To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Paul Dunaway 565-3673, Laura Rania 565-4031
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Human Services Department contract with Legal Aid of Sonoma County
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Director of the Human Services Department to execute an agreement with Legal Aid of Sonoma County for legal services to older and dependent adult victims of abuse in the Adult Protective Services Home Safe Program for the period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 in an amount not to exceed $139,000.
end
Executive Summary:
The Human Services Department (HSD) Adult and Aging Division has received annual funding from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) since December 2018 to operate the Adult Protective Services (APS) Home Safe Program (HSP). This funding is expected to continue through June 2024.
HSP assists APS clients who are experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness due to elder or dependent adult abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation. The Adult and Aging Division has contracted with Legal Aid of Sonoma County since 2019 to provide legal services for HSP clients. Legal Aid of Sonoma County’s Elder Law Clinic is specifically geared toward services to address barriers that older adults and dependent adults face that are unique to those populations.
Discussion:
California’s over-60 population is projected to diversify and grow faster than any other age group, increasing from 16% of the population in 2010 to 25% by 2030. Older adults aged 60+ account for 27% of Sonoma County’s total population, a number that is projected to increase to 33% by 2030. The economic profile of the county’s older adult population reflects growing financial challenges. Given that many older adults have a fixed income, their resources don’t stretch as far as the years go by. Their economic status is linked to social determinants such as ethnicity, education, and employment history.
Sonoma County has a significant lack of housing options for older adults and especially for those individuals who are low income. The annual homeless count in Sonoma County shows a 61% increase in survey respondents that were aged 61 or older from 2017 to 2022-signifying that homelessness among the older adult population has likely grown. Additionally, according to the 2-1-1 Sonoma County call center data from 2019-2023, housing remains the second highest category of need, behind income support and assistance, for people 55 and over.
In 2022, APS reports of elder and dependent adult abuse climbed to 6,029 from 5,578 in 2001, which was an 8% increase. This number is expected to continue growing since changes to the law defining “elder” dropped the age from 65 to 60 effective January 1, 2022. Of the 6,029 reports of elder and dependent adult abuse received in 2022, 3,801 met the criteria to be investigated by APS social workers.
Of the total elder abuse investigations in 2022, 81 were identified as needing services from the Home Safe Program, which was an increase from 42 when HSP first launched in 2019. This shows a significant increase in the need for HSP services for APS clients. It is projected that the need for HSP services will continue to grow and the types of services needed will expand.
The Home Safe Program assists APS clients who are experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness due to elder or dependent adult abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation. HSP provides clients with support to stabilize their current housing or to search for new housing, and partners with Legal Aid of Sonoma County to provide essential legal assistance with issues such as evictions or restraining orders. HSP enables APS to provide intensive short-term case management, landlord mediation, and eviction prevention among other supports and services. Sonoma County has participated in HSP since its inception in December 2018.
An often-vital component to successful APS intervention is legal assistance. Since HSP services became a part of the APS program, Sonoma has partnered with Legal Aid of Sonoma County. HSP clients are provided direct support from Legal Aid with services to help stabilize housing, including assistance with elder abuse restraining orders, financial abuse, credit issues, evictions, and landlord/tenant issues. Time-limited funding from CDSS for HSP will support the contract for an elder law attorney with Legal Aid to respond to housing related issues through June 30, 2024.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
March 1, 2022: Authorized the Director of HSD to execute a contract with Legal Aid to provide legal services to older and dependent adult victims of abuse in the APS Home Safe Program.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 23-24 Adopted |
FY 24-25 Projected |
FY 25-26 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$139,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$139,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
$139,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$139,000 |
$0 |
$0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The revenue and expenditure appropriations are included in HSD’s Fiscal Year 2023-2024 adopted budget. HSD is not requesting to increase appropriations.
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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:
Contract #AA-LASC-HSLSS-2324 with Legal Aid of Sonoma County
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None