Aging & Disabilities Department website

LA Found Press Kit

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 7, 2025

Contact:

Jim Skeen, Senior Public Information Specialist
Cell: (213) 706-8140
jskeen@ad.lacounty.gov

Supervisor Janice Hahn, and County Leaders Highlight Life-Saving L.A. Found Program and Launch New Theora Care GPS Smartwatch

WHAT:

Supervisor Janice Hahn, and Maral Karaccusian, Interim Director of the Aging & Disabilities Department, will host a media event to spotlight the success of L.A. Found — a life-saving program helping to locate individuals who wander due to Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, or other cognitive conditions.

The event will showcase the newest enhancement to the program: the Theora Care Smartwatch, a GPS-enabled, discreet tracking device offering real-time location monitoring, geofencing alerts, and caregiver connectivity.

Since its launch, L.A. Found has distributed more than 1,800 devices and has successfully reunited 29 individuals with their families or caregivers.

WHO:

Supervisor Janice Hahn (Fourth District)

Maral Karaccusian, Interim Director, Aging & Disabilities Department

Kate Movius, Founder of Autism Interaction Solutions and L.A. Found Task Force Member

Kirk Moody, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles Board Member & L.A. Found Task Force Member (Husband of Nancy Paulikas)

Jordan Wall and her caregiver/mother Mary Brown

Janet Rivera, caregiver of two program participants:

Her son Kenneth (Kenny) Rivera and mother Martha Jaramillo

Carlos Benavides, President of the Los Angeles Commission on Disabilities

WHEN:

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:

Grand Park – Olive Court (in front of Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration)

200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

VISUALS / MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

Demonstration of Theora Care Smartwatch and Project Lifesaver tracking devices

On-site participation by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department MET Unit, including the MILO simulator, an immersive training tool rarely seen by the public

Interviews with families and caregivers who are L.A. Found Program participants

Live testimonials from individuals impacted by Alzheimer’s, autism, and other developmental disabilities

County leaders discussing the role of technology in public safety and caregiving

WHY THIS MATTERS:

With more than 190,000 older adults in L.A. County living with Alzheimer’s or dementia — and 1 in 22 children in California diagnosed with autism — the L.A. Found program provides vital tools to prevent wandering and ensure faster, safer recoveries. This event raises awareness of the free, life-saving technology available to families across the region.

Maral V. Karaccusian, MSW - BIO

Maral V. Karaccusian is the Interim Director of the Aging & Disabilities Department. A seasoned social worker, and a dedicated public servant, she brings over 20 years of experience in human services, direct practice, policy development, and community advocacy. Her career is marked by a steadfast commitment to advancing equity and improving outcomes for Los Angeles County’s most vulnerable populations, including older adults, people with disabilities, foster youth, and survivors of systemic injustice.

Most recently, she served as Senior Children and Human Services Policy Deputy for Supervisor Janice Hahn, leading legislative and policy initiatives across child welfare, aging, disability, food systems, social services, and other critical areas.

During that time, Ms. Karaccusian supported the program’s growth, from the Bringing Our Loved Ones Home Initiative to its evolution into the L.A. Found initiative. She worked closely with County leadership, staff from what is now the Aging & Disabilities Department, and members of the L.A. Found taskforce to help keep the program visible and prioritized within County systems. Leveraging her policy role, she helped connect the dots across agencies and facilitated interdepartmental collaboration to advance the initiative’s mission of protecting vulnerable residents with cognitive impairments who are at risk of wandering.

Prior to her service in County government, Ms. Karaccusian was District Director for former Congressmember Karen Bass, overseeing district operations and shaping policy strategies aligned with community needs and federal priorities.

Now, as Interim Director of the Aging & Disabilities Department, she continues to champion L.A. Found and strengthen cross-sector partnerships, building on her earlier work to ensure the initiative remains relevant, effective, and responsive to communities across Los Angeles County.

Ms. Karaccusian holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in political science from UCLA and a master’s degree in social work from USC, where she was honored with the Gladys M. Salit Award for leadership, field excellence, and academic achievement.

Deeply committed to public service and inclusive advocacy, she brings a people-centered approach to leadership shaped by extensive experience across systems serving vulnerable communities. She teaches in the Department of Social Work at CSUN and presently serves on the Board of the Center for Nonprofit Management.

Backgrounder: L.A. County Aging & Disabilities Department

About the Department

Established in July 2022, the Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities Department (AD) is dedicated to empowering older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers to live safely, independently, and with dignity.

The department oversees a wide range of nationally recognized programs and services, including:

The L.A. County Area Agency on Aging (AAA)

Disability Services & Supports (DSS)

Adult Protective Services (APS)

13 Community and Senior Centers

A. Found – a nationally recognized safety initiative that helps locate individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, and other cognitive conditions who are at risk of wandering (L.A. Found)

New Freedom Transportation (NFT)

Purposeful Aging Los Angeles (PALA)

The Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC)

Two County Commissions: the Commission for Older Adults (LACCOA) and the Commission on Disabilities (LACCOD)

With nearly 600 budgeted positions and an annual budget of more than $215 million, the department plays a central role in promoting equity, safety, and well-being for some of the County’s most vulnerable residents.

Why the Department Was Created

Los Angeles County is home to the largest population of older adults and adults with disabilities in the United States, a population that is rapidly growing. From 2010 to 2030, the older adult population is projected to double, and nearly one in every five residents will be over the age of 65.

Recognizing the need for a more focused approach, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted in 2021 to restructure the former Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) into two specialized departments:

The Aging & Disabilities Department (AD)

The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)

This reorganization allowed each department to provide more focused leadership, streamline services, and expand their ability to meet evolving community needs. Both new departments began operations on July 1, 2022.

Leadership

In 2021, the Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Laura Trejo as the first Executive Director of the Aging and Community Services Branch, the transitional structure that evolved into the current department. A nationally recognized expert in aging and dementia policy, Dr. Trejo brought nearly 40 years of public service experience and played a pivotal role in shaping the department’s launch and early vision. She became the department’s inaugural Director when operations officially began in July 2022.

Following Dr. Trejo’s retirement in September 2025, Maral Karaccusian was named Interim Director of the Aging & Disabilities Department. A seasoned social worker and public policy leader, Ms. Karaccusian brings over two decades of experience in direct service, systems reform, and legislative strategy across County and federal government.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Karaccusian served as Senior Children and Human Services Policy Deputy for Supervisor Janice Hahn, where she led policy development across aging, disability, child welfare, and social services. In that role, she helped support the implementation and evolution of programs such as L.A. Found, working closely with taskforce members, County departments, and community advocates to advance cross-agency coordination and raise the program’s visibility.

Ms. Karaccusian’s leadership reflects a strong commitment to equity, accessibility, and people-centered policy, continuing the department’s mission to support the independence and dignity of older and dependent adults across Los Angeles County.

Backgrounder: L.A. Found Program

Overview

L.A. Found is a life-saving initiative that helps locate individuals who wander due to Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, or other cognitive conditions. By combining wearable tracking technology with rapid-response search teams, the program offers peace of mind for families and caregivers across Los Angeles County.

Origins & Purpose

On February 20, 2018, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger to create the L.A. Found Initiative, a coordinated Countywide response to the increasing risk of wandering among people with cognitive impairments.

The program was inspired in part by the tragic disappearance and death of Nancy Paulikas, a 55-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s disease who went missing during a museum visit in 2016. Her story underscored the urgent need for proactive solutions to help prevent such tragedies.

The Need

Wandering is a common and dangerous behavior associated with cognitive conditions:

The Alzheimer’s Association reports that 6 in 10 people with dementia will wander.

Up to 74% of individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia have wandered at some point — by walking, driving, or using public transit.

A CDC survey found that about half of children with autism have wandered. One in four of those incidents resulted in serious concern, with common risks including drowning and traffic injuries.

Each wandering incident creates a crisis for families and can become life-threatening within minutes.

Program Components

Project Lifesaver

A cornerstone of L.A. Found is its partnership with Project Lifesaver, a nonprofit organization that provides specialized technology to help locate individuals at risk of wandering. Los Angeles County purchases the radio frequency (RF) bracelets from Project Lifesaver and provides them free of charge to eligible County residents.

These bracelets emit a continuous RF signal, which can be detected only by specially trained teams from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Mental Evaluation Team (LASD MET) using dedicated tracking equipment. Tracking is initiated only when a participant is reported missing.

Over 1,000 bracelets have been distributed to date.

Smartwatch GPS Technology

L.A. Found also offers the Theora Care GPS Smartwatch, which enables:

Real-time location tracking

Geofencing zones (650 to 1,968 sq. ft.)

Instant alerts to caregivers if the individual exits the safe zone

An SOS button for emergencies

Theora Link Pro Smartphone App with the Theora Connect smartwatch, which displays the GPS location of the wearer, and alerts the caregiver should the person wander away from a Geofencing or “safe zone.”

This technology allows for earlier detection and faster recovery — reducing search time and increasing safety.

Search & Rescue: Sheriff’s MET Unit

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Mental Evaluation Team (MET) leads the search and rescue operations for L.A. Found participants.

MET can assist any law enforcement jurisdiction in L.A. County.

Over 5,000 first responders have received training through the MILO simulator, a virtual reality tool that teaches de-escalation techniques for interactions with individuals with dementia or autism.

The L.A. Found Taskforce

The L.A. Found Taskforce meets monthly to advance implementation strategies approved by the Board of Supervisors. Led by the Fourth Supervisorial District and the Aging & Disabilities Department, the taskforce includes:

Subject matter experts in Alzheimer’s, dementia, and autism

Family caregivers and community advocates

County agencies: Mental Health, Public Health, Public Social Services, the Sheriff’s Department, and other law enforcement partners

Nonprofits: Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, Autism Speaks, and more

The taskforce supports collaboration, alignment, and innovation across departments and organizations.

Education & Community Outreach

Each year, the L.A. Found team reaches thousands through:

Community presentations and webinars

Civic events and resource fairs

Training for caregivers on topics like brain health, home safety, and support for LGBTQ+ older adults and families impacted by autism

Ongoing partnerships include:

Alzheimer’s Association (org)