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ALAMEDA COUNTY BRAIN HEALTH CONVENING
ACTION PLAN
July 2026
The Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI), in
partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, co-hosted a series of two Community
Provider Convenings on Brain Health on February 27 and April 16, 2026. The focus of the
convenings was to develop an action plan to reduce modifiable risk factors for ADRD within
a public health framework that emphasizes equitable access. A combined total of 91
participants in the two convenings represented a cross-sector group of county agencies
and community-based organizations. During both convenings, expert presenters provided
background on modifiable risk factors. Participants then joined structured, facilitated
breakout groups to build brain health action plans.
Brain Health Convening Action Planning Discussions: Themes and next steps for
implementation
1. Theme: Collaborate broadly to integrate brain health into existing programs,
particularly for underserved communities, working with traditional and non-
traditional partners. Examples:
o Nutrition: public health, Meals on Wheels/meal delivery, congregate meal
sites (senior centers)
o Exercise programs: more walking programs like Oakland Making Moves; The
Good Life; Parks and Rec
o Faith communities
o Barbershops
o Libraries
o Senior centers
o City-sponsored brain health fairs
Implementation Plan: HBI will, in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association,
host quarterly, virtual meetings to share brain health resources and hear from
partners about their work to support brain health.
2. Theme: Make brain health go viral! Ensure that community members are
informed and aware of available resources, by developing brain health messaging
for social media, newsletters and other creative ways to promote outreach.
o Make sure all messaging is age-inclusive
o Work with social media influencers to reach younger populations
o Work with trusted messengers to develop and share brain health messaging
Alameda County Brain Health Action Plan, July 2026, Page 2
o Develop culturally specific messaging in multiple languages to reach a range
of populations
o Wiki channel
o Keep the number of people with ADRD front and center in the public’s eye
o Track social media metrics
Implementation Plan: HBI will share existing brain health messaging, develop new
messaging as needed, and build social media campaigns.
3.Theme: Collaborate to support caregiver respite, such as through policy
advocacy to bring back adult day care that supports people with advanced
dementia, providing micro-loans for family caregivers, or developing/supporting
memory cafés.
Implementation Plan: HBI is developing and piloting Memory Cafés where people
living with ADRD can participate in supported and supervised activities while their
caregivers receive training and resources and connect with their peers for support.
4.Theme: Adopt multi-generational approaches to the work. There is a lot of
potential here to engage non-traditional partners.
Implementation Plan: HBI will expand collaboration with organizations that work
with young people.
5.Theme: Build a hyper-local neighbor to neighbor strategy to promote brain
health.
o Work with community partners
o Use neighborhood apps/forums like NextDoor
o Work with neighbor-to-neighbor programs created in the East Bay to support
response to ICE
o Make block parties easier by reducing the red tape
o National Night Out (first Tuesday in August)
Implementation Plan:
o HBI will work with the Alameda County Age-Friendly Council’s Embracing
Aging Committee to include a Dementia Friends program in its development
of a Dementia-Friendly Alameda County.
o HBI will consult with the ACPHD Health Promotion and Community
Partnerships (HPCP) Unit regarding possible connections with community
collaboratives.