2014 Making The Difference Conference

On Wednesday, November 12, 2014, the Senior Services Coalition held a conference called Making the Difference: Community Supports and Health for Older Adults in Alameda County. We convened community-based service providers, health care professionals, health and social services agency leaders and policy makers in Alameda County to look at recent developments in policy, financing and innovative practice around the social determinants of health for older adults.

Our Purpose was to create common ground for stakeholders from the health and social services “silos” to explore these topics in terms of their practical relevance in Alameda County. We think the November 12 conference was a good start. Click here to check out the day’s agenda and speaker bios.

Conference Materials & Content

Opening Remarks – Wendy Peterson

Speakers Presentations 

• Kimi Watkins-Tartt (Alameda County Public Health) – Health for Seniors in Alameda County
• John Bauters (Housing California) – Housing First: A Social Determinant of Health & Corporation for Supportive Housing Whitepaper
• Amber Cutler (National Senior Citizens Law Center) –  Coordinated Care Initiative and other Medicare Programs
• Vandana Pant (Palo Alto Medical Foundation) –  Activating & Connecting Communities to Support Successful Aging Video

Research, References & Best Practices

Below is more information on the research, examples and best practices that our speakers and panelists referenced during the morning sessions.

• Mercy Mission Creek Senior Community, San Francisco
• Quixote Village
• Bridge Meadows
• Firehouse Services Coordinator Program – Delaware County Ohio

Conference Take-Aways & Follow-Up

• Click here for take-aways from the November 12 Lunchtime Conversations.
• One question from the audience was “How can we advocate for housing to be added to California’s 1115 (Medicaid) Waiver (that is up for renewal in 2015)?”
  • Click here for a report from Corporation for Supportive Housing on the innovations taking place in several states that have added housing to their 1115 Waivers.
  • Click here to go to the DHCS web page for the 1115 Waiver Renewal Housing and Shelter Expert Stakeholder Workgroup.

Made Possible with the Generous Support of: 

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Advancing a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-quality services for older adults that preserve dignity and independence.

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For more information: Email wendy@seniorservicescoalition.org or call (510) 332-4669.