NCIL, APRIL, and NASILC Response to the DHHS FFY 26 Budget Proposal

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children, Families and Communities released its budget justification on June 11, 2025. The estimates and explanation confirm the Department’s intent to integrate aging and disability programs, including the national Independent Living Program, under a new Administration for Children, Families and Communities (ACFC), eliminating the current Administration for Community Living (ACL). There is still litigation pending over ACL’s elimination.

The budget justification is a document that provides estimates and rationale for the funding amounts for Congressional Appropriations Committees (commonly referred to as its budget proposal). This budget justification is for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 and there are several recommendations that have significant consequence to the nation’s network of disability and aging programs.

In this justification, ACFC proposes to keep funding at current amounts for grants to Centers for Independent Living (CILs), known as Part C funds. The justification also proposes to increase Independent Living State Grants, known as Part B funds, which fund some Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) and CILs. The proposed increase of $100 million comes with a caveat: at the state’s discretion, expanded funding could be used to continue the activities currently provided by the programs that were eliminated in the budget, including the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Developmental Disabilities Projects of National Significance, the Limb Loss Resource Center, the Paralysis Resource Center, and provision of Voting Access for People with Disabilities.

NCIL, APRIL and NASILC have been clear and united that the Independent Living Program needs an increase in federal funding to properly support a nationwide network of over 400 CILs, and 56 SILCs, and to serve people of all disabilities across the lifespan. However, we have significant concerns about this budget proposal. The programs scheduled to be eliminated are of value to all of us. We are concerned about those programs going away, and are concerned about the shift in structure proposed.

NCIL, APRIL, NASILC strongly urge Congress to increase funding for Independent Living (IL) programs — which have been systemically underfunded for decades — to levels necessary for Centers for Independent Living to fully provide the five core services. We also call on Congress to preserve and fund existing aging and disability programs within their current budget line items. 

The Independent Living community recognizes the important role that all these disability programs play. We are committed to working with our partners to ensure that the final budget is reflective of our entire community’s needs and the infrastructure of programs and services the disability community has advocated for are protected.