At the time Jamie Kendall passed away unexpectedly, ACL was within weeks of announcing her selection to serve as deputy commissioner for the Administration on Disabilities and director of the Independent Living Administration. Jamie had been serving as the acting director of the ILA since June.

With gratitude and sadness, ACL announces that Principal Deputy Administrator Sharon Lewis will leave ACL at the end of January. James Toews will succeed her in an acting capacity.

Each November, we recognize family caregivers for all they do to ensure the health, safety, and dignity of the people they care for. Family caregivers are the social and economic underpinning of America's long-term care system. Without them, the burden of providing care likely would fall upon the formal, more costly healthcare delivery system, and many people who otherwise could remain in their homes and communities would  have to live in institutional settings. Supporting caregivers is critical—and a key part of ACL's mission.

ACL is mourning the loss of Jamie Kendall, Acting Director of the Independent Living Administration, who died November 12, 2015.

Today the country pauses to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. ACL believes that one of the best ways of honoring their service is helping veterans remain in their own homes and communities throughout their lives.

Home and community-based services (HCBS) provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities and older adults to receive services in their own home or community.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time to celebrate the contributions that individuals with disabilities make to our workforce. AIDD has long recognized the importance of employment expectations and opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

A Bureau of Labor Statistics Jobs Report indicated an employment rate of less than 26% for people with disabilities, a decrease of 4.5% over the last year. As this report was released during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, it is a unique opportunity to discuss avenues to promote disability employment.

This week, the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) published its 2015 Report to President titled Leveling the Playing Field: Improving Technology Access and Design for People with Intellectual Disabilities, the report describes the critical and increasing role of technology in enabling individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) to have greater control over their own lives and to experience the full benefits of citizenship. The primary goals of the report’s recommendations are:

Recently, ACL awarded a two-year cooperative agreement to Memorial Hermann Health System to operate a Statewide Independent Living Council Training and Technical Assistance Center (SILC T&TA Center). The training and technical assistance center is authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and will strengthen ACL’s ability to provide important training and technical assistance.