LA County Endorses Creating New Department Dedicated to Older Adults

LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Aug. 4, voted to take the first steps toward creating a new County department dedicated to serving older adults and adults with disabilities.

In 2019, Supervisors Janice Hahn and Sheila Kuehl proposed creating a new department dedicated to serving older adults and asked for a report exploring the merits and feasibility of this idea. The report, written by Dr. Kathleen Wilbur, determined that a department for older adults is recommended and necessary to properly serve this population. The report also recognized the overlap between the services the county provides to older adults and to adults with disabilities and recommended creating a new department that serves both populations.

Los Angeles County’s population of older adults over the age of 60 is already larger than the older adult population of 41 states and is expected to double between 2010 and 2030, from roughly 1.8 million to nearly 3.6 million.

The Board passed a motion authored by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Sheila Kuehl directing the County CEO’s office to take the initial steps necessary to prepare for creating this new department, including developing a budget and funding structure, and report back to the board in 180 days. 

Supervisor Hahn noted that amid the pandemic, Los Angeles County does not have the resources to create a new department at this time. However, she noted the importance of starting this groundwork so that when the time is right the county can move quickly to get this department up and running.