To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tracy Repp 565-5982, Paul Dunaway 565-3673
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Area Agency on Aging Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Annual Area Plan Update
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Approve the Area Agency on Aging 2020-2024 Four-Year Area Plan Update for Year Three, Fiscal Year 2022-2023, and authorize the Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors to sign the transmittal letter to the State of California Department of Aging.
end
Executive Summary:
The Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is required by the State of California Department of Aging (CDA) to develop an Area Plan every four years and update it annually. The plan establishes annual goals and objectives that serve to improve the lives of older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers in Sonoma County.
Discussion:
People 60 years of age and up now comprise a larger proportion of the population of the county, state, and country than ever before in history. Sonoma County’s older adult population comprises 134,385 individuals, representing 27% of the county’s total population. The projections of older adults for 2030 are 167,053 individuals representing 33% of the county’s total population, an 18% increase in approximately 10 years.
The AAA is responsible for planning, developing policy, and advocating for the needs of older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers. The AAA is also responsible for administering the Older Americans Act (OAA) federal funding. This federal funding assists older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their homes and in the community as long as possible. The Board of Supervisors has been designated as the governing body of the Sonoma County AAA by the CDA since 1980.
The CDA distributes federal and state funds to local AAA’s for the provision of services to older adults (persons 60 and older). The Sonoma County AAA receives nearly $2.75 million annually from the CDA and contracts with local community-based service providers to support programs such as home-delivered meals and senior lunches at congregate sites, case management, support for caregivers, transportation, and other supportive services and programs. In response to COVID-19, OAA increases and emergency funding allocations in 2021 and 2022 increased the AAA budget by nearly $2.5 million, representing an approximate 89% increase.
Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Area Plan Update
As described in Title 22, Chapter 3, Article 1.8 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), each AAA is required to develop and maintain a four-year area plan informing the community of needs and available services and service gaps, as well as the AAA’s plans to address these issues during the four-year planning cycle. As part of the current Area Plan, goals and objectives were developed reflecting the results of the needs assessment that was completed in 2019. This needs assessment was included in the four-year plan approved by the Board of Supervisors on April 28, 2020.
Each fiscal year, the AAA is required to provide the CDA an update to the four-year plan. The FY 2021-22 Area Plan Update provides a progress report on the overall objectives, which are a combination of contractual requirements and ongoing evaluation of older adult needs in Sonoma County.
To accomplish the goals and objectives set forth in the Four-Year Area Plan and effectively administer the OAA funding locally, the AAA maintains a strong voice in the community on issues affecting older adults. FY 2022-23 updates to the objectives include:
• Convene Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council members and community partners for monthly Advisory Council Committee meetings to evaluate issues related to older adults and adults with disabilities, and create short, medium, and long-term recommendations to inform policy makers and stakeholders on issues impacting these vulnerable communities.
• AAA Advisory Council members and AAA staff join County of Sonoma initiatives including Aging Together and Age Friendly Cities, ensuring inclusion of the needs and contributions of older adults in local planning conversations; move forward the “Five Bold Goals” of the Governor’s 10 Year Master Plan for Aging.
• Plan and implement outreach efforts that target the eligible population, with special attention to rural residents who have no broadband internet or electronic media service, Spanish speakers, and multi-cultural/multi-lingual clientele. Publicity and outreach plans will include specific strategies for addressing challenges to reaching rural residents, minorities, and other underserved groups.
• Implement training, policies, and hiring practices for AAA and service providers’ staff that support and promote cultural competency and inclusivity, and that demonstrate an ability to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to diverse populations including Latinx; Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC); Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex (LGBTQI+); and/or other minority and underserved groups.
The AAA contracts with local non-profit agencies to provide services free of charge for older adults and caregivers such as: meals, transportation, legal services, care management, adult day programs, caregiver support programs, Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy (HICAP) and Ombudsman services. In addition, the Sonoma County Adult and Aging Division runs an Information and Assistance line to assist callers to navigate the unique needs, life changes and challenges of aging. That number is (707) 565-INFO (4636).
Throughout the pandemic, the federal government has continued to provide emergency funding to support and expand OAA defined programs through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Additional funding in 2021 and 2022 was provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA). The AAA continues to allocate the emergency funding to existing OAA service providers in Sonoma County. This funding has totaled approximately $1.8 million. Funding from CARES, CAA, and CRRSA ends September 30, 2022 and ARPA funding ends September 30, 2024.
The Area Plan Update for FY 2022-23 (Year 3 of 4) looks back at what the AAA has accomplished with regard to the objectives set under each of the 4 Goals of the Four-Year Plan, which are illustrated in Section 9 of the Area Plan Update document.
The FY 2022-23 Area Plan Update was approved by the AAA Advisory Council at its Public Hearing on March 16, 2022. Board of Supervisors approval of the Update is needed to continue receiving the federal funding.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
May 11, 2021 - Approved the Four-Year Area Plan 2020-2024 - Year 2 - fiscal year 2021-2022 Update
April 28, 2020 - Approved the Four-Year Area Plan 2020-2024 - Initial-Year 1 - fiscal year 2020-2021 Update
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY 22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
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0 |
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State/Federal |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
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0 |
0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
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Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
California Department of Aging FY2022-2023 Area Plan Update
California Department of Aging Transmittal Letter
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None