Diverse Elders Coalition Calls for Preservation of ACL Amid HHS Restructuring
The Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC), a national coalition committed to promoting the health and well-being of older adults and caregivers, is 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 weaken ACL’s focused leadership on issues affecting older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers.”
The DEC opposes this fragmentation of services, which threatens vital community-based supports that help older adults age in place and live with dignity, including senior centers, congregate and home-delivered meals, aging and disability resource centers, and other programs across the country. ACL has long played an important role in 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 risk undermining the effective use of taxpayer dollars intended to support older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities.
“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
Download the full statement here
