Older Adult Mental Health Project

Californians age 60 and older in the state's public health system need a robust system of health care, including mental health care tailored to the needs of older adults with serious mental illness.

By 2035, the population of older Californians will grow by 64 percent  and with it the need for age-specific mental health services.
 
The California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) contracted with the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research to assess the state's progress in setting up a system of care for this vulnerable population and to identify areas for progress. The assessment also evaluated how funds from the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) of 2004 have helped set up and reinforce this system of care for older adults.