The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) expresses deep concern regarding the recently announced restructuring plan for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), particularly its impact on the nation’s 53 million family caregivers who provide critical support to older adults and people with disabilities.
We are especially troubled by the dissolution of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which has been the federal government’s primary advocate for older adults and people with disabilities. The planned redistribution of ACL’s programs across the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) raises serious questions about continuity of care, program coordination, and dedicated focus on the unique needs of these growing communities.
“We are deeply concerned that these HHS organizational changes and workforce reductions may undermine the momentum and implementation of our nation’s first-ever National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers,” said Jason Resendez, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “ACL serves as the critical hub that coordinates programs across the aging and disability networks, preventing duplication and ensuring cohesive support for older adults, people with disabilities, and their family caregivers.”
The National Strategy, developed pursuant to the RAISE Family Caregiving Act and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act—both signed into law by President Trump in 2018—represents a critical roadmap for supporting family caregivers. This strategy was created with extensive input from caregivers, care recipients, and stakeholders nationwide.
We urgently request clarity on several critical questions:
- How will the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers be implemented and advanced within this new organizational structure?
- Which agency or division will now be responsible for coordinating caregiver support programs that were previously housed within ACL?
- How will these changes affect the funding, staffing, and prioritization of caregiver support programs?
- What measures will be put in place to ensure that the voices of family caregivers continue to be represented in federal policy discussions?
- How will the continuity of existing programs and initiatives supporting family caregivers be maintained during this transition?
The NAC recognizes the importance of government efficiency, but we firmly believe that streamlining should not come at the expense of older adults, people with disabilities, and their family caregivers. Family caregivers provide an estimated $600 billion in unpaid care annually, often at significant personal and financial cost. Without adequate support, many of these caregivers face deteriorating health, financial insecurity, and workplace challenges that ultimately increase costs to our healthcare system and economy.
We stand ready to work constructively with HHS leadership to ensure that the needs of family caregivers remain a priority throughout this restructuring process. We call upon the Administration to engage with stakeholders, including family caregivers themselves, to ensure that any reorganization strengthens rather than diminishes our national commitment to supporting family caregivers.
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