Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
AGENDA REPORT
TO:Jestin D. Johnson FROM:Scott Means
City Administrator Interim Director, Human
Services
SUBJECT:Information & Assistance (I&A)
Program Grant FY 2023-24
DATE:June 15, 2023
CityAdministrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
1. Accepting, Appropriating, And Authorizing An Agreement For Receipt Of Grant Funds In An Amount Not To Exceed $100,000 From The Alameda County Social Services Agency For Continued Operation Of The Information And Assistance (I&A) Program For Oakland Seniors For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24; And
2. Authorizing The City Administrator To Accept And Appropriate Any Additional Funds From Alameda County Social Services Agency For The I&A Program Within FY 2023- 24; And
3. Authorizing A Contribution From The General Purpose Fund In An Amount Equivalent To The Central Services Overhead Charges In An Estimated Amount Of $30,624 For FY 2023-24
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The acceptance of this grant from Alameda County will allow the Human Services Department to provide Information and Assistance services, sustaining a program that supports the needs of Oakland’s most vulnerable older residents.
According to the statistics gathered by the Census Bureau between 2017-2021 as part of their 5-Year Community Survey, more than 30 percent of Oakland residents over the age of 65 live alone. Studies have found that individuals of any age who live alone are at higher risk of developing behavioral conditions such as depression, dementia and hoarding. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of three adults age 65 and older will experience a fall each year; injuries from falls are a leading cause of, death, and hospital admissions for seniors who live alone. Key community support programs can help seniors identify and access the services they need in order to continue to live independently.
Jestin Johnson (Jun 30, 2023 10:08 PDT) Jun 30, 2023
Jestin D, Johnson, City Administrator
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July 11, 2023
This funding will address the needs of Oakland’s most vulnerable seniors, including monolingual and low-income seniors living alone, enabling them to access available resources to remain safely and independently in their homes.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The City of Oakland has been a municipal advocate for low-income, diverse residents since the 1960s, when a federal Community Action Agency (CAA) office was established in Oakland to provide services designed to eradicate poverty. The first of four community senior centers at the Veterans Memorial Building were established in 1985, following the City Council’s adoption of the first “Comprehensive Plan for Seniors.”
In July of 2022 City Council authorized the Alameda County Information and Assistance grant.
Resolution No. 89337 authorized the City Administrator to accept and appropriate a grant amount not to exceed $100,000 for Fiscal Year 2022-23. In addition, $29,060 in central services overhead charges were offset by a general fund contribution. Previous authorizations of this grant have been in accordance with its same basic purpose.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
For more than twenty years the Human Services Department Division of Aging and Adult Services has received funding from Alameda County to provide Information and Assistance (I&A) Program services to senior residents.
I&A outreach ensures that Oakland seniors continue to access information about federal, state and local programs that meet their individual needs. The Human Services Department I&A staff assist seniors in applying for senior programs offered through the City of Oakland, including the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), Senior Companion caregiver support, ASSETS senior employment, and various Paratransit services.
As the Oakland senior centers have begun to reopen following the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors who have been isolated are able to receive direct, in-person access to these critical services and I&A staff have resumed participation in outreach activities at other local agencies. In FY 2022-23 Oakland I&A staff provided information, referral and follow-up to more than 4,000 local seniors.
The I&A program serves primarily low income Oakland residents age 60 and older. Each year I&A staff provide information about housing, health care options, transportation, utility discounts, nutrition programs and other programs to more than 4,000 seniors, the majority of whom live in the City of Oakland. Information and Assistance (I&A) services are currently available at two of the four Oakland senior centers; ensuring that seniors have access to critical support services in their neighborhood.
The City of Oakland will continue to use the grant funding to pay for staff, materials and classes in order to ensure that the most relevant information is shared with seniors. This information may include discounts available to seniors who need transportation services, food assistance, Jestin D, Johnson, City Administrator
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Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
respite, housing assistance, adult day care programs, utility payment, adaptive devices, home repairs, and other basic necessities that will allow them to live independently in Oakland. Staff will continue to document all contacts and referrals, as required by the County of Alameda.
This grant will enhance the housing and economic security of seniors residing in the City of Oakland by ensuring that they have access to programs and services necessary to remain independent in the community. Council’s acceptance of this funding will support the Citywide priorities, includingcommunity safety, responsive government, andhousing/economic security.
FISCAL IMPACT
This agreement is funded by Alameda County. Funding has been appropriated to Human Services Department County of Alameda and is included in the adopted FY2022-23 adopted budget: (Grants) Fund (2160), HSD Outreach Program Organization (75251), Outreach Program FY2122 Project (1006712), Information & Assistance Award (24319), Empowering Seniors and People with Disabilities Program (YS14). There are no matching funds required.
Expenses include the costs of two TPT 50 percent I&A caseworkers, training, transportation and materials. HSD is requesting as it has in prior years, a contribution from general purpose fund in an amount equivalent to Central Services Overhead in an estimated amount of $30,624.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for the proposed policy action beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.
COORDINATION
The Office of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau have each been consulted in the development of this report and resolution.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
The City of Oakland Aging and Adult Services Division has been the sub-grantee, through the Alameda County Area Agency on Aging, for the federal Community Based Services Information and Assistance program. The I&A program provides direct counseling services to seniors and their families, supporting their independence by providing information and assistance to programs and benefits.
The Information and Assistance funding has provided an effective Oakland program hosted in City senior centers for 19 years. Performance is reviewed by Alameda County on a quarterly basis, and at no time during the extended annual contracting period has the City been found to be out of compliance with the requirements of the contract. The current contract requires that Jestin D, Johnson, City Administrator
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the I&A outreach specialists provide information, referral and follow-up services to at least 400 new senior residents each year.
Performance measurements, including the number of clients served and type of services provided, are monitored by Alameda County.
I&A staff are expected to attend meetings and events to remain informed and up-to-date on benefits and services for seniors such as Medicare, MediCal, housing support, transportation and other programs.
An internal peer review process is conducted bi-monthly and reported to the California State Department of Aging. An external Utilization Review is conducted biennially by the California State Department of Aging.
Informal feedback from clients in the form of phone calls, thank you cards or letters expressing satisfaction with the service is tracked.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: The grants for items and services provided to Oakland residents will be used to pay Oakland based business operators and vendors. HSD will continue to invest in the Oakland community by purchasing services and equipment for eligible seniors from Oakland based businesses.
Environmental:In the past, the I&A grant has coordinated with the County Area Agency on Aging and the Alameda County Community Food Bank to distribute nutritional vouchers for fresh produce from Farmers’ Markets in Oakland. The program provides seniors with access to information about Oakland recycling, utility and other environmental support programs.
Race & Equity:Services provided will improve the quality of life for low-income Oakland seniors who are socially disadvantaged, mono lingual, and at risk of losing their independence when faced with unexpected financial emergencies.
Jestin D, Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Information & Assistance (I&A) Program Grant FY 2023-24 Date: June 15, 2023 Page 5
Life Enrichment Committee
July 11, 2023
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution:
1. Accepting, Appropriating, And Authorizing An Agreement For Receipt Of Grant Funds In An Amount Not To Exceed $100,000 From The Alameda County Social Services Agency For Continued Operation Of The Information And Assistance (I&A) Program For Oakland Seniors For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24; And
2. Authorizing The City Administrator To Accept And Appropriate Any Additional Funds From Alameda County Social Services Agency For The I&A Program Within FY 2023-24; And
3. Authorizing A Contribution From The General Purpose Fund In An Amount Equivalent To The Central Services Overhead Charges In An Estimated Amount Of $30,624 For FY 2023- 24 For questions regarding this report, please contact Hakeim McGee Acting Aging and Adult Services Manager, at (510) 238-2311.
Respectfully submitted,
SCOTT MEANS
Interim Director, Human Services Department
Prepared by:
Scott Means, Manager
Aging & Adult Services Division