SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE ACCEPTANCE OF OLDER ADULT SERVICES REVENUE AGREEMENTS AND GRANTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2028-29, AND AUTHORIZE APPLICATION FOR FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRAMS SERVING OLDER ADULTS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Aging & Independence Services (AIS) serves as the region’s federally designated Area Agency on Aging and administers programs focused on the safety and well-being of older adults and persons with disabilities. These services align with the Aging Roadmap, the County’s plan to ensure the region has programs and communities that equitably support the needs and leverages the contributions of all older adults in San Diego County. On May 6, 2025 (5), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 through FY 2028-29 revenue agreements and grants to fund various programs that support older adults and persons with disabilities, allowing them to remain safely in their homes and access needed community resources. These programs and services support the goals and objectives established in the AIS 2024-2028 Area Plan, approved by the Board on April 9, 2024 (6). Required by the Older Americans Act (OAA), the AIS Area Plan 2024-2028 details how AIS will utilize funds received through the OAA to provide services that meet the identified needs of older adults, persons with disabilities, and their caregivers throughout San Diego County.
Today’s action requests the Board authorize acceptance of federal and State revenue agreements and grants for FY 2026-27 through FY 2028-29 to support these programs and services. If approved, today’s action requests the Board waive Board Policy B-29, authorize the acceptance of $10,467,023 of federal and State revenue agreements and grants for FY 2026-27, $323,631 for FY 2027-28, and $215,000 for FY 2028-29, authorize Clerk of the Board to execute revenue agreements and grants upon receipt, and pursue future funding opportunities.
These actions support the County vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all, specifically those communities and populations in San Diego County that have been historically left behind, as well as our ongoing commitment to the regional Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe and thriving communities. This will be accomplished by ensuring the County continues to receive federal and State funding to administer essential programs and services for older adults, persons with disabilities, and their caregivers.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Waive Board Policy B-29: Fees, Grants, Revenue Contracts - Department Responsibility for Full Cost Recovery, which requires full cost recovery of grants and revenue contracts.
2. Approve and authorize the Clerk of the Board to execute, upon receipt, the following revenue agreements, and grants:
o California Department of Aging Agreements
• CalFresh Outreach (CF-2627-23)
• Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MS-2627-07)
o Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System (Veteran Directed Home and Community Based Service Program)
3. Authorize the Clerk of the Board, subject to the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute all required documents related to the revenue agreements, and grants in Recommendation 2, including any extensions, amendments or revisions thereto that do not materially impact either the program or the funding level.
4. Authorize acceptance of the grant from the Corporation for National & Community Service for the Retired Senior and Volunteer Program.
5. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to apply for future funding opportunities that support programs serving older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
There are nearly 710,000 San Diegans over the age of 60, and by 2029, that number is expected to increase to more than 824,500. The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Aging & Independence Services (AIS) provides a wide array of services to meet the needs of this growing population and ensures the welfare of older adults, caregivers, and persons with disabilities. AIS receives recurring input and feedback regarding programs and services through customer experience surveys, its various boards and committees, and through the annual Area Plan Public Hearing.
On April 13, 2026, AIS held its annual Area Plan Public Hearing and received feedback from the community on Older Americans Act programs and services. During the Area Plan Public Hearing, AIS addressed the comments, feedback, and concerns from members of the public. To encourage participation, AIS advertised the Area Plan Update Public Hearing in the San Diego Union Tribune, translated the public hearing notice outreach materials into all County of San Diego threshold languages, and utilized a variety of methods to reach the community, including posting on the AIS website, displaying notices in all AIS lobbies countywide, publishing information in the AIS Bulletin, and distributing the public notices through an email list of community members and service providers.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today’s action supports the County of San Diego (County) Sustainability Goal #1 to engage the community in meaningful ways; Sustainability Goal #2 to provide just and equitable access to County services, and Sustainability Goal #4 to promote health and well-being. Specifically, programs and services provided with this funding will continue to allow older adults and persons with disabilities to remain safely in their homes and access essential community resources. Additionally, the funded programs help to provide volunteer opportunities, reduce isolation, and increase social connections.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 CAO Recommended Operational Plan in the Health and Human Services Agency. If approved, this request will result in costs of $10,497,248 and revenue of $10,467,023 in FY 2026-27, costs of $353,856 and revenue of $323,631 in FY 2027-28, and costs of $245,225 and revenue of $215,000 in FY 2028-29.
The funding sources are:
• State General Fund, Federal Medicaid Program;
• CalFresh, SNAP Outreach Reimbursement, U.S. Department of Agriculture;
• Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System; and
• Corporation for National & Community Service
A waiver of Board Policy B-29 is requested because the funding does not offset all costs. These unrecovered costs are estimated to be $30,225 per year for FY 2026-27, FY 2027-28, and FY 2028-29, for a total of $90,675 through FY 2028-29. The funding source for these costs will be existing General Purpose Revenue allocated for these programs. The public benefit for providing these services far outweighs these costs. There will be no change in net General Fund costs and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
The Aging & Independence Services Advisory Council reviewed this item at their regular meeting on May 11, 2026, and recommended approval.
BACKGROUND
According to San Diego Association of Governments population projections, of the nearly 3.3 million people who resided in San Diego County in 2022, nearly 710,000 were adults aged 60 or older. By 2029, the number of adults 60 years and older in the county is expected to increase to more than 824,500. Additionally, those 85 years and older, the fastest growing age group in San Diego County, is projected to increase from an estimated 65,854 in 2022 to nearly 75,740 in 2029. Today’s action requests the authority to continue to receive annual funding from the following revenue agreements and grants for various programs benefiting older adults and persons with disabilities throughout San Diego County:
CalFresh Outreach Agreement ($217,262)
CalFresh Expansion, as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 State Budget Omnibus Trailer Bill, Assembly Bill 1811, expanded CalFresh benefit eligibility to include persons receiving or authorized to receive both Supplemental Security Income program and State Supplementary Payment program benefits, provided all other eligibility criteria are met. Starting in FY 2026-27, the CalFresh Outreach allocation, determined by the State, is estimated to include funding for two federal fiscal years estimated at a total of $217,262. The funds will be used to provide information regarding the expanded CalFresh eligibility, pre-screenings, and application assistance to approximately 2,000 older adults in San Diego County.
Multipurpose Senior Services Program Agreement ($3,010,860)
The total funding of $3,010,860 for the Multipurpose Senior Services Program provides State and federal funding for case management to eligible older adults, aged 60 and over, who receive Medi-Cal and are at-risk for institutional care. The program allows these older adults to safely remain in their homes at a lower cost than nursing homes. In FY 2024-25, the Multipurpose Senior Services Program served 601 unduplicated clients.
Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System Agreement ($7,132,532)
The total funding of $7,132,532 allows the County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Aging & Independence Services (AIS) to continue to provide a veteran-directed care program, serving veterans of any age who need assistance with activities of daily living, are isolated, or whose caregiver may need additional support. Through federal funding, the program provides the opportunity for veterans to receive home and community-based services to avoid institutionalization and to continue to live in their homes and communities. Currently, an average of 90 veterans are served by the program monthly. The funding for FY 2026-27 will allow the program to expand and serve up to 120 veterans per month.
Corporation for National & Community Service Grant ($645,000)
This three-year federal grant totaling $645,000, funds the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, which encourages older adults, aged 55 and older, to participate in their communities through volunteer service opportunities. AIS administers the program, which currently has over 370 volunteers who record over 100,000 volunteer hours annually. This grant requires County matching funds of $23,889 annually, for a total three-year match of $71,667.
Today’s action requests the Board authorize acceptance of federal and State revenue agreements and grants for FY 2026-27 through FY 2028-29 to support these programs and services. If approved, today’s action requests the Board authorize the acceptance of $10,467,023 of federal and State revenue agreements and grants for FY 2026-27, $323,631 for FY 2027-28, and $215,000 for FY 2028-29, authorize Clerk of the Board to execute revenue agreements and grants upon receipt, and pursue future funding opportunities.
Additionally, today’s action requests the Board waive Board Policy B-29 as funding does not offset all costs. Unrecoverable costs are estimated at $30,225 per year for FY 2026-27, FY 2027-28, and FY 2028-29, for a total of $90,675 through FY 2028-29. Of this amount, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program grant requires County matching funds as a provision of the grant, in the amount of $23,889 per year, for a total of $71,667 in required match through FY 2028-29. The public benefit of providing these services outweighs the unrecoverable cost, as funding will be used to allow older adults and those with disabilities to remain safely in their homes and access resources.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action supports the County of San Diego 2026-2031 Strategic Plan Initiatives of Sustainability (Resiliency), Equity (Health), and Community (Quality of Life), and the regional Live Well San Diego vision by continuing services that assist vulnerable older adults, disabled residents, their caregivers, and military veterans of San Diego County.
Respectfully submitted,
ebony n. shelton
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
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