HHS's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published two final rules intended to strengthen nondiscrimination protections for people living with disabilities and advance equity in health care, respectively.

Traci Wilson joined USAging in January 2021 and serves as the Director, Research. In this role, Traci's primary responsibility is leading the Information and Planning Grant Program, which is funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living and includes the administration of the National Area Agency on Aging and Title VI Native American Aging Program Surveys, various topical polls, the development of resources and the dissemination of survey research findings.

Last month, ACL released a new report, Aging in the United States: A Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging, through its Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities (ICC). The report provides a framework for collaboration among entities at the federal, state and local levels, and the public and private sector, to inform a future national set of aging policy recommendations.

Last month, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on the 2024 reauthorization of the Older Americans Act featuring two AAA directors from USAging member agencies.

Mary Ek joined USAging in 2021 and serves as Director for Dementia Friendly America (DFA), Dementia Friends and Community Care Corps. In this role she supports Community Care Corps grantees, dementia-friendly communities and Dementia Friends administrators by providing technical assistance, facilitating learning collaboratives and webinars and managing the development and sharing of resources.

In a new piece in Next Avenue, USAging CEO Sandy Markwood and Jeff Olivet, Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, urge the nation to do more to stop the alarming rise in homelessness among older adults. In “Homelessness After Age 50 Is Rising,” they say the key is preventing homelessness from happening in the first place.

Last month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services final rule. This historic regulation includes new requirements, effective July 9, related to the direct care workforce and access to home and community-based services.