Council on Aging Southern California

What Council on Aging Southern California does

Council on Aging Southern California (COASC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1973 and headquartered in Irvine, California, that delivers a portfolio of free social and health services to older adults and disabled adults across five Southern California counties (Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono). Its programs include the Long-Term Care Ombudsman (advocacy across 1,618 licensed facilities), HICAP Medicare counseling, the Senior Protection Program and FAST (financial abuse prevention), ReConnect EISOA and PEARLS OC (behavioral health), the Friendly Visitor companion program, SmileMakers holiday gift distribution, My Colors My Mind creative arts therapy, the Answers Resource Guide publication (70,000+ reach), and Enhanced Care Management for Medi-Cal members. Service delivery is conducted entirely through paid staff and a network of 100+ trained community volunteers, with no technology platform or SaaS offering.

The organization operates four physical offices (Irvine HQ, Riverside, Hemet, Palm Desert), multilingual phone hotlines, and field-based delivery including unannounced facility visits and home visits for homebound seniors. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries with no insurance or income prerequisites. COASC is not a technology product; its "core technology" is a human-centered service delivery model anchored by certified counselors, volunteer ombudsmen, and clinical social workers.

COASC's revenue model is built on three streams: individual donations and charitable contributions (including a Giving Circle and Legacy Society planned giving program), foundation grants (notably a $1.5 million Pacific Life Foundation grant announced June 2026 as part of a $10M initiative through 2030, plus California MHSOAC funding for PEARLS OC), and government contracts (county Office on Aging contracts for Ombudsman services). Leadership is led by President and CEO Lisa Wright Jenkins (appointed 2012), with a program-level director bench covering each major service line.

Name

Council on Aging Southern California

Legal name

Council on Aging – Southern California

Website

https://coasc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Council on Aging Southern California is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 that delivers free advocacy, Medicare counseling, behavioral health, and elder-protection programs to over 100,000 seniors and disabled adults annually across five Southern California counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Senior Social Clubs & Community-Based Day Programs (Non-Clinical) (HSABANAK), Behavioral Health & Cognitive Support Day Programs (Geriatric Mental Health) (HLADAIAF)

Keywords

• Senior care services
• Medicare counseling
• Elder advocacy programs
• Long-term care ombudsman
• Aging services nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations from supporters, including one-time and recurring gifts; the organization operates a 'Giving Circle' for multi-year giving and accepts checks mailed to their Irvine office.
2. Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations such as Pacific Life Foundation ($1.5 million grant in 2026) and California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) funding for PEARLS OC program.
3. Government Contracts: Funding through county contracts with Office on Aging for programs like Long-Term Care Ombudsman; services are delivered under contract requirements with Orange County Office on Aging.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Council on Aging Southern California provides free, direct services to older and disabled adults across five Southern California counties through programs such as HICAP Medicare counseling, Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocacy, Senior Protection Program/FAST, Friendly Visitor companionship, ReConnect EISOA emotional health support, and PEARLS OC depression management. The organization also publishes the Answers Resource Guide reaching 70,000+ readers and delivers the SmileMakers holiday gift program to over 6,500 long-term care residents annually.

Product overview

Council on Aging Southern California is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) established in 1973 that provides a comprehensive portfolio of senior services and programs across Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono counties. The organization's offerings are organized as distinct programs rather than a unified platform architecture. Core programs include the Answers Guide (comprehensive resource publication), Enhanced Care Management (ECM for Medi-Cal members), HICAP (Medicare counseling), Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocacy, ReConnect EISOA (emotional health services), and the Senior Protection Program with FAST (elder abuse prevention). Additional programs include Friendly Visitor (companionship), SmileMakers (holiday gifts), PEARLS OC (depression management), and My Colors. My Mind. (art therapy). The organization also hosts signature events including the Remarkable Lives Speaker Series, Aging As Art photography show, An Evening of Comedy fundraiser, and Pickleball Slam. All programs are delivered through staff and trained volunteers without any technology platform or SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Answers Resource Guide: Trusted resource guide for seniors and their families covering healthcare, caregiving, finance/legal, housing and more. Available in print and online with a reach of over 70,000.
• HICAP
• PEARLS OC
• ReConnect EISOA
• SmileMakers
• FAST

Products and services

• Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP) Free, unbiased Medicare counseling for older adults to help them understand benefits, options, and navigate complex healthcare decisions. Delivered by state-certified counselors in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, and Farsi across Orange, Riverside, Inyo, and Mono counties.
• Long-Term Care Ombudsman Advocacy program protecting the rights, dignity, and quality of life of residents in nursing homes and assisted living communities through trained volunteer advocates. Operates across Orange and Riverside counties, covering approximately 542 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in Riverside alone.
• Senior Protection Program & FAST Educational seminars and consultation services to help seniors avoid financial predators and address elder abuse, fraud, and financial exploitation. Provides direct intervention and prevention education across Southern California.
• Friendly Visitor Program Provides companionship and social support to isolated, frail older and disabled adults in Orange County through regular volunteer visits. Addresses loneliness and social isolation among homebound seniors.
• ReConnect EISOA Early Intervention Services for Older Adults program assisting adults aged 60+ to manage and improve emotional health and overall well-being through support groups, workshops, and home visitations. Addresses depression and isolation through community-based mental health services.
• PEARLS OC (Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors) Evidence-based program educating seniors about depression and developing skills for self-sufficiency and active lives, shown to reduce depressive symptoms nationally. Offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Farsi, and for veterans. Funded by California MHSOAC and delivered with partners UWHPRC and OCAPICA.
• SmileMakers Community mobilization program providing holiday gifts to over 6,500 residents in long-term care facilities annually. Mobilizes corporate and community volunteers to deliver tangible comfort items to isolated seniors.
• Answers Guide Trusted resource guide for seniors and their families, available in print and online, providing information on healthcare, caregiving, finance/legal matters, and housing. Reaches over 70,000 readers.
• Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Care coordination service for Medi-Cal members with complex needs, providing a dedicated care manager to coordinate healthcare and support services across providers and community resources.
• My Colors. My Mind. Creative art therapy program celebrating the colors of life for seniors. Provides therapeutic artistic engagement opportunities for older adults.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42,256 residents protected through Ombudsman program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center (UWHPRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner that developed the PEARLS evidence-based program model; provides ongoing program support and research validation for COASC's PEARLS OC implementation.
• OCAPICAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance - delivery partner for PEARLS OC program services toAPI seniors.
• Moore Law for ChildrenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered for Valentine's Day Card Drive to deliver cards to isolated seniors in long-term care facilities.
• Bowers MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Aging As Art photography exhibition; hosted selected photographs from September 1-15.
• Newport Beach Central LibraryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Aging As Art photography exhibition; hosted selected photographs November 9 - December 20.
• National GeographicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGuest juror Joel Sartore from National Geographic participated in the 2021 Aging As Art photography contest.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Council on Aging: National nonprofit advocating for older adults and offering programs on Medicare counseling, falls prevention, and economic security. Directly comparable to COASC as the primary national umbrella for senior-services programming, with overlapping HICAP-style counseling and chronic disease self-management offerings.
• LeadingAge: National association representing nonprofit aging-services providers including senior housing, home health, and community programs. Comparable to COASC at the sector-association level, with overlapping member demographics and shared government-relations infrastructure around Medicaid/Medicare policy.
• AARP: Large membership organization advocating for Americans 50+ on healthcare, financial security, and long-term care. Shares COASC's senior-advocacy mission and Medicare-counseling ecosystem (AARP collaborates with SHIP networks that parallel HICAP), but operates at vastly greater national scale.
• Aging Services / Area Agencies on Aging (national network): Network of regional Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) administering Older Americans Act programs including ombudsman, HICAP, and congregate meals. Directly comparable to COASC's contract-funded county-level program delivery and share the same federal/state funding architecture.

Direct peers

• Meals on Wheels America: National nonprofit that supports a network of local programs delivering meals, wellness checks, and social connection to homebound seniors. Closely mirrors COASC's home-and-community-based services model (Friendly Visitor, ReConnect) and shares the volunteer-driven, donation-funded operating structure.
• Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging: Cleveland-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, care management, and elder-abuse services for older adults and caregivers. Comparable to COASC's PEARLS OC, ReConnect, and Senior Protection/FAST portfolios, with similar grant-and-contract funding and hybrid in-person/telehealth delivery.
• Family Caregiver Alliance: National nonprofit providing education, advocacy, and direct services for family caregivers of older adults. Overlaps with COASC's caregiver and family support components and shares the policy-advocacy plus direct-service mix that defines the elder-services nonprofit model.

Regional players

• Lifespan (Rochester, NY): Regional nonprofit providing caregiver support, geriatric care management, and elder-abuse prevention in upstate New York. Mirrors COASC's county-level service portfolio (ombudsman-equivalent, financial exploitation programs, caregiver resources) but is geographically non-overlapping.

Emerging players

• WellMed Charitable Foundation: Nonprofit focused on healthy aging, senior wellness programming, and Medicare beneficiary education in Texas and beyond. Overlaps with COASC on Medicare education (HICAP analog) and senior wellness, though narrower in geographic focus and clinical-program scope.

Others

• SCAN Health Plan: Medicare Advantage plan that integrates social services, behavioral health, and care coordination for seniors. Adjacent to COASC rather than directly competitive, but serves the same Medi-Cal/Medicare dual-eligible cohort and could be a potential ECM contracting partner or competitor for managed-care referrals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/COAOrangeCounty
• Facebookfacebook.com/councilonagingsocal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-on-aging-socal
• Instagraminstagram.com/councilonagingsocal
• Xx.com/coa_sc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Council on Aging Southern California