Minutes
1. Welcome & Introductions by Chair — Discussion (5 min.)
Secretary Solomon Chis welcomed all members and called the meeting to order at 2:02 pm.
2. Roll Call — No Action
Present: Solomon Chis, Sharon Jennings, Harrison Linder, Maureen Sullivan, Kristen Stauss, Debra Larsen, and Debra Bonner.
Not present: Dawn Angelo (excused) Catheryn Koss (excused), Sery Tatpaporn
In Person: Contessa Bunn, Angelina Olweny, Dolores Diaz, Laznique Craft, Rebecca Hensley
Via Zoom: Craig Fowler, Jen Ann (Parkinson's Association), Aaron Chong
3. Request(s) for Remote Participation under the Brown Act
4. Consent Items – ACTION – (5 min)
- Approval of September 24, 2025, Minutes
Motion to approve the September 24 minutes by: Maureen Sullivan second by: Debra Larsen all approved. - Approval of September October 22, 2025, Agenda
Motion to approve the October agenda by: Sharon Jennings second by: Debra Larsen all approved.
5. AAC Business & Initiatives — NO ACTION – (60 min)
- Report from representative of the County Board of Supervisor -Aaron Chong - (10 min)
He introduced the Vice chair for Supervisors Forest Johnson
An inquiry was made regarding the October 28 Board of Supervisors meeting focused on housing and homelessness. The requester sought information about the participants, presentations, scope, and goals of the discussion. As they were unable to attend, they offered to prepare and distribute a synopsis of the meeting's proceedings.
Question: Any changes to the Brown Act? Aaron - Not that I know of.
Question: Are there quarterly Chief of Staff meetings?
Quarterly meetings are held for Chiefs of Staff, organized by the Chair's Office beginning in January, with coordination handled by the Vice Chair's Office (specifically by Force Johnson). The Chiefs meet every other Thursday. On a quarterly basis, all boards, commissions, and advisory boards are invited to schedule 30-minute briefings with the Chiefs of Staff to discuss key issues relevant to the Board of Supervisors. Notes and materials from these meetings are compiled and forwarded to the Chiefs of Staff and the corresponding elected officials. If clarification is needed, follow-up questions are sent via email to the Chair or the advisory board's staff.
Question: What is the process for communication advice from commission to BOS?
The speaker explains the process for scheduling quarterly meetings. They suggest sending an email (since the recipient already has their address) to request three 30-minute briefings with the Chair, Vice Chair, and a staff member for the 2026 calendar year. The meetings are typically scheduled for the first three quarters of the year. The email should go through commission staff, who will coordinate and confirm open dates for these sessions.
- Report from Senior and Adult Services (SAS) – Contessa Bunn – (5 min.)
- Accessibility Training Part 2 Rescheduled - January 2026 – Cheryl Bennett, ADA Compliance Officer
- Parkinson Association of Northern California Presentation: Harry O. Starkey, President - (45 min)
Harry introduced the Parkinson's Association of Northern California (PANC) as a community-based organization supporting people with Parkinson's and their care partners. He explained that Parkinson's is one of the fastest-growing neurodegenerative diseases, affecting around 1 million Americans and about 150,000 Californians. It is progressive, lifelong, and currently incurable, with each person's experience being unique.
He discussed symptoms—both motor (tremors, rigidity, slowness, balance issues) and non-motor (speech problems, depression, anxiety, constipation)—and described the disease's impact on the basal ganglia and dopamine production in the brain.
Harry emphasized exercise and movement as critical in managing symptoms and slowing progression. Programs like Rock Steady Boxing, dance, yoga, and cardiovascular training are highly beneficial, especially when done in person for social and emotional benefits.
He reviewed treatment options, including carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet) as the gold-standard medication and deep brain stimulation (DBS) for advanced cases. Effective care involves a multidisciplinary team—neurologists, therapists, dietitians, and mental health professionals.
Environmental factors such as pesticide exposure (notably paraquat) are believed to increase Parkinson's risk, and PANC advocates for banning such chemicals.
He highlighted PANC's work:
- About 50 support groups, including for veterans, care partners, and Spanish speakers
- A respite care grant program for caregivers
- An annual conference (recently attended by 1,000 people, featuring Ryan Reynolds and others)
- The Parkinson's Wise training program for fitness and wellness professionals
- Goals for 2025: expanding support groups, rural outreach (especially Fresno), mental health initiatives, pesticide advocacy, and organizational growth
In summary, Harry's presentation underscored community, education, exercise, advocacy, and comprehensive care as key pillars in improving life for those affected by Parkinson's disease.
6. Reports — NO ACTION (30 min.)
a. Housing & Homelessness/ Maureen Sullivan – (15 min.)
Maureen reported on information from a September Sacramento City Council meeting about housing and homelessness, particularly focused on older adults. The city approved plans for 45 tiny homes across four sites, with older adults as one of the priority groups. Residents will pay one-third of their income as rent, a point that caused some debate among council members but was ultimately included in the approved plan.
To fund the initiative and related housing programs, the mayor recently announced a proposed real estate transfer tax on high-value property sales, expected to raise $8–9 million annually. The funds would support homelessness programs, tiny homes, rental assistance, and first-time homebuyer aid. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the issue on October 28.
The plan is specific to the City of Sacramento and has not yet been implemented.
b. AAC Initiatives, Behavioral Health & Program Monitoring Committee/ Sharon Jennings – (5 min.)
Most of the bills being tracked have been signed by the governor. Key points:
- Signed into law:
- AB 450 – Full-service partnership eligibility
- Support for older and aging immigrants
- AB 1069 – Emergency shelter access for older adults and people with disabilities
- AB 1476 – Meal programs for senior citizens
- SB 352 – Disaster preparedness training for older adults and people with disabilities
- SB 707 – Modernization of the Brown Act
- Not signed:
- AB 1068 – Emergency evacuation planning for long-term care facilities (held in committee under submission)
In short, most bills related to seniors, people with disabilities, and disaster preparedness were approved, with only one bill not advancing.
c. By-laws Committee / Debra Larson – (5 min.)
A revised document showing proposed changes has been created, including a cleaner side-by-side comparison than the previous strikeout version. Attendees are asked to review it over the next month and come prepared to discuss it at the next meeting. The changes and their rationale are included for clarity. The speaker also thanked colleagues for their help with printing and preparation.
d. Public Awareness & Advocacy Committee / Kristen Stauss (5 min.)
Kristen attended the Thrive Summit on Monday, which focused on community building and sharing updates across departments. While the event was well-organized and covered most demographics effectively, you noticed gaps in representation for older adults. Accessibility issues were also present, such as lack of printed programs and reliance on QR codes, which could be challenging for attendees with visual impairments. Overall, it was a good event, but future iterations could better include age-related considerations and ADA-compliant materials.
- Area 4 Agency on Aging - Rebecca Hensley (5 min.)
Rebecca Heinsley from the Agency on Aging, Area 4, discussed efforts to help Senior Information and Assistance (I&A) providers achieve financial sustainability. The agency is holding meetings across counties to explore funding options and raise awareness about the critical role of I&A programs, which often receive less visibility and funding compared to programs like Meals on Wheels. They plan to increase baseline funding within their budget and collaborate with partners such as 211 Community Lead to enhance community outreach. Heinsley emphasized that while information is easy to find online, many older adults still rely on personal assistance to access resources effectively.
3. Aging Resources Exchange - Debra Bonner (5 min.)
Deborah Bonner provided an update on the Aging Resource and Exchange. She summarized a recent presentation from El Hogar Community Services, which covered mental health, community, and court-appointed programs for older adults. She also announced that the next session will feature JR Fujita from AARP, presenting on “Tomorrow's Caregiving Today"—covering trends, financial and emotional costs of caregiving, long-term care planning, and AARP/state caregiving resources. The meeting will be held Tuesday, October 28, from 9:30–10:30 a.m. via Zoom.
4. Liaison Reports
- Human Services Council (HHSCC) – Angelina Olweny & Melinda Avery – (15 min)
Angelina and Melinda provided an update on the restructuring of the Health and Human Services Coordinating Council (formerly Human Services Coordinating Council).
Overview:
- The Board of Supervisors recently approved and ratified new bylaws for the Council.
- The goal is to make the Council more interactive and community-focused, improving collaboration across county departments, advisory boards, and the public.
Key Changes:
- Name Change:
- From Human Services Coordinating Council to Health and Human Services Coordinating Council.
- Purpose:
- To serve as a forum for community input, addressing health and human service needs, and relaying community priorities to the County Executive and Board of Supervisors.
- Expanded Membership:
- Now 23 member's total:
- 6 representatives from existing advisory boards:
- Adult & Aging Commission (Deborah)
- Behavioral Health Commission (Melinda)
- Children's Coalition
- Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (new addition)
- Disability Advisory Commission
- Public Health Advisory Board
- 10 community members (2 appointed by each Supervisor) to ensure geographic and demographic representation.
- 7 ex-officio members (county departments).
- Executive Committee:
- Composed of representatives from the six advisory boards.
- Will meet monthly to plan quarterly public meetings.
- Quarterly Meetings:
- Starting 2026, held in January, April, July, and October.
- Evening meetings (6–8 PM) to encourage community participation.
- Each meeting will focus on one major topic to ensure meaningful discussion.
- First meeting: January 8, 2026 — Topic: Legal Pathways to Behavioral Health Treatment (presented by Dr. Ryan Furst).
- Meeting Location:
- Still being finalized. Options include WellSpace (1500 Expo Parkway) or the Regional Family Justice Center.
- Priority on free parking and evening accessibility (non-county buildings preferred).
Goal:
To strengthen community engagement, streamline collaboration among advisory boards, and create actionable input for county leadership on health and human service priorities.
7. Recruitment and Orientation Committee (ROC) – NO ACTION
8. Old Business – NO ACTION
9. New Business – NO ACTION
10. Announcements - Open Forum and Discussion (5 min.) -
- Sacramento County Appreciation & Training Highlights – Harrison Linder
The event was an evening gathering for members of the county's roughly 80 boards and commissions, including our own. It featured trainings on the purpose of boards and commissions—emphasizing their advisory role to the Board of Supervisors—and on Robert's Rules of Order for conducting public meetings. Key takeaways included:
- Dawn, our chair, is considering reinstating quarterly meetings with the Chiefs of Staff from each supervisor, which many commissions have but ours hasn't done since before COVID.
- Networking opportunities were limited, though some informal discussions occurred during presentations.
Overall, it was a valuable event, and attending next year is recommended.
11. Public Comment - (limited to 3 min. per speaker) - ACTION (10 min.)
No comment.
12. Future Meetings — Open Forum and Discussion (5 min.)
- Adult & Aging Commission Executive – November 12, 2025
- Adult & Aging Commission Executive – November 19, 2025
13. Adjourn
Secretary and Commissioner Solomon adjourn the meeting at 3:30pm.
