ACL Update

April 3, 2025
We have received a number of questions about the status of the Administration for Community Living: its present position in HHS, what programs it provides, and what will happen to these programs. This update is a response to those questions.

Note: The Great Plains ADA Center, as a part of the ADA National Network, is funded through a grant from the Administration for Community Living.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) Restructuring

HHS has announced that the Administration for Community Living is being disbanded. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is a division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that supports older adults and people with disabilities in living independently, participating fully in their communities, and avoiding institutionalization when possible. Its programs are expected to be absorbed by other HHS agencies. The HHS press release (March 27, 2025) states:

 The critical programs within the Administration for Community Living (ACL) that support older adults and people of all ages with disabilities will be split across the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

  • At this time, “critical programs” have not been clearly defined, and the new organizational structure within HHS remains unclear.
  • To date, approximately 40% of ACL staff have received layoff notices.
  • Many of the programs ACL administered are authorized by longstanding federal laws. These laws remain in effect unless changed by Congress. However, how services authorized by these laws will be administered and at what funding levels is currently uncertain.
    –Rehabilitation Act of 1973
    –Assistive Technology Act
    –Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
    –Americans with Disabilities Act (Title V Technical Assistance Mandate)
  • According to the Department of Health and Human Services, ACL’s programs will be reassigned to other HHS divisions. However, as of this writing, details on how funding levels will be maintained or how service continuity will be ensured remain unclear. 
  • Staff changes and reductions, as well as shifting priorities, may affect the oversight and visibility of former ACL programs that are absorbed by other HHS departments.
  • HHS’s annual funding levels from the federal budget are set through Congressional appropriations.  HHS allocates these funds to its subdivision agencies.  Currently, uncertainties exist due to the delays in Congressional budget appropriations.  How HHS will choose to allocate these funds is also uncertain at this time. 
  • Following is a list of ACL’s key programs and functions. Note:  this is not an inclusive list of all the critical services, grants, and programs administered through ACL.

Administration for Community Living Programs

 ACL primarily serves as a federal funder, coordinator, and oversight body. It distributes federal funds to state agencies and community-based organizations but generally does not provide services directly. The agencies that receive funding, coordinatation and support from ACL operate its programs and provide services directly to older adults, people with disabilities, and their families.

Under the Older Americans Act (OAA):

  • Nutrition Services: Congregate meals (e.g., at Senior Centers) and home-delivered meals (e.g., Meals on Wheels)
  • Supportive Services: Transportation, homemaker and personal care, caregiver support and respite care, training and support for unpaid caregivers (generally family members)
  • Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: Advocacy for residents of long-term care facilities
  • Elder Abuse Prevention: Outreach, education, and prevention efforts

Under the Rehabilitation Act:

  • Centers for Independent Living (CILs):  There are approximately 400 Centers for Independent Living throughout the United States. These community-based programs provide services that help people with disabilities live independently, including skills training, transition assistance for youth and families, and assistance in managing services such as personal care attendants.

Under the Assistive Technology Act:

  • State Assistive Technology Programs: Provide access to assistive devices through demonstrations, short-term loans, device reuse, and financial guidance

Research and Innovation Grants
ACL also plays a significant role in funding grants for research and program development, especially in areas that improve the lives of older adults and people with disabilities. Types of research funded include:

  • Falls prevention
  • Rural service delivery innovation
  • Cognitive and mobility interventions
  • Assistive technology development
  • Employment support for people with disabilities
  • Dementia-capable communities
  • Chronic disease self-management programs

The National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is a primary source of ACL disability-related research grants.  Examples of technologies developed through NIDILRR grants include:

  • Voice-activated home control systems
  • Smart stove sensors for dementia safety
  • Non-invasive fall detection systems
  • The JACO Robotic Arm for users with mobility impairments like ALS or spinal cord injury

Sources:

 450+ Organizations Join AAPD in Letter to Congress re: HHS Restructuring. (AAPD)

Agency for older adults and people with disabilities to be shuttered. (Market Watch)

HHS Layoff: Meals on Wheels and Other Services Face Cuts (Newsweek)

HHS Press Release HHS Announces Restructuring to Make America Healthy Again

Fact Sheet:  HHS’ Transformation to Make America Healthy Again