By Darrick Lam, President and CEO, ACC Senior Services
Recognizing that California’s over-65 population is projected to grow to 8.6 million by 2030, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in June 2019 calling for the creation of a Master Plan for Aging to be developed by December 2020. The Master Plan will serve as a blueprint that can be used by state government, local communities, private organizations and philanthropy to build environments that promote an age-friendly California.
In September 2019, I was appointed a Member of the Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) to work alongside those who represent a broad array of Californians with an interest in building an age-friendly California, such as older Californians, adults with disabilities, local government, healthcare providers, health plans, employers, community-based organizations, foundations, academic researchers, and organized labor.
Since the Governor’s Executive Order, the Master Plan for Aging’s Together We Engage campaign has included nine SAC meetings, as well as thirteen Long-Term Services & Supports Subcommittee, six Research Subcommittee, and four Equity Work Group meetings. In between these meetings, countless hours of work took place, including review and consideration of over 240 stakeholder organization recommendation letters and over 1,000 public comments collected via meetings, surveys, email, and nine Webinar Wednesdays. Legislators convened communities to discuss the Master Plan for Aging at six legislative round tables. Throughout the past year, the Master Plan for Aging team has gathered a wide range of input through dozens of Master Plan for Aging forums with associations, local communities, and private sector partners.
This engagement process has culminated in over 800 SAC recommendations to inform the final Master Plan. In September 2020, an executive summary was released by SAC, focusing on Long Term Services and Supports, Housing, Poverty, Equity and Leadership priorities along with over 800 recommendations. The California Health and Human Services Agency and an All Cabinet Work Group are currently reviewing these recommendations and developing the Master Plan for Aging with the Governor. This month, the Governor will release the final Master Plan for Aging, including the State Plan, Local Playbook, and Data Dashboard in alignment with the Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force. I look forward to partnering with state and local governments, as well as non-profit and private entities, on implementation of the Master Plan in 2021.
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