As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Care Workers Recognition Month activities and in support of President Biden’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that 20 states have been selected to participate in two separate technical assistance programs that together will help participating states better recruit, train, and retain direct care workers, who provide home and community-based services (HCBS) for older adults and people with disabilities.

Facilitated by ACL’s National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS), this learning collaborative will bring together teams composed of state units on aging, area agencies on aging, aging and disability resource centers, No Wrong Door programs, tribal organizations, nutrition program professionals, and their community partners to engage in peer-to-peer learning.

The RRTC on Health and Function of People with Physical Disabilities will conduct research, training, technical assistance, and related activities to contribute to improved health and function among people with physical disabilities.

As we share

The RRTC on Family Support will conduct research, training, technical assistance, and related activities on the family support of people with disabilities across the life course in order to improve the community living and participation, health and function, or employment outcomes of people with disabilities.

ACL is excited to share a new Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) opportunity that was recently announced by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the U.S. Department of Education. This year’s DIF will fund innovative model demonstration projects for improving strategies or programs to transition youth and/or adults with disabilities to competitive, integrated employment (CIE).

Find resources for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and learn more about the upcoming June 2024 EJCC meeting.

April 21-27 is National Volunteer Week. In honor of this important observance, the ACL-funded Community Care Corps is pleased to share a new online library of resources developed to help community organizations build successful volunteer programs.

ACL is excited to share that today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services rule (Access Rule). The Access Rule will strengthen the home and community-based services (HCBS) that make community living possible for millions of people.

Cooperative agreement grants awarded under this opportunity will support and promote the development and expansion of dementia-capable home and community-based service systems in states, communities, and tribes. The dementia-capable systems resulting from program activities are expected to provide quality, strengths-based, person-centered services and supports that help people living with dementia and their caregivers remain independent and safe in their communities.