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Alameda County APS warns caseloads far above recommended levels, seeks more staff and braided housing funds
Summary
Adult Protective Services told the Board its workers handled 9,253 reports in FY24-25, with average monthly caseloads at 42 versus a recommended 26; APS recommended adding 13—4 staff, expanding desk-based responses, and continuing HomeSafe housing supports backed by $7.9 million to reduce immediate safety risks.
Faith Battles, the assistant agency director for Alameda County's Department of Adult and Aging Services, introduced a fiscal-year 2024'025 update from Adult Protective Services that cautioned the program is outstripped by rising demand.
The report detailed that APS received 9,253 reports in FY24-25, screened out 2,567 and had 6,675 new referrals involving 5,892 unduplicated clients and more than 10,000 allegations. "A significant share of allegations were for self-neglect (about 35%) and financial exploitation (about 30%)," Edis Cabrera, APS program manager, told the committee. The presenter said many cases require medical, legal and housing interventions.
In a nut graf underscoring the urgency, APS staff said county demographics and state policy changes have enlarged the client pool and stressed operations: AB 135 (2022) redefined "elder" as 60+ and added roughly 96,000 county residents to the eligible population, and Alameda's older-adult population is projected to grow again by 2055. "Without secure housing, any other protective measure is compromised," Yolanda Cardno, an APS supervisor, said while describing the HomeSafe program that has invested $7,900,000 through FY24-25.
Key facts and recommended changes
- Workload and referrals: APS reported an annual referrals volume of 9,253 and more than 10,000 separate allegations. After screening, APS opened 6,675 new referrals for 5,892 unduplicated clients. - Timeliness: Program-wide timely investigations were reported at roughly 37% in the most recent month; "timely" refers to meeting the initial response windows (same-day, 10-calendar-day first face-to-face, or desk investigations), not case completion. - Caseloads: APS said workers carry an average monthly caseload of 42 cases instead of a recommended 26, which the department characterized as creating a substantial gap in capacity and risk of delayed intervention. - Staffing and recruitment: After heavy turnover in 2024 (10 workers and 3 supervisors separated), APS said it hired 14 new workers and five supervisors in 2025 and expanded an MSW internship pipeline to six interns. To reach recommended caseload standards APS recommended adding 13 additional APS workers (or up to 54 in a larger staffing scenario), 2'6 supervisors, one additional program manager and a dedicated intake unit to address a backlog exceeding 1,000 referrals. - HomeSafe and housing supports: The HomeSafe program provides temporary housing, rental subsidies, security deposits, utility assistance and home repairs; APS reported that 34% of HomeSafe funds went directly to clients and 41% to contracted service providers (Felton Institute and Daybreak Centers).
Supervisors pressed for more disaggregated metrics and program detail. One asked for city-level demographic breakdowns; APS said those data exist and can be added to the public dashboard. On investigative timeliness the department said it is instituting administrative screening support, templates to speed case closure, use of retired annuitants and a pilot to introduce AI-assisted call-center triage to chip away at the backlog.
The presentation included a client case study in which HomeSafe rental assistance, deep cleaning and navigation services prevented eviction for a 64-year-old client with cognitive impairment, and APS said the outcome illustrated the program's cross-agency value.
What happens next
The committee acknowledged the staffing and timeliness gaps and discussed budget and funding options (Measure W, Medi-Cal claiming and Older Americans Act funds were mentioned). Supervisors asked APS to add earlier-period data to the public audit dashboard so the board and the public can track progress more clearly. APS noted some funding streams (HomeSafe) require periodic renewal; staff said HomeSafe referrals resumed after a temporary pause and funding is now extended through 2027-28.
The committee did not take formal action on staffing at this hearing; supervisors signaled interest in incorporating APS's staffing and performance metrics into upcoming budget deliberations and in coordinating with a state-led task force for child and family services to avoid duplicative reporting.
