Senior Services

Felton Institute Services for Older Adults

Felton’s Senior Division specializes in mental health, workforce development, and community engagement, along with a full range of other aging services. The division operates in four Bay Area counties – San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, and Marin – helping older adults flourish in their communities with dignity, security, and a high quality of life.

Felton’s History of Service for Older Adults
Felton has been serving older adults since its early leader, Dr. Katherine “Kitty” Felton, began services for the residents of San Francisco in 1889. Since that time, Felton has been at the forefront of innovative initiatives for older adults. In the 1960s, the first intergenerational program, The Foster Grandparent Program, was introduced – it’s hailed as Felton’s longest continuously operating enterprise. In the 1970s, funding from the federal Older Americans Act, brought the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, the Senior Companion Program, and a number of ongoing case management and senior center programs. In the 1980s, Felton began providing programs for older adults experiencing mental health issues. 

Today Felton is considered the specialists for older adult populations in San Francisco and Alameda counties. Felton serves unhoused seniors as they transition and thrive in permanent housing in the community, as well as starting a new Tech Squad to help older adults become part of the increasingly digital world.

Sliding Scale Policy at Felton Institute’s 1500 Franklin Clinic in San Francisco:
No one will be denied access to services due to inability to pay. There is a discounted/sliding fee schedule available, based on family size and income.

For general inquiries regarding Senior Services, please contact:

Cathy Spensley, MSW, LCSW
Felton Institute Division Director, Senior Services

Main: (415) 474-7310 x 435 | Fax: (415) 447-9805 | Email: cspensley@felton.org
East Bay Office: 1005 Atlantic Avenue Alameda CA 94501
San Francisco Office: 1500 Franklin Street
San Francisco, CA 94109

OLDER ADULT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

SAN FRANCISCO

Older Adult Full Service Partnership

Supporting older adults in need of intensive case management including mental health and substance abuse treatment, medical health care, housing assistance, vocational and educational support, and counseling.

Intensive Case Management and Outpatient Mental Health Services

Comprehensive case management, counseling, and psychiatric services provided for older adults with mental health concerns (including substance abuse) to help maintain independence and dignity while aging in place.

Flexible Subsidy Housing Program

Clinical assessment, case management, and other supportive services to assist individuals formerly experiencing homelessness, and housed in Shelter in Place Hotels during the pandemic, move to permanent housing in the community.

OLDER ADULT SERVICE  TEAM – ALAMEDA COUNTY

Older Adult Service Team (OAST)

A specialized team of mental health professionals developing effective resources and support including comprehensive clinical case management and psychiatric services for older adults with mental health concerns and substance abuse.

ALAMEDA COUNTY AGING SERVICES

Case Management for Alameda County

Case management, under contract with Alameda County Adult Protective Services (APS), to help older adults and adults with disabilities with time-limited care management services. Includes case management for Legal Assistance for Seniors Case Management.

SAN FRANCISCO AGING SERVICES

Case Management for Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities

Care management services for older adults and adults (ages 18 and older) with disabilities who may also need brief counseling or access to more extensive mental health services.

Foster Grandparent Program

Tutoring, mentoring, and emotional support are provided for children with exceptional needs. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers (55+ older) are matched within childcare and school settings to help children with literacy and other developmental activities.

Senior Community Service Employment Program

Workforce training for older adults in community service organizations and government departments, leading to permanent job placements, including the private sector. The SCSEP program expanded to Marin and San Mateo Counties.

Tech Squad

A team of staff and community volunteers works to bridge the digital divide and reducing social isolation by bringing essential tech support and broadband access directly to older adults and people with disabilities so they can participate in our increasingly digital world.

Visitacion Valley Senior Health & Wellness

Outreach and wellness programming for diverse groups older adults in Visitacion Valley. Projects include Chinese dancing, ESL classes, psycho-education, discussion groups around trauma, a community leadership group, and other community connections.

San Francisco Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

A federally-mandated visiting advocacy program. Professional staff and outreach volunteers investigate complaints regarding the health, safety, welfare, and rights of older adults and people with disabilities living in long-term care facilities.

Senior Companion Program

Companionship services for homebound seniors. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers (55+ older) are matched within seniors’ homes or senior sites to aide other seniors with social isolation and peer to peer companion activities.

Back 2 Work (B2W)

A locally-funded expansion of the Senior Community Service Employment Program, Back 2 Work, provides workforce training preparing older adults to overcome challenges and remain competitive in today’s job market through partnerships with small businesses in San Francisco.

Community Liaisons

Older adults and people with disabilities establishing rapport and assistance in outreach activities, assistance in making connections to language and culturally accessible services, and assisting Felton’s Tech Squad in helping individuals get connected to technology.

66 Raymond Community Services

Activities and service connections to meet the needs of the diverse neighborhood residents of Visitation Valley including opportunities for social, wellness, educational, and intergenerational activities, in collaboration with multiple community partners.

Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS) Funding Statement

English: These programs serving the community are funded by the City of San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services.

DAS Funding Statement Translations
Chinese (Traditional): 此項社區服務計劃/这些社區服務計劃是由三藩市殘疾人與老齡化服務部資助的。

Russian: Эта общественная программа / Эти общественные программы финансируется/финансируются Департаментом по делам людей с инвалидностью и пожилого населения в Сан-Франциско.

Spanish: Este programa que brinda/Estos programas que brindan servicio a la comunidad está financiado/están financiados por el Departamento de Servicios para Discapacidad y Personas de la Tercera Edad de la ciudad de San Francisco

Tagalog: Ang programang ito / Ang mga programang ito na nagseserbisyo sa komunidad ay pinopondohan ng Departamento ng Mga Serbisyo sa Kapansanan at Pagtanda ng Lungsod ng San Francisco.

Vietnamese: Chương trình/Các chương trình phục vụ cộng đồng này được Sở Dịch Vụ cho Người Khuyết Tật và Người Cao Niên Thành Phố San Francisco tài trợ.

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