Last Opportunity to Provide Input into the County's Seamless Senior Services (S3) Initiative

 

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For Immediate Release                                                                   CONTACT:  Patricia Senette-Holt, PIO

 December 2, 2008                                                                                        (213) 738-2065

PRESS RELEASE

ANNOUNCING “FINAL” COMMUNITY MEETINGS

TOPIC:  LOS ANGELES COUNTY SEAMLESS SENIOR SERVICES (S3) INITIATIVE

An Invitation to Senior Citizens, Service Providers, Community Leaders and Senior Advocates

LOS ANGELES COUNTY— Community and Senior Services (CSS) Director Cynthia Banks today announced that the department is continuing to gather input on the Seamless Senior Services (S3) Initiative at “Stakeholders’” meetings being held at various locations listed below during December 2008.  Senior citizens, service providers, community leaders, caregivers and senior advocates are strongly urged to attend the Stakeholders’ meetings to provide comments on the S3 Initiative and offer suggestions to streamline County services provided to senior citizens in the County of Los Angeles.

An important part of the process is to gather input from the community.  William T Fujioka, the County’s Chief Executive Officer, has asked Banks to lead this effort and work with other County departments to provide recommendations to the Board of Supervisors by the spring of 2009.

 “S3 is creating a seamless service model for seniors,” says Banks. “The department is working collaboratively with other County departments via the S3 Task Force to identify all existing programs and resources to streamline senior services in Los Angeles County,” she added.

Background

A recent needs assessment conducted by CSS indicated that there will be a sizeable increase in the need for services focused on health and well-being, supportive services, and preventive services as the baby boomers approach age 60. Service integration is becoming significantly more important due to the rapid growth of the County’s population of those 60 and over.  There are now approximately 1.4 million seniors age 60 and over in Los Angeles County. From 2010 to 2020, the 65+ population is projected to spike by 72% nationwide.

Currently there is a lack of service integration in the County’s service delivery system to the elderly.  Over half of the 40 county departments provide services to seniors including Public Health, Health Services, Public Library, District Attorney, Public Social Services, Consumer Affairs and Public Works.  There is also a large network of public and private agencies serving seniors.  The end product of the S3 Initiative is to determine how the county can achieve service integration of its services provided to senior citizens.

For these reasons, the County is proactively seeking solutions and has created an S3 Task Force comprised of county departments providing services to senior citizens to study the problem and prepare recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.  The Stakeholders’ meetings are part of the data-gathering process and will provide an opportunity for senior citizens, senior advocacy groups, service providers and other program beneficiaries to provide comments on proposed recommendations of the S3 Task Force.

The County is now seeking community feedback on the S3 Task Force Recommendations through December 2008.

For more information and to arrange for testimony, please contact Jay Glassman at (213) 739-7323.

Locations of S3 Initiative “Stakeholders’” Final Meetings:

Monday, December 8, 2008        9:00 AM – 11:00 AM      Joslyn Adult Center

1301 W. Olive Avenue

Burbank, CA 91506      
Friday, December 12, 2008       1:00 PM – 3:00 PM       Alpert Jewish Community Center

3801 E. Willow 

Long Beach, CA 90815   
Monday, December 15, 2008       8:30 AM – 10:30 AM      National Guard Armory

17330 Victory Boulevard

Van Nuys, CA 91406     
Tuesday, December 16, 2008      2:30 PM – 4:30 PM       Antelope Valley Service Center

777 W. Jackman Street

Lancaster, CA 93534    
Wednesday, December 17, 2008    8:30 AM – 10:30 AM      Whittier Sheriff Star Training Center

11515 S. Colima Road

Whittier, CA 90601     
Thursday, December 18, 2008     8:30 AM – 10:30 AM      Culver City Senior Center

4095 Overland Avenue

Culver City, CA 90232

Parking is across the street at the Veteran’s Memorial Park.   
Friday, December 19, 2008       2:30 PM  – 4:30 PM      Lynwood Senior Citizen Center

11329 Ernestine Avenue

Lynwood, CA 90260      

 

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Thank You.

Patricia Senette-Holt
Office of Communications

Community and Senior Services
3175 W. 6th Street, Suite 302
Los Angeles, CA.  90020
213.738.2065 Telephone
213.280.4144 Cell
213.427.6104 Fax
mailto:psenette@css.lacounty.gov