1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

The recent decision to dismantle components of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) is deeply concerning and risks undermining critical support services for older Americans and individuals with disabilities. Moving these programs under other agencies will diminish their impact and accessibility at a time when the aging population faces immense challenges like housing insecurity, food insecurity, and barriers to quality healthcare. We urge the Administration to reverse course on this order. The ACL was established to ensure our nation's seniors and disabled individuals receive the resources and support they need to thrive with dignity and independence. Fragmenting these programs across bureaucracies like the Administration for Children and Families and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services jeopardizes their efficacy and priority status. The rapidly growing demand for senior services necessitates strengthening, not weakening, the infrastructure designed to meet this population's unique needs. Older Americans have contributed immensely to our society, and they deserve to age with respect, adequate care, and access to services that promote their well-being. We cannot afford to deprioritize or bury these vital programs in bureaucracy. The dismantling of the ACL represents an unacceptable abandonment of our moral obligation to support our elders and disabled citizens. We implore you to reinstate full funding and authority to the Administration for Community Living to uphold our commitment to this vulnerable yet invaluable community.