Mental Health

ACL has released a new brief, Leveraging Innovation, Collaboration, and Data with Assistive Technology to Reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness: Success Story from Illinois. This brief highlights a model and innovative partnership at both the federal and state levels that successfully purchased and distributed technology devices to older adults and people with disabilities served by local agencies in order to reduce social isolation and loneliness.

NCOA has published a resource to help older adults navigate mental health information online. The resource discusses important details to pay attention to when reviewing digital content, including the source, author, and date of publication. The resource also explores how individuals can identify misinformation on the internet.

NCOA has published a resource to help older adults navigate mental health information online. The resource discusses important considerations to pay attention to when reviewing digital content, including the source, author, and date of publication, as well explains how to identitfy misinformation.

This blog post by Keri Lipperini, ACL's Director of the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs, discusses how social isolation during COVID-19 has affected the health and wellbeing of older adults. The post also highlights ACL programs that are targeting this issue, including PEARLS, Healthy IDEAS, and BRITE, which are three evidence-based programs that aim to reduce the risk of suicide by tackling depression and substance abuse among older adults.

ACL is announcing two new grants to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs) including Community-Based Transitions Planning and Implementation Grants and a National Training Initiative to Support People with IDD Experiencing Co-Occurring Mental/Behavioral Health Issues.

To celebrate Older Americans Month, ACL has published their 2020 Profile of Older Americans report. This report highlights the demographics and experiences of older adults throughout the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report captures trends in workforce participation, diversity, mental health and economic disparities across the community.

The purpose of this study is to examine the physical and mental well-being of community-dwelling older adults and their informal or unpaid caregivers during public health emergencies, such as COVID-19. This project also aims to identify public health interventions and strategies available to support older adults and caregivers during public health emergencies.

This tip sheet helps people understand how to talk about mental health in a more sensitive and accurate way. This resource presents common myths and misunderstandings found in the media and provides correct information along with suggestions about how to reframe the conversation. The sheet also offers additional resources and tips to learn more about being a good mental health ally.