On March 27, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a press release and accompanying fact sheet detailing plans for a “dramatic restructuring” that will impact numerous aging-related agencies and their programs.
“GSA is working on behalf of our members to oppose cuts and workforce reductions that will impact aging research, practice, and services that benefit everyone into older adulthood,” said GSA CEO James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH, ScD (Hon). “In implementing changes, we urge HHS to consult and engage with organizations serving the communities of interest affected, to prevent unintended negative consequences and safeguard everything that supports the well-being of all Americans as we age.”
Among the many changes listed in the HHS documents:
- Programs from the Administration for Community Living that support older people and people with disabilities will be integrated into other HHS agencies, including the Administration for Children and Families, Offices of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The release states this reorganization will not impact Medicare and Medicaid services.
- The National Institutes of Health will decrease its workforce by approximately 1,200 employees by centralizing procurement, human resources, and communications across its 27 institutes and centers.
- HHS will combine the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality into the Office of Strategy to conduct research that informs the HHS secretary’s policies and evaluates the effectiveness of the department’s programs.
- CMS will decrease its workforce by approximately 300 employees.
- A new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) will consolidate the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
GSA will continue to monitor, assess, and respond to these changes, and encourages members to continue to vocalize your concerns to your elected officials.