As part of its role in providing leadership in advocating on behalf of older adults, the department shall make efforts to increase public awareness about areas of importance to California’s older adults their families, and other caregivers. These efforts to increase public awareness and education may be accomplished through the use of public service announcements, radio and television commercials or infomercials, access on the internet, newspaper and other periodical editorials and letters to the editor, public and corporate symposiums, symposiums or educational efforts by public or private schools, colleges, and universities, and mass transit and outdoor signage.
Chapter 10Aging Information and Education
Section § 9630
This law emphasizes the department's duty to advocate for older adults in California by raising public awareness about their needs and issues. It can use various platforms like TV, radio, internet, and printed media, as well as educational institutions and public events to spread the word.
older adults public awareness advocacy caregivers public service announcements media campaigns education internet access radio commercials TV commercials symposiums mass transit advertising outdoor signage family support California seniors
Section § 9631
This law requires the department to set up an Aging Information and Education Fund using funds from the annual state budget, aimed at raising awareness about key issues affecting older adults. Key focuses include promoting safe medication use to prevent hospital admissions caused by mismanagement of drugs, working with law enforcement to prevent elder abuse, and establishing a statewide toll-free hotline for connecting older adults and people with disabilities to local services.
Funding for these initiatives can come from nonprofit foundations, private donations, or specific state operation funds, so long as they comply with the original funding source regulations.
(a)CA Welfare and Institutions Code § 9631(a) The department shall establish an Aging Information and Education Fund, from funds made available pursuant to the annual Budget Act, to implement public awareness of various issues, including at least the following areas:
(1)CA Welfare and Institutions Code § 9631(a)(1) Medication management—to call attention to the large percentage of older individuals admitted to hospitals solely due to the mismanagement of prescribed and over-the-counter drugs, the need for proper and timely use of medications, and the role of the attending physicians in prescribing medications and their interactive potential for harm.
(2)CA Welfare and Institutions Code § 9631(a)(2) Elder abuse prevention—to work in conjunction with state and local law enforcement entities to bring focus to the need to protect older individuals from physical, emotional, and fiduciary abuse, so that they may continue to live with peace of mind about their safety.
(3)CA Welfare and Institutions Code § 9631(a)(3) Toll-free line for linkage to local service networks—to develop and make the public aware of a single statewide toll-free telephone number for access to local information about services available to the community for older individuals and persons with functional impairments.
(b)CA Welfare and Institutions Code § 9631(b) The sources of funding that may be used for this purpose include any nonprofit foundation, funds privately donated by individuals, and one-time-only funds designated for state operations. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize any expenditures that are not otherwise allowable by the originating source of the funding.
aging awareness medication management hospital admissions prevention drug interactions elder abuse prevention physical abuse emotional abuse financial abuse statewide toll-free number service networks older individuals people with functional impairments nonprofit funding private donations local services access
