County aging agency reports staffing gains and warns board is exploring outsourcing senior legal, senior day services

A county agency official told the El Dorado County Commission on Aging that the Board of Supervisors has directed staff to explore options for outsourcing senior legal services and for identifying alternative providers for senior day services on the West Slope.

The official said that direction was received April 28 and that staff will meet with the County Administrative Officer’s office on May 27 to discuss next steps. If the board approves development of a request for proposals (RFP), the official said the procurement and review process would likely take roughly six to eight months. The official cautioned the commission that the state’s implementation of federal changes (referred to in the discussion as HR 1) means the county may need to shift general-fund support into mandated public-assistance programs, creating budget pressure on discretionary services.

Staffing and program updates: Yvette Whitney, program manager for the Area Agency on Aging, reported progress hiring a program coordinator and other positions that had been vacant for months. The agency said it is recruiting for an office assistant in Placerville, meal-site coordinators and other nutrition staff, and is actively looking for volunteers to sustain four home-delivered-meal routes in Tahoe. Whitney said the senior-nutrition program is exploring a move of congregate dining and meal services to the new multigenerational recreation center but must resolve logistics and staffing first.

Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program: Whitney said the state has shifted the program from paper vouchers to payment cards. That rollout has left only one enrolled county market so far; the county has an allotment that can reach up to 150 cards (the speaker said 50 cards valued at $50 were available and 81 carried over from the prior year toward a 150 total). The agency plans to market to local farmers and may use the senior shuttle to transport older adults to markets if vendors do not enroll locally.

Housing and grants: The official also updated the commission on housing projects. El Dorado Haven (about 62 units) expected to begin leasing in June or July and has project-based vouchers assigned; Sugar Pine Village phase 1B’s wait list was open and also is tied to project-based vouchers. The county noted it received 70 emergency housing vouchers during COVID and is working to prioritize moves to avoid displacing households as federal support ends.

Why it matters: Commissioners and public commenters expressed concern about the prospect of outsourcing senior legal and senior day services because those programs serve vulnerable residents and the county historically provided in-house legal services for seniors. The official said the county is the only one in California in the speaker’s memory that still provides in-house senior legal services and that outsourcing would need Department of Aging approval and a careful comparison of services and costs.

Actions taken: Commissioners later voted to table some membership and related actions until the June meeting so more members could be present for decisions. The commission also formed an ad hoc committee to update scam-education outreach (see separate article).

What’s next: The county’s CAO meeting on May 27 will start staff work to detail options; if the board directs staff to develop an RFP for outsourcing senior legal, the procurement process could take approximately six months, followed by a return presentation to the board outlining options and comparisons.