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Center for Policy and Evaluation

About the Center for Policy and Evaluation (CPE)

CPE collects and analyzes data on populations and services, develops strategic goals and objectives, evaluates the effectiveness of programs, and plans and coordinates the development of policies designed to ensure older Americans and persons with disabilities are able to fully participate and contribute in an inclusive community life.

This center works with colleagues across the agency and the Department of Health and Human Services on big-picture policy issues that affect multiple centers and programs within ACL. 

Office of Policy Analysis and Development

The Office of Policy Analysis and Development leads policy development related to community living within ACL by analyzing trends in demographics, service needs, public policy and program development, and translating those trends into new policies, programs, and technical assistance related to long-term services and supports and health care for people with disabilities and older adults. As such, the Office leads and participates in departmental and inter-departmental activities that concern health and long-term care, reviews and comments on departmental regulations and policies regarding health programs, institutional and non-institutional long-term services and supports, and provides technical and policy development input on legislative and budget activities. The Office also conducts relevant policy research, conducts periodic reviews of needs and resources in the fields of aging and disability, and develops policy reports based on the needs and circumstances of older people, their family members and the aging population.  Additionally, the Office develops and coordinates initiatives with other federal agencies, national aging and disability organizations, universities, non-profit organizations and private corporations to fill gaps in information in the field of aging and disability, and to contribute to the agency’s policy and program development priorities.

Key policy areas for ACL include:

  • Accessible Home and Community-Based Services
  • Systems that Support Transitions and Integrated Models of Care
  • Comprehensive No-Wrong Door Systems for Accessing Long-Terms Services and Supports
  • Person-Centered Planning and Service Delivery
  • Integrated and Competitive Employment for People with Disabilities
  • Adequate Support for Family Caregivers
  • Adequate Supply of Housing to Support Community Living Options
  • Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Systems
  • Consumer Rights and Protections
  • Behavioral Health
  • End of Life Care
  • Education Policy, including Early Childhood and Youth Transitions Issues

For more information about technical assistance activities and resources related to business acumen, care transitions and integrated models of care, please see the section Strengthening the Aging and Disability Networks.

Office of Performance and Evaluation

The Office of Performance and Evaluation, in collaboration with the respective ACL program offices, implements, oversees and manages ACL’s program performance responsibilities, data collection systems, and program evaluation activities. This includes: coordinating ACL activities related to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of national and program data on older individuals and individuals with disabilities; preparing and reporting data for Congress and the public; developing plans and priorities for evaluation of ACL programs; managing evaluation projects and performing intramural evaluation studies; preparing reports of the results of program and impact evaluations; and, providing technical guidance on evaluation activities conducted as part of ACL’s discretionary grants programs. Additionally, the Office compiles, publishes, and disseminates information on demographic data and data from other federal agencies on the health, social and economic status of older persons and persons with disabilities, as well as performs routine and special statistical analyses of data for ACL offices, other federal and non-federal organizations, and the general public.

For more information about data and evaluations, visit Data Collections.

Additionally, in an effort to help reduce the lag time between generating new research results and implementation of those results in states and communities, ACL has partnered with the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide descriptive information and expert ratings for evidence-based programs by researchers and intervention developers across the nation. For more information, please visit the Aging and Disability Evidence-Based Programs and Practices page.


Last modified on 11/16/2020


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