Push Congress to Keep OAA Programs Together!

• By: USAging
• On: 04/30/2025 15:27:50
• In: Policy & Advocacy

Click here to write to your lawmakers urging them to ensure the Older Americans Month (OAA) stays as one delivery system, the Aging Network, so your agency can continue to efficiently deliver services to older adults!
 
In April, the President’s FY 2026 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services budget draft leaked, and it included a proposal to break up OAA programs and move them to different agencies, with nutrition moving to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and most other programs to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The budget would also completely eliminate several key OAA programs, including the Title III D evidence-based programs and Title VII’s ombudsman program. 
 
Statute requires all OAA programs to be administered by the Administration on Aging and an Assistant Secretary for Aging. Rather than split the programs up, burdening the Aging Network with new red tape and cost inefficiencies, the administration should instead move all OAA programs to ACF, a human services agency better suited for administering programs. CMS, a massive health care administration agency, is unsuited to the task.  
 
Interested in learning more and missed our webinar last week? Here are links to the webinar recording and slides. If you have any questions, please contact USAging’s policy team at policy@usaging.org.    

Urge Your Lawmakers to Save OAA Programs

• By: USAging
• On: 04/25/2025 10:59:04
• In: Policy & Advocacy

Last week, a copy of the President’s FY 2026 draft budget leaked, proposing to tear OAA programs apart and move them to two different agencies, with most programs at CMS and only nutrition going to ACF. The budget would also eliminate several key OAA programs, including the Title III D evidence-based programs, Title VII ombudsman, Adult Protective Services, SHIPs, ADRCs and more.
 
Statute requires all OAA programs to be under the AoA and federally administered by an Assistant Secretary for Aging. Splitting OAA programs into two different federal agencies would only cause unnecessary administrative burden and cost inefficiencies for the Aging Network that would affect the delivery of services to older adults.
 
The administration should instead move all OAA programs to ACF, a human services agency better suited for administering programs, rather than CMS, a massive health care administration agency unsuited to the task.
 
Use our recent Advocacy Alert to tell Congress to ensure the OAA stays as one delivery system, the Aging Network, that allows your agency to deliver services to older adults as efficiently as possible.
 
Interested in learning more and missed our webinar on Monday? Here are links to the webinar recording and slides. If you have any questions, please contact USAging’s policy team at policy@usaging.org.   

Going to the ASA Conference? Connect With USAging!

• By: USAging
• On: 04/18/2025 10:10:57
• In: Hot Topics in Aging

• ASA Resource Center (Exhibit Hall): USAging Booth 503
• AAA Peer Group: Tuesday, April 22, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM, Orlando L
• DC Round-Up: What Advocates Need to Know Now About Federal Aging Policy: Wednesday, April 23, 8:00 AM–9:00 AM
• Community Care Corps: Volunteer Power Supporting Healthy Community Living Policy: Wednesday, April 23, 8:00 AM–9:00 AM
• Transformative Innovations in Health Care Contracting and Partnerships: Wednesday, April 23, 9:30 AM–10:30 AM
• Dementia-Friendly Communities: Making Room for Grief: Wednesday, April 23, 9:30 AM–10:30 AM
• From Mosaic to Tapestry: Connecting Community-Centered Approaches to Aging: Wednesday, April 23, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
• An Even Friendlier Dementia Friendly America Wwith Memory Cafe Partnership: Wednesday, April 23, 3:30 PM–4:30 PM
• Family Caregiver Services and Supports: Resources and Program Highlights: Wednesday, April 23, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM
• New Toolkit for Early Detection of Dementia in Community-Based Organizations: Thursday, April 24, 10:00 AM–11:00 AM
• Dementia Friends Session: Thursday, April 24, 11:30 AM–12:30 PM

2025 Aging Policy Briefing Sets Record in Attendance, 2025 Policy Priorities Released

• By: USAging
• On: 04/04/2025 10:13:42
• In: Policy & Advocacy

The 31st annual Aging Policy Briefing hit record attendance, with nearly 250 people traveling to Washington, DC, from across the country. Attendees experienced timely and informative policy sessions, including guidance from USAging’s policy team and other experts on how to advocate and educate lawmakers and congressional staff on Medicaid HCBS, OAA reauthorization, budget reconciliation and more.
 
Attendees also took to Capitol Hill to educate lawmakers on the most important issues impacting the Aging Network, including potential Medicaid cuts in the Republican budget resolution, the newly announced dismantling of ACL, FY 2026 appropriations and more. For additional guidance on how you can engage your Members of Congress about the reorganization of ACL, see USAging’s April 2 Advocacy Alert. For access to the slides and other APB materials, click here.


 
Alongside the APB, USAging’s 2025 Policy Priorities were released this week, outlining the critical policy issues facing the Aging Network, AAAs and Title VI Native American Aging Programs. They reflect where our collective advocacy is needed to uplift OAA programs and services, increase the capacity of family and professional caregivers, protect HCBS programs to reduce unnecessary institutionalization, and connect health care and aging sectors to reduce costs.
 
Missed this year’s APB? Mark your calendars for the 2026 APB in Washington, DC, from March 16-17, 2026.