Older individuals: case management services.

Existing law requires the California Department of Aging to administer the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, which establishes various programs that serve older individuals, defined as persons 60 years of age or older except as specified. The act requires the department to designate various private nonprofit or public agencies as area agencies on aging to work within a planning and service area and provide a broad array of social and nutritional services. Under the act, the department's mission is to provide leadership to those agencies in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments. This bill would, until January 1, 2031, and subject to an appropriation, require the department to establish a case management services demonstration project in up to 4 counties located in varying regions of the state, based on a process of selection by the department and voluntary participation by the selected counties. Under the bill, the purpose of the project would be to expand statewide the local capacity of supportive services programs by providing case management services to older individuals who need assistance to maintain health and economic stability. The bill would require an area agency on aging corresponding to a participating county to assume the lead role in coordination with county agencies and local partner organizations within the county, as appropriate, and would authorize the area agency on aging to deliver the services directly or through coordination, as specified. The bill would require the participating counties to measure performance outcomes during the course of implementing the project. The bill would require the participating area agencies on aging, on an annual basis, for the first 5 years during which an appropriation is made, to submit reports to the department containing data on the performance outcomes, in order to determine project efficacy and to inform and shape solutions under a master plan for aging that has been established pursuant to a specified executive order.