The U.S Department of Health and Human Services

On Tuesday, September 17th, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Community Living, delivered a progress report to Congress on the federal implementation of the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. This Strategy includes recommendations to ensure that family caregivers have the support and resources they need, along with commitments from fifteen federal agencies and 350 actions to implement these recommendations. To date, all of these actions have either been completed or are currently in progress. This report to Congress reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing commitment to addressing the unmet needs of family caregivers across the country.

The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) connects callers to information about how to access the COVID-19 vaccine and related supports for people with disabilities. DIAL connects callers to vaccine sites and provides information related to barriers to vaccination by referring callers to local and national disability resources. acl.gov/dial | 888-677-1199 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET | DIAL@n4a.org

On May 13, 2021, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the HHS announced the creation of a National Advisory Committee on Seniors and Disasters (NACSD). The NACSD will be implemented by ASPR and will provide guidance to HHS regarding preparing for, responding to, and recovery from disasters with a focus on the unique needs of older adults. HHS is currently accepting applications from individuals interested in serving on this committee. The deadline to apply is June 12.

On March 29th, President Biden announced several actions to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, including an exciting partnership between ACL and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase vaccine access for people with disabilities and older adults. Read the news release for more information about funding distribution.