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The release of the fifth annual report on California’s Master Plan for Aging, marks the halfway point of the state’s 10-year effort to address the needs of the state’s growing elderly population.
The Little Hoover Commission’s 2024 report, Early Implementation of California’s Master Plan for Aging, included recommendations for strengthening the plan, including clarified leadership roles, enhanced oversight and continued stakeholder engagement, and a focus on direct benefits to Californians.
California’s Master Plan for Aging is a 10-year blueprint designed to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older adults and people with disabilities.
It serves as a strategic framework for state and local governments, private partners, and community organizations to prepare for the state’s rapidly changing demographic and to coordinate services more effectively.
In 2025-26, the Master Plan is advancing 81 initiatives aligned with its Five Bold Goals, reflecting the Administration’s ongoing commitment to addressing the needs of older Californians. The fifth annual report highlights progress on 33 of these initiatives, along with broader efforts not tied to specific initiatives.
The importance of the Master Plan is emphasized by California’s rapidly growing older adult population.
By 2030, approximately one in four Californians will be age 60 or older, placing increasing pressure on systems that provide healthcare, long-term services, and caregiving support.
While state investment in these areas is substantial, funding remains fragmented across programs and is difficult to track with currently available public data.
In its 2024 report, the commission commended the state’s ambitious vision and early progress while emphasizing that long-term success will depend on strong oversight, clear accountability, and coordinated implementation.
The commission’s recommendations focused on strengthening administrative structure, improving transparency and data tracking, enhancing coordination, and establishing a clear, measurable roadmap to guide the plan through 2030.
Implementation challenges have been reflected in stakeholder feedback and advisory discussions, including the IMPACT Stakeholder Committee.
The IMPACT Committee’s response to the fourth annual report raised concerns that unclear progress tracking, diluted or omitted stakeholder priorities, leadership gaps, and fiscal uncertainty threaten the effectiveness, equity, and long-term commitments of California’s Master Plan for Aging.
The commission’s recommendations included:
• Clarifying leadership responsibilities and functions in statute to ensure accountability remains consistent across administrations.
• Enhancing legislative oversight by establishing a joint committee to monitor implementation through 2030.
• Codifying the membership, length of service, purpose, and duties of the IMPACT Committee to ensure continued stakeholder engagement.
• Establishing a comprehensive implementation roadmap with clear milestones, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
• Better integrating and modernizing the state’s data assets to allow for more rigorous analysis of progress made toward the Master Plan’s goals.
• Tracking state investments in the Master Plan’s initiatives in an accessible, centralized platform with regular fiscal reporting to support long-term planning.
In sending the 2024 report to the governor and the Legislature, Commission Chair Pedro Nava noted the early progress on the master plan’s implementation but also cautioned that long-term success would require “sustained focus and commitment.”
The Little Hoover Commission is America’s only permanent, independent citizens commission working to improve state government. A nonpartisan oversight agency created in 1962, the commission includes 13 commissioners appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. The commission’s mission is to investigate state operations and promote efficiency, economy and improved service.
