Citing the rising cost of food and fuel, the Community Services Agency said last week that it is launching new projects to cope with the difficult times, which have come with an 8 percent increase in its client load.

The agency, which serves Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, released its annual report with updates on how its programs are faring, and organizers announced plans for new services to be implemented in the coming fiscal year.

"It comes as no surprise," wrote Jim Boin, CSA's development director, in a letter to supporters, "that our client numbers are going up again."

The report indicates that that the number of clients participating in CSA's emergency assistance program, which provides financial assistance and services for low-income individuals and families, is up 20 percent -- the first increase since 2003.

In response, the CSA will launch a case management strategy pilot program to advise its clients on how to navigate programs and services to achieve greater financial stability.

In addition to its emphasis on training and hiring new case managers, the CSA will launch two other programs in its senior services sector. In anticipation of serving aging Baby Boomers, case managers will help assess risk factors associated with falling, and refer clients to their primary care physicians as a preventative measure for falls and fall related injuries.

The CSA also said it plans to play a larger role in outpatient assessment. The agency hopes to alleviate costs by monitoring the readmission of patients until outside resources have been exhausted.

The CSA expects its new programs to be beneficial to low-income individuals, families and seniors. Boin wrote that they "look forward to reporting positive outcomes at the end of this year."

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