Departments

Information & Assistance

Information and Assistance (I & A) provides older adults, their families and caregivers with information, referrals and access to agencies and programs that can help them with senior-related services. Along with the website, I & A is a focal point for the dissemination of information by the Office on Aging. Utilizing a state-of-the-art call center, trained professionals provide personalized information and referrals through the use of a computerized database of information of public and private human service programs.

Services include information and assistance on health, housing, adult day care, legislation, nutrition and transportation, follow-up, and community education to groups serving older adults.

The Information and Assistance team is also instrumental in community outreach and visible at local events with its Info Van. The Info Van is a service which provides information to individuals and communities with limited access to other methods of information distribution. The Info Van materials are multi-lingual, concentrating on the primary languages spoken in Orange County. The Info Van allows the Office on Aging to provide a direct link of services and information to those in most need.

Some of the services that the Information and Assistance team provides are:

  • A free Information and Referral Line
    800.510.2020
    Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm
  • Direct links to service providers throughout the County
  • Translation services available for most languages
  • Referrals to out-of-county I & A programs

Outreach

Outreach is responsible for creating and developing marketing strategies that will guide the development of collateral materials, advertising, public relations and outreach to older adults and their caregivers. Creating awareness of the needs of the older population is an important step in effective advocacy.

  • Distribute senior information through public and private entities

  • Outreach to underserved communities
  • Facilitate collaborations with organizations serving older adults
  • Develop and support Office on Aging Website

Policy & Planning

The Policy and Planning group develops long and short term plans to identify and address the needs of the older adults of Orange County. It collaborates with other agencies and organizations to gather and analyze information relating to the needs of the older adults of the county. Based upon the information and statistical data gathered, the Policy and Planning group:

  • Develops and disseminates all annual plans and updates annual plans that are required under state and federal law

  • Serves as the lead on the County of Orange Interagency Committee on Aging

  • Coordinates the Interagency Committee on Aging’s annual publication of the Condition of Older Adults Report. Please click here to view a summary of this report

  • Monitors state and federal legislation as it relates to and impacts older adults and the community-based organizations that serve them

  • Collaborates with community-based organizations to develop and facilitate coalitions to conduct needs assessments, and to help reach the older adults in the county who are in the most acute need

  • Provides support to the Senior Citizens’ Advisory Council (SCAC) of Orange County. For more information about SCAC, please click here

Contracts Administration

The Office on Aging is responsible for planning and overseeing the effective use of federal Older Americans Act and state Older Californians Act funds to provide services to older adults, generally defined as persons aged 60 and older. The Office on Aging has the option to administer these funds and programs directly or through non-profit and governmental agencies. If a program and its funding are outsourced, the Office on Aging monitors these programs to assure that the goals are being realized in the manner prescribed by the state and federal regulations.

The Office on Aging administers $13.2 million in services through 22 program contracts, many of which have multiple service types, budgets and requirements. Contract Analysts are responsible for coordinating the contract Request for Proposal process, evaluating fiscal viability, negotiating contracts, writing contract language in legal form, monitoring and analyzing expenditures, authorizing expenditures, providing technical assistance, authorizing payments, monitoring program performance and quality, assuring required data collection and making recommendations for improvement.

Federal and state funded programs that the Office on Aging oversees are listed in Funded Programs section of this website.