For many older adults and people with disabilities, the key to remaining independent can be something as simple as a home-delivered meal, a ramp for their homes, or a few hours of respite for a family caregiver. Unfortunately, an often disjointed maze of eligibility criteria, forms, programs, and agencies can prevent even the most determined individuals from obtaining these critical supports.

In 2011, a beloved actor who spent 80 years telling others' stories shared a heartbreaking tale from his own life. "I felt trapped, scared, used and frustrated," Mickey Rooney told a hearing room full of members of Congress, with cameras rolling. He described abuse and financial exploitation committed by his own family members and had a powerful message for other older adults experiencing abuse: "You're not alone … and you have nothing—nothing, ladies and gentlemen—to be ashamed of."

Editor's note: This week the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services released a policy statement highlighting the importance of making sure that all young children with disabilities have access to inclusive high-quality early childhood programs.

This week, the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services released a policy statement highlighting the importance of making sure that all young children with disabilities have access to inclusive high-quality early childhood programs. The policy statement sets a vision for states, local educational agencies, schools, and public and private early childhood programs to strengthen and increase the number of inclusive high-quality early childhood programs nationwide.

Transition is coming to the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) program, which is moving from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

Suicide takes a tremendous toll on older adults, particularly men over the age of 65. Yet the number of older adults in the United States is growing. Nearly 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day. The good news is that there are more than 11,000 senior centers that offer a wide range of services and supports to help older adults stay mentally and physically healthy and live independently in their communities.

Finding reliable disability-related information and resources can be time consuming.

As the nation celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the ACL blog is featuring guest posts from leaders in the disability community. It is hard to believe that the ADA is turning 25! We’ve seen such amazing changes in those 25 years; it's not easy to fully appreciate how far we’ve come and the law’s incredible impact.

This summer, ACL was named a winner in the HHS Innovates awards for its efforts to link health care and community services. The awards recognize creative solutions developed by HHS employees in response to some of the nation’s most challenging problems in health, health care and government. Marisa Scala-Foley, ACL’s team lead for business acumen and health IT, leads the program that earned this year’s honors. In today’s post, she answers a few questions about the program, what it has accomplished, and what makes it a great example of innovation.