The Trump administration announced on March 27, 2025 the elimination of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the federal agency that funds Centers for Independent Living, caregiver support programs, disability research, and civil rights protections for people with disabilities. Today, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is testifying before the House Appropriations Committee defending this restructuring as part of a broader HHS budget proposal that cuts discretionary spending by approximately 12.5% compared to 2026 levels.

The elimination affects programs that millions of families with disabilities depend on for navigation services, home and community-based support, and advocacy infrastructure.

What ACL Does

ACL was created around the principle that all people, regardless of age or disability, should be able to live independently and participate fully in their communities. The agency funds services provided primarily by states and networks of community-based programs, supporting more than 12.8 million older adults and people with disabilities each year.

Key programs include:

• Centers for Independent Living (CILs): Local organizations that help families navigate disability services, access assistive technology, and advocate for their rights. CILs are consumer-controlled, meaning they're run by and for people with disabilities.
• National Family Caregiver Support Program: Provides respite care, counseling, and training for family members who care for older adults and people with disabilities.
• National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR): Funds research on assistive technology, employment outcomes, and policies that advance community living.
• Elder rights programs: Including the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and Adult Protective Services support.
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs): One-stop shops that connect families to local services and benefits.

According to the restructuring plan, these programs will be distributed across other HHS agencies, including the Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

What Changed

HHS fired nearly half of ACL's 200-person staff on April 1, 2025, including most of the agency's leadership, policy staff, and regional offices that coordinate with organizations across the country. The cuts were part of broader HHS reductions in force that affected more than 40% of ACL employees.

Several programs face elimination or severe funding cuts:

• Elder rights programs: Funding slashed to $5 million, effectively eliminating the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and Adult Protective Services support
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers and SHIP: Moved to CMS and eliminated
• Lifespan Respite Care: Eliminated

Centers for Independent Living face a double threat. Federal funding through ACL Part B and Part C grants has only been appropriated through January 30, 2026, leaving CILs in budget limbo. Meanwhile, states are proposing their own cuts: New Jersey's budget eliminates $3 million earmarked for the state's 12 CILs, and New York's budget cuts $750,000 from Independent Living Centers.

Who Is Affected

If your family uses any of these services, you're affected:

• Navigation help from your local Center for Independent Living
• Respite care through the National Family Caregiver Support Program
• Medicare counseling through SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program)
• Benefits navigation through Aging and Disability Resource Centers
• Protection services for elder abuse or neglect

According to Justice in Aging, the elimination represents "a direct and deliberate attack on people with disabilities, their families, and the systems that protect their rights, health, and independence."

The Urban Institute warns that the cuts will put disabled and older Americans' right to live in their communities at risk, increasing the likelihood of institutionalization and isolation.

What This Means for Families

The restructuring creates three immediate risks:

Loss of specialized expertise. ACL was the only federal agency focused exclusively on community living and disability independence. Distributing programs across CMS, ACF, and ASPE means disability policy will compete with Medicare administration, child welfare, and dozens of other priorities. The people who understood how CILs work, how respite care connects to community living, and how disability rights intersect with aging services are gone.

Service disruption during transition. When programs move from one agency to another, grants get delayed, regional coordination breaks down, and families lose contact with the people who knew their case. CILs that help you navigate SSI applications or find assistive technology may not have funding past January. Caregiver support programs may pause intake while new administrators figure out how the program works.

Weakened advocacy infrastructure. ACL funded the research that proves community-based care works better and costs less than institutionalization. It funded the CILs that helped families fight school districts, challenge Medicaid denials, and access services. Without that infrastructure, families lose the evidence base and local support that makes advocacy possible.

According to the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Secretary Kennedy acknowledged during his testimony that "he and other Administration officials knew that many of the cuts they were making would be 'painful.'"

What Families Can Do Now

The budget isn't final. Congress appropriates funding, and the current hearing process creates a window for advocacy.

Contact your representatives this week. The House Appropriations Committee hearing with Secretary Kennedy is happening today (April 16). Call your House representative and both senators to oppose ACL elimination and request full-year funding for Centers for Independent Living. Be specific: "I'm calling to ask Representative [Name] to oppose the elimination of the Administration for Community Living and to support full-year funding for Part B and Part C CIL grants."

Document your use of ACL-funded services. If your family uses services from a Center for Independent Living, receives respite care through the National Family Caregiver Support Program, or gets Medicare counseling through SHIP, write down what you use and how often. Congressional offices need stories, not just statistics. Email your story to your representative with the subject line "ACL services my family depends on."

Connect with disability advocacy organizations. The National Council on Independent Living, Justice in Aging, and state-level disability rights organizations are mobilizing against the cuts. Join their advocacy campaigns, sign on to coalition letters, and share their action alerts. These organizations track the budget process and send alerts when key votes approach.

Check your state budget. If you're in New Jersey, New York, or another state proposing CIL cuts, contact your state legislators. State advocacy may be more accessible than federal, and local CIL funding decisions happen on a different timeline.

Where to Find More Information

The full HHS restructuring announcement is available through the Health Affairs tracking of the Trump administration's deregulation agenda. The National Council on Independent Living maintains an appropriations update page tracking federal funding status for CILs.

You can watch Secretary Kennedy's testimony before the House Appropriations Committee on C-SPAN. The HHS FY 2026 Budget in Brief provides the administration's full budget proposal.

For local impact, contact your nearest Center for Independent Living to ask how the cuts affect services in your area.