In line with the federal executive order called “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative” that has led to massive workforce cuts across the US government, the Department of Health and Human Services announced 10,000 full-time employees would be let go.

The announcement included a restructuring plan, which is partially outlined below:

• Creation of the “Administration for a Healthy America (AHA),” which will combine multiple agencies — the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) — into a new entity.
• Changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), responsible for national disaster and public health emergency response, will transfer to the CDC.
• Reorganization of the Administration for Community Living (ACL): Critical programs that support older adults and people with disabilities will be integrated into other HHS agencies, including the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), ASPE, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This reorganization will not impact Medicare and Medicaid services, according to the announcement.

The aging services and advocacy community responded with statements, some of which are included below with excerpts.

• Statement by USAging

It is essential that the HHS reorganization does not create gaps in aging service delivery; lead to fewer resources for agencies and community-based organizations charged with planning and delivering those services; or ultimately create situations where older Americans are hungrier, less healthy, less safe or less independent—and their family caregivers are more burdened and stressed.

• Statement by Justice in Aging

This latest move is part of a pattern of attacks from this Administration on the well-being and health of older adults and people with disabilities, including the administration’s support for Congress’ planned cuts to Medicaid, DOGE’s hollowing out of the Social Security Administration, the termination of funding for research into Alzheimer’s disease and the shuttering of agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that protect older adults and others from financial fraud and abuse.

• Statement by Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC)

The DEC strongly opposes this fragmentation of services, which threatens to erode vital community-based supports that empower older adults to age in place and live with dignity – including senior centers, congregate and home-delivered meals, aging and disability resource centers, and many other programs across the nation. ACL has long served as a model for 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 jeopardize the effective use of taxpayer dollars meant to enhance quality of life for aging Americans.

• Statement by National Council on Aging

Older adults and their families depend on key HHS programs to manage their chronic conditions, prevent falls, and afford prescription medications. We urge leaders to ensure these programs remain intact as HHS is restructured.

• Statement by AARP

HHS must ensure that Americans can access senior centers, community health centers, nutritious meals, help with Medicare, and other essential services that countless older Americans rely on. Health is central to the lives, wellbeing and financial status of AARP’s members and the more than 100 million Americans over age 50.

• Statement by National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC)

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.