County Adult and Aging Services (AAS) departments play a critical role in caring for older and disabled adults. In the Bay Area, rapid growth in the number of people seeking county AAS services, coupled with increased complexity of service needs, has placed tremendous pressure on county AAS to expand capacity. Additionally, recent policy changes at the federal and state level present unique challenges and opportunities to county AAS as they work towards creating a Bay Area where people of all ages and abilities can thrive. This report summarizes key findings from a year-long strategic planning process by the Bay Area Social Services Consortium Adult Services Committee and makes seven recommendations for strengthening AAS in the region.
This report incorporates information from an array of sources, including 31 key informant interviews with Bay Area leaders in Adult and Aging Services, county administrative data, and publicly available data sets. Interviews were conducted between March and July 2022. Data were analyzed to highlight current issues in Adult and Aging Services and to illustrate key accomplishments, challenges, and strategic priorities identified in this report.
The BASSC research team conducted interviews, analyzed available data (Appendix I), and drafted the report and case studies (Appendix II). Adult and Aging Services directors developed the case vignettes (Appendix III) to illustrate the experiences of elderly and disabled clients receiving services and supports. Case studies were reviewed by interview participants for accuracy. BASSC Adult Services Committee members reviewed and provided input on the full report.
