Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services delivered two major reports to President Biden, in response to his April 5, 2022, Memorandum on Addressing the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19:
- The Services and Supports for Longer-Term Impacts of COVID-19 Report (Services Report) outlines federally funded support and services that can help individuals experiencing the longer-term effects of COVID-19, including Long COVID and its associated conditions, mental health, substance use, and bereavement.
- The National Research Action Plan on Long COVID (the Research Plan) proposes a comprehensive and equitable research strategy to inform our national response to Long COVID.
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) partnered with 13 other federal agencies in developing these reports, which together describe the wide range of services and supports available nationwide and lay out a research strategy going forward. ACL’s programs, and the disability and aging networks that provide them, offer a wide range of services and supports to help people with disabilities—including disabilities caused by Long COVID—and older adults live independently and fully participate in all of life’s activities.
“Many people with Long COVID are experiencing disabilities, often for the first time,” said Alison Barkoff, ACL’s Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, Administration for Community Living. “Those who are newly disabled may not know how find help with things like getting needed healthcare, maintaining housing, finding accessible transportation, or obtaining assistance with the daily activities of life. They may not even know these services and resources exist. Developed with extensive input from people experiencing Long COVID, these reports provide a one-stop starting point for people who need assistance, as well as critical information to guide our national response. The Administration for Community Living and our networks stand ready to connect people with Long COVID to the help they need now, and to working with them to ensure their unique experiences and needs are represented in federal policies and programs going forward.”
For more information and to help spread the word, visit COVID.gov/LongCovid.