Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) offers an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of America's workers with disabilities. The theme for 2017 is "Inclusion Drives Innovation."

On Sunday, we will join communities around the world in observing the International Day of Older Persons.

Recently, ACL issued a series of grants to University Centers of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities to continue to promote diversity and cultural competence across the developmental disabilities network. The National Training Initiative grants will fund partnerships with minority-serving institutions (MSIs), a diversity and inclusion training program, and 12 diversity and inclusion fellowships.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has provided a draft of its FY 2018 – 2022 Strategic Plan for comments. The draft is a part of the strategic planning process under the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 and gives agency stakeholders an opportunity to provide comments on the plan. The strategic planning consultation process is an opportunity to refine and strengthen the HHS Strategic Plan FY 2018 – 2022. Comments may be provided for each goal and objective. Please submit your comments by October 26, 2017.

According to the National Institutes of Health, pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. It is a leading cause of disability and a major contributor to health care costs. The diversity of pain conditions requires a diversity of research and treatment approaches.

The National Research Summit on Care, Services, and Supports for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers is a two-day meeting sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health through private sector support. The summit will take place at the National Institutes of Health’s William H. Natcher Building (Building #45) on October 16-17, 2017, in Bethesda, MD. The summit is free and open to the public. It will also be live streamed by videocast.

The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Innovation (CMMI) is looking to revamp its priorities for the new administration and has issued an informal Request for Information seeking YOUR input. They intend to chart “a new direction to promote patient-centered care and test market-driven reforms that empower beneficiaries as consumers, provide price transparency, increase choices and competition to drive quality, reduce costs, and improve outcomes. “

The Administration on Aging (AoA) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL) commissioned a supplemental issue of Generations through its National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center (NADRC) in an effort to advance the establishment and enhancement of dementia-capable home and community-based systems. It is titled Supporting People with Dementia and Their Caregivers in the Community. The Generations supplement is comprised of 18 articles authored by experts in a broad range of dementia care and advocacy topics.

Profiles for ACL’s 2017 Chronic Disease Self-Management Education (CDSME) grantees are now available on our

ACL recently awarded grants totaling nearly $3 million to 14 states to support caregivers by strengthening lifespan respite care programs. These programs seek to improve the well-being of families by coordinating existing respite systems, providing education and training opportunities, and expanding respite services.