CDA Timeline

The California Department of Aging (CDA) was established on January 1, 1974, charged with creating policy and administering federal Older American Act (OAA) programs and services in California*. CDA supports California’s 33 Area Agencies on Aging to plan and deliver tailored programs and services to older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers in their local communities. Learn more

*In 1980, CDA was established as the single state agency responsible for administering the Older Americans Act (OAA) within the Older Californians Act (OCA). In 1996, the Legislature amended the OCA by establishing new programs and making structural changes to service delivery.

1974

The California Department of Aging (CDA) was established.
On Lok Demonstration Project (Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly/PACE) was authorized under Medicare.
The Burton Act for Aging assigned policy making and administrative responsibility for the federal OAA programs and funding to a new State Office on Aging.
1975

Adult Protective Services (APS) was authorized under Title XX of the Social Security Act.
AB 1810 authorized Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) pilot projects that were administered by the California Department of Health Services (CDHS). These pilot sites formed the California Association for Adult Day Health Care Services (CAADS).
1977

The Multipurpose Senior Services Project (MSSP) was legislatively authorized as a federal four-year research and demonstration project.
1978

Governor Jerry Brown designated Disability Rights California (DRC), then known as Protection & Advocacy, Inc., as the organization within California to advocate for the rights of people with developmental disabilities.
1979

California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Association (CLTCOA) formed.
Services & Advocacy for LGBT Elders (SAGE), a national advocacy and service organization to support LGBT elder issues, founded.
1980/82

Senator Mello requested the CCoA convene a session of the Silver-Haired Legislature, a forum through which older Californians could develop their legislative priorities. In 1982, the Silver-Haired Legislature became the California Senior Legislature (CSL).
1980

Formation of the Family Caregiver Alliance.
1981

Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act.
1982

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) founded.
1983

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) founded to improve the choices, care, and quality of life for California's long-term care consumers.
1984

California Alzheimer's Disease Centers (CADC) established.
The statewide network of Caregiver Resource Centers (CRC) established.
1985

The Nursing Home Patients Protection Act (NHPPA) signed into law.
1987

Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 created guidelines for long-term care nursing homes that received federal Medicaid and Medicare funding.
1990

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) established a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability.
1996

The California State Independent Living Council (SILC) established as an independent California state agency.
1999

Via the Olmstead Decision, the United States Supreme Court held that people with disabilities have a qualified right to receive state-funded supports and services in the community rather than institutions.
2000

National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) established.
The Assisted Living Waiver Program (ALWP) created.
2003

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, also called the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) enacted.
2004

Olmstead Advisory Committee established.
Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) initiative launched.
2005

The Money Follows the Person (MFP) program authorized.
2006

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI).
The California Aging and Disability Alliance (CADA), formerly referred to as the LTSS Exploratory Coalition, began meeting and incorporated a year later.
2008

The California Elder Justice Coalition (CEJC) launched.
2010

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law.
2011

California State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease released.
2012

Administration for Community Living (ACL) created.
California’s Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI) established.
2014

Administration for Community Living (ACL) Caregiver Task Force on Family Caregiving established.
Reframing Aging Initiative and Reframing Elder Abuse initiatives launched.
AARP’s California Livable Communities Program initiated.
Senate Select Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care established.
2017

The California Aging and Disability Alliance (CADA), formerly referred to as the LTSS Exploratory Coalition, began meeting and incorporated a year later.
2019

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-14-19 calling for the development of the California Master Plan for Aging.
2021

The California Master Plan for Aging launched and implementation activities immediately followed.

Celebrating 50 Years of Serving Older Californians

2024 marks 50 years of partnership and programs serving older Californians. Together, CDA and California’s Aging Network of programs and services have enriched communities across the state through improving the well-being and independence of older adults. We are celebrating our 50th anniversary by sharing stories that highlight pivotal moments from the past five decades and our ongoing collective efforts toward building a California for all ages and abilities.

Celebrate with us as we share stories from the past 50 years.