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Social Programs

WOGI

WOGI

The Gatekeeper Program is a geriatric mobile outreach program designed to proactively identify at-risk older adults in the community who are not connected to the service delivery system. Staff are specifically trained to look for signs and symptoms that may indicate the older adult needs assistance. The program increases public awareness of the needs of the older adults before a crisis occurs, and upon identification of an older adult in need, staff are able to engage and initiate an individual's in-home assessment and provide or access a variety of supportive services. The program is designed to keep at-risk seniors in their own homes and prevent premature out-of-home placement by addressing unmet needs. 

Orange County's partnership project to support aging in place is called the Enhanced WELCOME Orange Geriatric Initiative (WOGI) and includes the Orange County Department of Mental Health, Catholic Charities of Orange and Sullivan Counties, and the Orange County Office for the Aging. Making use of the "Gatekeeper" model, the enhanced project aims to serve those who have been traditionally underserved by increasing stabilization in the community and reducing avoidable emergency department, hospital, and nursing home admissions; supporting older adults to improve their wellbeing and functioning so that can age-in-place; and improving the use of technology to better serve the target population by creating an infrastructure to match individuals with services and supports based on their unique assessed needs.

The WELCOME Orange Geriatric Initiative is a State Office of Mental Health grant-funded triple partnership of aging, mental health, and substance use agencies, and supportive community collaborators, striving to increase wellness, independence and maintain stability in the community, for individuals aged 55 and older with behavioral health and or substance use disorders. Our goal is to increase access to behavioral health services, aging services, and substance use abuse services, by providing outreach, community-based services, and tele-psychiatry services.

We are a WELCOME Orange partnership with the goal of providing a positive, welcoming, and non-judgmental environment to all individuals who we have the privilege to encounter.

Who are WOGI and their Partners?

  • OCDMH: The Orange County Department of Mental Health 
  • OCOA: The Orange County Office for the Aging
  • MHA: Mental Health Association in Orange County, Inc 
  • JFS: Jewish Family Service of Orange County 
  • CCOSU: Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange County
  • RSS: Rehabilitation Support Services
  • ICI: Independent Living Inc.

Resources and Referrals

Our Impact 2023

  • People Served

    122,092

  • Meals Served/Delivered

    4725

  • Hours of Contact

    100,000

  • Transportation to Services

    20,000

© 2024 Mental Health Association in Orange County Inc.

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