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DAS director briefs commissioners on Older Americans Act, master plan and local programs
Summary
DAS Executive Director Shereen McSpadden updated the commission on federal Older Americans Act reauthorization, the state Master Plan for Aging process, CalFresh expansion success (SPUR award), racial-equity work, interfaith outreach and the Area Plan timeline leading to a May 1 submission to the California Department of Aging.
DAS Executive Director Shereen McSpadden gave a multipart director—s report that covered federal, state and local activity affecting older adults and people with disabilities.
At the federal level, McSpadden described a bipartisan, bicameral compromise to reauthorize the Older Americans Act for five years, noting the measure — termed the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 in her remarks — incorporates priorities from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. "N4A has endorsed the bill, and we're super optimistic in the advocacy aging advocacy field that the senate and house will advance the compromise measure," McSpadden said.
At the state level she summarized work on California—s Master Plan for Aging, noting her role on the research subcommittee and that the plan is due to the governor in October 2020 although the exact administrative structure may remain unsettled at that time. McSpadden said the plan—s research work is focused on what data can be collected and how to track outcomes across the state.
Local highlights included an announcement that a Human Services Agency team working on CalFresh expansion for SSI recipients will receive a SPUR Good Government award for outreach and enrollment success; McSpadden named staff members being honored and described the team as an integrated cross-department effort. She also described ongoing racial-equity work within DOS and a plan for interfaith outreach and a toolkit to help faith leaders recognize elder abuse and refer people to services.
McSpadden previewed Phase 2 of the "Reframing Aging" public campaign to raise awareness of services and counter internalized ageism and said Meals on Wheels had offered to wrap vans with updated campaign images. She closed with an update on the DOS Area Plan (required every four years by the California Department of Aging) and said a draft will be shared with commissioners in March with the final plan due to the state on May 1.
The director answered commissioners' questions about the state-level debate over whether Area Agencies on Aging should be hosted within county welfare departments or remain independent, and said San Francisco—s model within the Human Services Agency has produced strong administrative collaboration locally.
