3673
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Local Master Plan for Aging Steering Committee and Strategic Plan Development
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution approving adjustment to the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Human Services Department budget to increase appropriations in the amount of $123,855 for a consulting contract to assist with formation of a local Master Plan for Aging Steering Committee and develop a local strategic plan aligning with the California Master Plan for Aging. (4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
The Human Services Department (HSD) Adult and Aging Division will be forming a local Master Plan for Aging (MPA) Steering Committee to develop a local strategic plan aligning with the California Master Plan for Aging. With the Board’s approval to adjust the HSD budget, HSD will contract with Collaborative Consulting, an organization that has assisted other counties to develop their own local MPA. Collaborative Consulting will assist with the formation of a steering committee, gather community input, and write the Sonoma County MPA to be presented to the Board at the conclusion of this project. The amount for this contract is $123,855 for the period of March 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. A local MPA would benefit the county by setting targeted goals and objectives responsive to local needs; identifying resource gaps (infrastructure, operational capacity, personnel/volunteers, funding) that must be filled to achieve identified goals and objectives; serving as an educational tool to increase awareness and catalyze targeted and impactful action; and informing the county’s legislative platform to drive advocacy efforts to influence policy, legislation, and funding.
Discussion:
In January 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom released the California Master Plan for Aging, affirming the priority of ensuring the health and well-being of older Californians and people with disabilities. It is a “blueprint” for state government, local government, the private sector, and philanthropic organizations to prepare the state for the coming demographic changes and continue California’s leadership in aging, disability, and equity. The MPA calls on all California communities to build a California for All Ages & Abilities-for older adults to age-in-place as independently and healthfully as possible; for younger generations to prepare for living longer than their elders; for communities of all ages and abilities to thrive in communities where they are engaged, valued, and afforded equitable opportunities.
A Sonoma County MPA that is developed by the community, for the community, will reflect our local needs and will serve as a local blueprint for prioritized initiatives and recommendations for future areas of focus and efforts within our county. This plan will be different from the Area Agency on Aging Area Plan, which gathers community input on how to spend State and Federal Funds. A community created MPA would serve to synthesize the community goals and direction that the community wants to go that is unique in this county.
Based on 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, Sonoma County’s residents age 60 and over comprise approximately 27% of the total population, as compared to 21% of the state’s population. Four out of five County residents over 60 are White (83%), 10% are Hispanic/Latino, 7% are 2 or more races, 4% are Asian, and 4% are categorized as other. Black, Native American, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders make up less than 1% of the County’s 60+ population. Approximately 14% of those over 60 speak a language other than English at home. 71% receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at an average income of $24,000/year. Approximately 14% live at 100-149% of the Federal poverty level and 9% receive some sort of public assistance (Cash Aid and/or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
The needs of the Sonoma County aging population track with the bold goal areas outlined in the California MPA:
• Affordable Housing-not just housing that can accommodate and house the elderly, but affordable housing for local workers and those who will be caregivers and providing any other vital services to our aging population. As this has been a particular challenge for Sonoma County, it is likely one that will continue to impact the aging population for the foreseeable future.
• Access to Quality and Affordable Healthcare-as the population ages local governments and the private sector will need to ensure that the local health infrastructure can meet the needs of a growing population with various abilities and a likely increase in the management of chronic conditions. Increased local partnerships with public health, community services, and private healthcare will need to be targeted.
• Increase in Long-term Care Choices, Availability and Affordability-in addition to growing healthcare needs, many older adults and their families will find themselves navigating an often fragmented and confusing system to access long-term care and benefits. A local plan must review how to help the aging population better navigate, afford, and access these services.
• Increase in the Availability, Affordability, and Quality of Caregivers-Sonoma County has a higher percentage of aging population in comparison to many other counties, and therefore, will need an increased and steady flow of caregiving professionals. Additionally, to meet the needs of many of the aging and their families-will also need assistance or alternative caregiving options that are affordable.
As the state’s older adult population is projected to grow three times as fast as the overall population by 2060, and given that Sonoma County’s proportion of those 60+ is higher than the California average, it is necessary to build the infrastructure for aging now to accommodate this growth.
Benefits of Creating a Local MPA
A local MPA can serve the following purposes:
• Set targeted goals and objectives responsive to local needs
• Identify resource gaps (infrastructure, operational capacity, personnel/volunteers, funding) that must be filled to achieve identified goals and objectives
• Serve as an educational tool to increase awareness and catalyze targeted and impactful action
• Inform a legislative platform to drive advocacy efforts to influence policy, legislation and funding
Steering Committee Structure/Function
Engaging local experts is essential to creating a unique plan to address local Sonoma County needs. The steering committee will be comprised of 15 volunteer community members representative of different sectors to address the bold goal areas of housing, health, wellness/community, caregiving, and economic security. The steering committee will meet monthly for ten months to develop the Sonoma County MPA. Meetings and strategic plan development will be supported by a contracted consultant-Collaborative Consulting-who has deep familiarity with Sonoma County through its strategic planning work with Health Action and expertise in local MPA development through its engagement with Contra Costa and Marin Counties to create their MPA Playbook. An important task of the steering committee will be to gather community input to inform the local MPA. Using the consultant, the steering committee will employ various methods to garner what the community identifies as most important. HSD will contract with Collaborative Consulting in the amount of $123,855 for 16 months beginning in March 2023. This contract, spread evenly over the course of 16 months, does not meet the monetary threshold to require Board approval.
County Purchasing approved a sole source waiver for the Collaborative Consulting contract, because they have done similar work with other counties. Most recently, Contra Costa County (CC) issued a Request for Interest (RFI) in July 2022 to develop their Local MPA and through a rigorous application and review process selected Collaborative Consulting to engage in an 18-month contract to conduct: 1) background information gathering and landscape mapping; 2) stakeholder engagement; 3) strategic planning; and 4) service provider network capacity building. These are the same activities that Sonoma County requires for the development of the Local MPA. Adding to Collaborative Consulting’s unique qualifications is their recent and successful contractual work for Sonoma County’s Department of Health Services’ Health Action Program in which they gained deep familiarity with the county and its stakeholders by: 1) synthesizing background materials; 2) guiding vision/framing sessions with leadership; 3) supporting the work of a steering committee; 4) conducting focus groups with key stakeholders; and 5) creating a strategic planning document that prioritizes action and facilitates implementation.
The Sonoma County MPA will identify goals that the community prioritizes. Goals that the community can carry. It can become an advocacy tool and referenced when federal, state, or local funding is available. For instance, within two short years since inception of the California MPA, the state has committed billions of dollars. The steering committee will be poised to submit next steps and recommendations for consideration by the HSD Director. The final plan may be presented to the Board in 2024 for consideration with a recommendation for sustainability and oversight. In addition, there may be funding requests identified by this committee and brought to this Board for consideration.
Announcements about the creation of an MPA Steering Committee will be advertised throughout the County. Candidates will be required to complete an application and selections will be approved by the HSD Director. Given that selections will be made by HSD and that the steering committee will be comprised of volunteers, who will not receive a stipend, and the work is not a legislative mandate, the Brown Act does not apply. The Board is invited to make recommendations for individuals to serve on this committee. The steering committee will begin meeting in June 2023 and continue to convene monthly for 10 months.
Strategic Plan:
See Attachment #1, MPA-County Strategic Plan Crosswalk
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY 23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
|
0 |
$0 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$123,855 |
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Total Expenditures |
$123,855 |
0 |
$0 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal (including Realignment) |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
$123,855 |
0 |
$0 |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$123,855 |
0 |
$0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
HSD requests approval to increase FY 2022-2023 appropriations by $123,855. In addition, HSD will request to increase budget appropriations to transfer fund balance to the HSD operating fund. The full contract amount will be funded by 1991 realignment fund balance.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment 1: MPA-County Strategic Plan Cross Walk
Attachment 2: Budget Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None