The Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC), a national coalition committed to promoting the health and well-being of racially and ethnically diverse older adults, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and LGBTQ+ elders, is deeply concerned about the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) newly announced restructuring plan and its proposed dismantling of the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

As part of the “Transformation to Make America Healthy Again” initiative, the restructuring would eliminate ACL as a standalone agency and distribute its critical programs—many of which are authorized under the Older Americans Act (OAA)—across multiple HHS divisions. This would dilute ACL’s unique and focused mission to “maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults, people with disabilities across the lifespan, and their families and caregivers.”

The DEC strongly opposes this fragmentation of services, which threatens to erode vital community-based supports that empower older adults to age in place and live with dignity – including senior centers, congregate and home-delivered meals, aging and disability resource centers, and many other programs across the nation. ACL has long served as a model for coordinating services such as Long-term Services and Supports (LTSS), caregiver support, and aging network innovation at the federal, state, and local levels. Dismantling ACL would not only disrupt these essential partnerships but also jeopardize the effective use of taxpayer dollars meant to enhance quality of life for aging Americans.

“At a time when the U.S. population is older than it has ever been; a record number 12,000 Americans turn 65 every day; and the aging population is becoming increasingly diverse, we should be strengthening ACL’s leadership on aging and disability issues, not abandoning it.” said Didier Trinh, National Director of the Diverse Elders Coalition. “Absorbing ACL into other HHS agencies undermines its dedicated mission and risks sidelining the critical programs, partnerships, and expertise that serve our nation’s older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities.”

We at DEC urge HHS to reconsider this restructuring and reaffirm its commitment to the well-being of all older adults and caregivers.

Read and download the full statement here