California’s recent budget cuts are being felt by seniors in every community in Alameda County. Decisions made in Sacramento have reduced or eliminated virtually every public service that helps vulnerable seniors live safely in their communities. Additional cuts may be coming, placing an increasing burden on local public safety services over the coming months. It is time for stakeholders in senior services to adjust our advocacy lens to a local level and direct efforts to preventing seniors from falling through the new cracks created by California’s budget policy.

The purpose of the Local Safety Net Initiative is to help local service providers share resources and coordinate in new ways that take into account recent losses in services, and will inform local elected officials about the status of seniors in their communities and the practical actions they can take to protect the health and safety of their senior constituents.