The Administration for Community Living recently announced grant awards totaling over $1.2 million to help older adults at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation gain access to quality legal services.

As summer is upon us, this is an important reminder regarding planning for and responding to periods of extreme heat. It is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care. Whether you are an older adult, an individual with a disability, or a family member caring for a loved one with functional needs, each person's requirements and abilities are unique. During periods of extreme heat, every individual can take important steps to put plans in place and prepare for potential risks, such as power outages.

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs Final Rule is Now Effective The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs final rule became effective on July 1, 2016.   A culmination of several years of collaborative work with states and other partners, this rule guides implementation of the portions of the Older Americans Act governing grants to states for operation of Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs. The rule addresses:

Today marks the 17th anniversary of a landmark Supreme Court decision. In Olmstead v. L.C. the Court ruled that people who need assistance with activities of daily living such as eating, bathing, dressing and walking cannot be unnecessarily segregated. They must receive services in the most integrated setting possible. This decision, based on the Americans with Disabilities Act, has great implications for older adults.

Seventeen years ago today, the Supreme Court decided in Olmstead v. L.C. (Olmstead) that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities cannot be unnecessarily segregated and must receive services in the most integrated setting possible. This landmark decision is at the core of ACL’s mission and has caused a shift in funding, policy, and attitudes toward community living that has improved the quality of countless lives of people with disabilities and older adults.

The Olmstead Decision Seventeen years ago, on June 22, 1999, the Supreme Court decided in Olmstead v. L.C. (Olmstead) that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities cannot be unnecessarily segregated and must receive services in the most integrated setting possible.

Home and community-based services (HCBS) provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities and older adults to receive services in their own home or community. On January 16, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published a final rule that sets forth new requirements for states using Medicaid funds to pay for HCBS, supports enhanced quality in HCBS programs, and adds protections for individuals receiving these services.

Through the Looking Glass (TLG) is a nationally recognized center that has pioneered research, training, and services for parents with diverse disabilities and their families. Advancing the rights of parents with disabilities is included in the work of many programs within ACL, and TLG is one example. As many prepare to celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, it is important to remember people with disabilities still often face profound familial, legal, medical and societal barriers to parenthood.