BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2920
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2920 (Leno)
As Amended April 27, 2006
Majority vote
AGING 3-1 APPROPRIATIONS
(vote not available)
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|Ayes:|Berg, Berm?dez, | | |
| |Canciamilla | | |
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|Nays:|Walters | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Department of Aging (CDA) to
ensure that all programs administered by CDA and the Area
Agencies on Aging (AAAs) account for the needs of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Makes findings and declarations including the following:
a) Recent studies have shown that lifelong experiences of
marginalization place LGBT seniors at high risk for
isolation, poverty, homelessness, and premature
institutionalization;
b) Many LGBT seniors avoid accessing elder programs and
services, even when their health and safety and security
depend on it;
c) LGBT seniors often lack social and family support
networks available to non-LGBT seniors;
d) LGBT seniors are denied many vital financial benefits
provided to heterosexual married couples including Social
Security benefits and equal long-term care insurance
protections;
e) The number of people 65 years of age and older in
California is expected to double to 6.5 million by the year
2020, thereby increasing the number of LBGT seniors who are
receiving inadequate services;
f) Ensuring that the needs of LGBT seniors as well as other
underrepresented groups are adequately assessed during the
planning and development of programs and services will
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increase access to the programs administered by CDA and the
AAAs; and,
g) California leads the nation in the protections it
affords to LGBT persons. Including the needs of LGBT
seniors and other underrepresented groups in the needs
assessment and Area Plan process will help the state to be
a model for change in other states and at the federal
level.
2)Specifies that CDA shall ensure that programs and services
provided through the Older Americans Act and the Older
Californians Act in each planning and service area are
available to all older adults regardless of physical or mental
disabilities, language barriers, cultural or social isolation,
including that caused by actual or perceived racial and ethnic
status, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender
identity, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation,
or by any other basis set forth in Section 12921 of the
Government Code, or by association with a person or persons
with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics,
that restrict an individual's ability to perform normal daily
tasks or that threaten his or her capacity to live
independently.
3)Specifies that CDA shall require each AAA to include the needs
of LGBT seniors in their needs assessments and Area Plans.
4)Requires CDA to provide technical assistance to the AAAs for
the training of program staff, volunteers, and contractors
regarding the unique needs of LGBT seniors.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, increased General Fund (GF) costs to CDA to provide
technical assistance of around $60,000 and increased GF costs of
around $330,000 to AAAs to include the needs of LGBT seniors in
their needs assessments and area plans.
COMMENTS : California has 33 AAAs that provide a wide range of
services designed to keep older adults and adults with
disabilities independent and in their own homes and communities
for as long as possible. AAAs serve as the focal point for
local aging issues and concerns.
To ensure that programs and services funded by the AAA
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adequately serve the older adults within each community, AAAs
are required to conduct a needs assessment every four years to
document the service needs of community residents and any gaps
in the service network. The needs assessment process typically
includes a community-wide survey, community meetings, and
information received from stakeholders and key informants.
California Code of Regulations (Title 22, Division 1.8, Chapter
3, Article 3) requires that each needs assessment include all of
the following: the target populations, the types of existing
and potential needs of older individuals in the community, the
services or resources that currently are available, as well as
any constraints (waiting lists, geographic limitations,
quality), an estimate of unmet needs or barriers to access,
demographic information, and data from other agencies. The
information received through the needs assessment process guides
the AAA in identifying the service priorities for the Area Plan.
Every four years, CDA is required by federal law to submit a
State Plan on Aging to the federal Administration on Aging. The
2005-2009 State Plan on Aging includes a summary of AAA needs
assessment findings. Statewide, AAAs have indicated that older
adults often do not know how to secure available services and
that information on what services exist and how to access them
is one of the most pressing needs. The promising practices to
expand outreach and information identified in the State Plan on
Aging includes establishing many more activities targeting
diverse cultural and ethnic groups, which in some areas included
creating neighborhood partnerships with African American, Asian
Pacific Islander, and LGBT groups.
In addition, the State Plan on Aging includes in its priorities
for 2005-2009 the facilitation of diversity training for CDA
staff and external stakeholders to promote cultural competence
and sensitivity in providing services so that ethnic and
cultural differences are not a barrier to accessing services.
The technical assistance requirement included in this bill could
potentially be included in this priority area.
Analysis Prepared by : Allison Ruff / AGING & L.T.C. / (916)
319-3946
AB 2920
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FN: 0014692