To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Angela Struckmann, 707-565-5800; Cody Souza-Milner, 707-565-5900
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging Area Plan Update
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Receive the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging Area Plan Update: Year Two.
B) Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to sign the transmittal letter to the California Department of Aging.
end
Executive Summary:
The Human Services Department is seeking Board approval of the year-two update to the Area Agency on Aging Four-Year Area Plan 2024-2028, which will allow the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging to submit the update to the California Department of Aging for approval. Each Area Agency on Aging is required by the California Department of Aging to develop a four-year Area Plan and to provide annual updates to the plan. The local plan establishes 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 older now represent a larger portion of the population of Sonoma County, the State of California, and the United States than ever before in history. Sonoma County’s older adult population is comprised of 141,277 individuals, representing 29% of the county’s total population according to the American Community Survey/U.S. Census Bureau. California Department of Finance projections show that older adults are expected to make up 35% of Sonoma County’s total population by 2030.
The Area Agency on Aging (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, Older Californians Act Modernization, and California Department of Transportation funding. These funding sources assist older adults and adults with disabilities to safely 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 California Department of Aging since 1980.
The Area Plan year two update reflects changes in funding that have required adjustments to service delivery. A reduction in available resources has resulted from the sunsetting of CalFresh Healthy Living, federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed.), and changes to Older Californians Act Modernization - supportive services. As a result, some programs have been scaled back, while others have shifted toward community-based partnerships to maintain access to services. The Area Plan update also reflects a strategic investment in service navigation. Based on recommendations from the Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund and the Local Aging and Disability Action Plan (LADAP), the AAA will implement a navigator pilot program in the Sonoma Valley area. This pilot is designed to improve access to services by helping individuals and service providers better understand and connect residents to available resources, with a focus on reducing barriers and enhancing coordination across systems of care.
Overall, the year-two update maintains alignment with the goals of the Area Plan while responding to evolving funding conditions and opportunities to strengthen service delivery through targeted innovation and community partnerships.
Strategic Plan:
Not Applicable
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
05.13.2025 - Approved the 2024-2029 AAA Area Plan Year 1 Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Update
04.30.2024 - Approved the 2024-2028 AAA Area Plan Four-Year Plan
05.09.2023 - Approved the Four-Year Area Plan 2020-2024 Year 4 Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Update 04.19.2022 - Approved the Four-Year Area Plan 2020-2024 Year 3 Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Update 05.11.2021 - Approved the Four-Year Area Plan 2020-2024 Year 2 Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Update 04.28.2020 - Approved the Four-Year Area Plan 2020-2024 Year 1 Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Update
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
There are no fiscal implications related to the annual update.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
1. California Department of Aging Area Plan 2024-2028
2. California Department of Aging Transmittal Letter
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None