A Salute to Bob Kafka
On December 27th, 2025, Texas and the world lost a true champion of independent living: Mr. Bob Kafka, organizer of ADAPT.
Texas SILC
Disability Providers Nationwide Considering More Cuts
With financial pressures mounting, disability service providers across the country are increasingly weighing whether to cut more programs and they say that in-home supports are among their most vulnerable offerings. A new survey of 469 community-based providers of intellectual and developmental disabilities services in 48 states and Washington, D.C. reveals an industry that is facing … Read more
Creating Rural Physician Training Sites: Not Easy, Not Simple, But Happening With Federal Support
Building on research showing that physicians trained in rural areas are more likely to stay rural, federal funding is supporting new rural residency program start-ups to help mitigate the prediction of a 60% rural physician shortage. Three healthcare leaders, located in sites from rural coast to rural coast, tell their organization’s story of how this … Read more
Aging with Dignity and Justice: Opportunities to Meet the Needs of All of Us through a National Plan on Aging
Older adults anchor our families and communities and connect our families through the generations. But after working all their lives, nearly half of our nation’s older adults living alone struggle to pay for food, rent, and medical care. Older adults in two-person households fare only slightly better—one out of five lack the resources to pay for basic … Read more
All 50 States Seek to Transform Rural Health with CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that all 50 states submitted applications for the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program—a landmark initiative created under the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation [Public Law 119-21] to strengthen health care across rural America. The application period, open from September 15 through November 5, 2025, invited every … Read more
Rural Data Explorer
View a wide range of data on health disparities, health workforce, demographics, and more. Explore how metropolitan and nonmetro counties compare, nationwide and by state. View the Explorer Here
Veterans’ Stories: The Veterans History Project
The Veterans History Project (VHP), a special initiative of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, was established by Congress in 2000. Its mission is to collect, preserve and share the personal stories of U.S. military veterans from World War I through current conflicts and peacekeeping missions. As of May 2025, VHP has … Read more
HHSC Recognizes Family Caregivers in November
“Family caregivers are a vital part of our communities, enhancing the health, quality of life and independence of people of all ages,” said Sara Damiano, director of the HHS Office of Aging Services Coordination. “Whether nurturing children, supporting older adults, advocating for people with disabilities or caring for those facing serious illnesses, family caregivers embody … Read more