HHS invests $27.8M in fall prevention programs

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), has announced the recipients of three falls prevention initiatives totaling up to $27.8 million over three years.

HHS says the funding will expand proven programs, strengthen connections between health care providers and community organizations, and help states and local partners reach more older adults before a fall leads to injury or loss of independence.

“A fall can change an older American’s life in an instant, and we can prevent many of these injuries,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “HHS is connecting health care screening with proven community programs to identify risks earlier, improve strength and balance, and help older adults maintain their independence. These investments will reduce injuries and health care costs while helping more Americans remain safely in their homes and communities.”

The awards are:

• “A Demonstration to Scale Innovative Person-Centered Approaches to Falls Prevention through Clinical-Community Partnerships,” National Council on Aging, Arlington, Va.
• “Scaling Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs,” eight recipients
• “Helping Communities Sustain What Works,” National Council on Aging, Arlington, Va.

HHS says the awards will expand two complementary approaches:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) initiative helps health care providers screen for, assess, and address fall risk.
• Stepping On, an evidence-based community falls prevention program, helps older adults improve strength and balance and address risks related to medications, vision, footwear, and home safety. Together, the approaches connect screening with action.

Learn more about ACL’s Falls Prevention Program here.