Hubs and Spokes Network for Aging and Disability

In 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) was passed into law by President Lyndon Johnson as a part of the "Great Society" initiative designed to alleviate poverty and injustice among the country's most vulnerable populations. To help millions of aging Americans meet the goal of aging in place, local aging agencies develop and provide older adults with the necessary local services and supports that promote health, independence and safety in their homes and communities.

Flash forward, fifty plus years later, the Nation’s demographics have changed and will continue to change. By 2030, here in California, adults 65 and older will make up 25% of the state’s population, exceeding the population 18 and under for the first time ever and becoming more diverse than ever. As California faces unprecedented demographic changes, these aging services and supports are even more crucial today to individuals, families, and communities than they were five decades ago.

COVID –19 made it more apparent than ever that all California adults and families need easy access to a strong network of aging and disability services to support home and community living as we age. In support of this vision, the Governor’s Master Plan for Aging committed to bold goals and renewed leadership to an age- and disability friendly state, including Initiatives 98 and 101:

• Build out No Wrong Door statewide for public information and assistance on aging and disability
• Revisit California’s Area Aging on Agency local leadership structures to meet the growing and changing needs and advance equity

Now, with unprecedented resources proposed at the state and federal level for home and community living as we age, there’s a historic opportunity in aging and adult services to "build back better." To advance these initiatives on leadership in aging together, CDA invites you to participate and engage in our townhall discussions.  The results from our discussions may help inform legislative, regulatory, budgetary, administrative and/or partnership proposals in 2022. Examples of recommendations could be:

• Modernizing Older Californians Act
• Changes to California’s map of Planning & Service Areas to align with Hubs & Spokes (currently 33)
• Revisiting OAA Funding formulas
• Updating of Local Agency on Aging designation processes with County Board of Supervisors
• Updates to California’s federal Older American Act Annual Plans (2021-2025), with US HHS ACL
• Modernizing Older Americans Act with national partners