The importance of rigorous data collection to inform international development programs aimed at empowering women and girls can hardly be overstated. For these efforts to be successful, however, all women and girls, regardless of age or ability, must be included.

On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell highlighted the importance of addressing racial and ethnic health disparities on the HHS blog. In Minority Health Month: Making Progress on Health Disparities, Secretary Burwell began by noting that April is National Minority Health Month and stating:

On Sunday, April 12, Dateline NBC presented an hour-long special on the experiences of two young adults with autism as they turned 21 and lost their eligibility for school-based services and supports. The program vividly illustrates the challenges adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities often face during their transition to adulthood.

This post was published March 2015, please see below for an update from March 2016. As Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month draws to a close, it is important that we take time to reflect on the values embodied within the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. The DD Act, as it is commonly known, ensures that people with developmental disabilities in the United States and their families have access to services and supports that promote self-determination, independence, and inclusion in their communities.

The 2016 Older Americans Month theme is Blaze a Trail. Visit the OAM microsite for materials and ideas to help your organization celebrate.

The 2020 Federal Youth Transition Plan: A Federal Interagency Strategy outlines how the partner agencies will enhance interagency coordination through the identification of a shared vision, compatible outcome goals, and policy priorities, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for youth with disabilities by 2020. The Plan was developed by The Federal Partners in Transition (FPT) with representatives from four federal agencies, the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and the Social Security Administration.

Each March, we celebrate National Nutrition Month® to highlight the importance of proper nutrition in promoting wellness. Along with promoting physical health and well-being, ACL’s nutrition program creates a positive ripple effect on the personal and social lives of older people.

More than a quarter million Americans are living with spinal cord injuries, and approximately 4 to 5 million Americans are living with paralysis of the extremities. For these individuals and their families, finding and accessing the right long-term services and supports can be a daunting task. To help address this challenge, ACL is now accepting grant applications for a National Paralysis Resource Center to improve the health and quality of life of individuals living with paralysis, their families, and caregivers. Applications are due April 27, 2015.

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs final rule now can be found online in the Federal Register. 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 (LTC) Ombudsman programs. Since their establishment in the 1970s, LTC Ombudsman programs have: