WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Health and Human Services is committing up to $27.8 million over three years to expand fall prevention programs for older Americans, targeting injuries that generate an estimated $80 billion in annual healthcare spending and frequently result in hospitalization or loss of independence.
The funding, administered through the Administration for Community Living, will support three initiatives connecting medical screening with community-based prevention services, expanding established programs across states and helping local organizations maintain those services.
Falls are the leading cause of injury among Americans 65 and older, with approximately one in four older adults experiencing a fall annually, according to HHS.
The investments focus on identifying risks before injuries occur and connecting patients with interventions addressing balance, strength, medication use, vision and home safety.
The largest individual award, $7.5 million, will go to the National Council on Aging in Arlington, Virginia, to operate the National Falls Prevention Resource Center.
The center will provide training, technical assistance and resources to organizations serving older adults and people with disabilities. Its work will focus on maintaining the effectiveness of established prevention programs as they expand into additional communities.
The National Council on Aging will also receive $4.78 million for a separate initiative integrating healthcare providers with community organizations in five geographic areas.
That project will expand two existing approaches: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries initiative, known as STEADI, and the community-based Stepping On program.
STEADI helps healthcare professionals screen patients for fall risks, evaluate contributing factors and identify appropriate interventions.
Stepping On provides community-based instruction and activities addressing balance, physical strength, medication management, vision, footwear and household hazards.
The National Council on Aging project will use ongoing evaluations to assess and refine implementation as the programs expand.
Eight additional organizations will receive awards totaling approximately $15.4 million to expand evidence-based fall prevention programs statewide.
Recipients include Health Research Inc. in New York, the Maryland Department of Health, Iowa Community HUB, AgeOptions in Illinois, Texas A&M University, Partners In Care Foundation in California, Central Maine Area Agency on Aging and the Oasis Institute in Missouri.
Individual awards range from approximately $1.83 million to $1.94 million, with funding subject to availability.
The grants will support referral networks between healthcare providers and community organizations, increase the number of local organizations delivering prevention programs and help participating states share implementation practices.
“Knowing someone is at risk is only the first step,” said Mary Lazare, principal deputy administrator of the Administration for Community Living. “What makes the difference is a clear path from screening to support that people can trust and use.”
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the initiative is intended to reduce preventable injuries and associated medical spending while helping older adults remain independent.
The department is coordinating the effort across several federal agencies, including the CDC, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the National Institute on Aging and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The work is informed by the National Falls Prevention Action Plan and is intended to address gaps in the adoption of established prevention strategies.
The three-year funding initiative places particular emphasis on connecting clinical risk assessments with services that older adults can access in their communities, rather than relying on screening alone.
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