The Department's mission is to promote the independence and well-being of older adults, adults with disabilities, and families to improve quality of lives by offering:

• Access to information and services.
• Opportunities for community involvement.
• Support to family members providing care.

As the designated State Unit on Aging, the Department administers Older Americans Act programs that provide a wide variety of community-based supportive services as well as congregate and home-delivered meals. It also administers the Older Californians Act programs including, but not limited to, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program, the Linkages program, and the Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Center program. The Department also contracts directly with agencies that operate the Multipurpose Senior Services Program, and certifies Adult Day Health Care centers for the Medi-Cal program.

The Department administers most of these programs through contracts with the state's 33 local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). At the local level, AAAs contract for, and coordinate this array of community-based services to older adults, adults with disabilities, family caregivers and residents of long term care facilities.