04.16.12 – The Department of Health and Human Services announced the creation of the Administration for Community Living. The new administration will bring together the Administration on Aging, the Office on Disability, and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities allowing for “a single agency that supports both cross-cutting initiatives and efforts focused on the unique needs of individual groups.” Accordingly, the reorganization will allow for coordination of programs that may be intended to serve multiple groups, such as the Lifespan Respite Care program which serves both older Americans and people with disabilities, while still allowing for “initiatives designed to meet the unique needs of seniors or people with disabilities will retain their distinct programs.” Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, stated “the Obama Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services have long been committed to promoting community living and finding new mechanisms to ensure that the resources people with disabilities and seniors need to live in the community are accessible. The establishment of the Administration for Community Living reinforces this commitment, bringing together key organizations and offices across the Department dedicated to improving the lives of those with functional needs into one coordinated, focused, and stronger entity.” [Source: Department of Health and Human Services]
Additional Information:
[http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/04/20120416a.html]
