Research Guides: Elder Law Resources: Agencies & Organizations

Federal Agencies
State & County Agencies
National Organizations
Advocacy Groups

Administration on Aging (AoA)
An agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Website includes information on The Older Americans Act, elder care, elder abuse, etc.
Centers for Disease Control Prevention
Elder Abuse Prevention - definitions of maltreatment and activities to create a prevention program.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Website providers access to Medicare and Medicaid publications, regulations and guidance, data, and important CMS forms.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
The primary federal agency for "protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves." The Office of Inspector General provides the full text of regulations, advisory opinions, audit and inspection reports, fraud alerts, and more.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Agency administers the laws for health, benefits, and other services to veterans and their dependents, and beneficiaries of veterans.
Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC)
A non-partisan legislative branch agency that advises Congress on Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) and provides policy and data analysis.
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)
A non-partisan legislative branch agency that provides Congress with analysis and policy advice on the Medicare program.
MentalHealth.gov
Information on various topics in mental health such as definition of mental health, suicide prevention, coping with trauma, and eating disorders. Resources available in Spanish.
National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA)
One of the Aging-funded resource centers providing information on research, training, best practices, news and resources on elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
National Council on Disability (NCD)
Advises the President, Congress and other federal agencies on policies, program practices and procedures that affect people with disabilities.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. Health and educational publications, funding opportunities and research projects are accessible online.
Office of Disability, Aging & Long Term Care Policy (DALTCP)
Provides "leadership on HHS policies that support the independence, health and productivity of elderly individuals and people with disabilities." Long term care, rehabilitative services, and mental health parity are examples of DALTCP's focus.
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
This committee reviews all proposed legislation and other matters as it relates to health, education, labor, and public welfare, and conducts studies and reports thereof.
U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging
Committee studies relevant issues related to Older Americans with particular interest to Medicare and Social Security.
U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA)
Federal agency that "delivers Social Security services that meet the changing needs of the public."
White House Conference on Aging
July 2015 conference on issues facing Americans such as retirement planning, caring for older loved ones, and improving quality of life as citizens age.

Directory of State Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs
Searchable by state or territory to find an Ombudsman, Citizen Advocacy Group (CAG).
Eldercare Locator
Created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Administration for Community Living (ACL) increases access to community supports based on the unique needs of older Americans and people with disabilities across the lifespan.
National Association of Mental Health Planning and Advisory Councils
Provides "support, policy development, knowledge products, and technical assistance to the nation's State-based mental health planning and advisory councils," and includes members from State and Territory mental health planning councils.
National Association of State Medicaid Directors
Search for Medicaid directors from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
National Association of States United for Aging and Disablility
Represents 56 state and territorial agencies on aging and disabilities.
New York City Department for the Aging
NYC agency serving older NYC persons.
New York Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman
NYS agency that will advocate and provide resources for older adults and persons with disabilities who live in nursing homes, assisted living and other licensed adult care homes.
New York State Department of Health
NYS agency aimed to "protect, improve and promote the health, productivity and well being of all New Yorkers." Website includes programs and resources such as Chronic Diseases, EPIC (Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage), and Electronic Dementia Guide for Excellence (EDGE).
New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
Resources of rules and regulations include NYS Mental Hygiene Law.
New York State Office for the Aging
NYS agency aimed to " improve access to, and availability of, appropriate and cost-effective non-medical support services for older individuals to maximize their ability to age in their community and avoid higher levels of care and publicly financed care."
New York State Office of Mental Health
NYS agency
Westchester County Senior Programs and Services
Resources for Westchester County older persons.

AARP Foundation (American Association of Retired Persons)
Alliance for Retired Americans
Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimer's Foundation of America
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)
American Geriatrics Society (AGS)
American Society on Aging
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
NAELA's mission is to educate, inspire, serve, and provide community to attorneys with practices in elder and special needs law.
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A)
National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD)
National Center on Domestic and Sexual VIolence
Abuse later in life.
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
National Council on Aging (NCOA)
Mission is to improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling.

ABA Commission on Disability Rights
Works "to promote the ABA's commitment to justice and the rule of law for persons with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities and to promote their full and equal participation in the legal profession."
ABA Commission on Law and Aging
Works to strengthen and secure the legal rights, dignity, autonomy, quality of life, and quality of care of elders through research, policy development, technical assistance, advocacy, education, and training.
Center for Elder Rights Advocacy (CERA)
Project of Elder Law of Michigan, Inc. and provides technical assistance to state, regional and local organizations to design and implement low-cost legal assistance delivery systems such as senior legal helplines.
Center for Medicare Advocacy
National nonprofit, nonpartisan law organization that provides education, advocacy and legal assistance to help older people and people with disabilities obtain access to Medicare and quality health care.
Disability Rights Legal Center
Non-profit, public interest advocacy organization that champions the civil rights of people with disabilities as well as those affected by cancer and other serious illnesses.
Elder Financial Protection Network
Nonprofit that works to fight elder financial abuse, train financial institution employees about ways to recognize and report suspected elder financial abuse.
Elder Justice Coalition
Mission is to allow victims of elder abuse to have their voices heard and issues addressed. An adequate public-private infrastructure and resources need to be in place to prevent, detect, treat, understand, intervene in and, where appropriate, prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Justice in Aging
Formerly known as National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) and is a national non-profit legal advocacy organization that fights senior poverty through law.
Law, Health Policy and Disability Center
Leader in law, technology, education and research, focused on improving the quality of life for persons living with disabilities. University of Iowa College of Law
Medicare Rights Center
National, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs and public policy initiatives.
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
NAELA's mission is to educate, inspire, serve, and provide community to attorneys with practices in elder and special needs law.
National Academy of Social Insurance
Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation's leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to advance solutions to challenges facing the nation by increasing public understanding of how social insurance contributes to economic security.
National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care
Formerly National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform. Leading national voice representing consumers in issues related to long-term care, helping to ensure that consumers are empowered to advocate for themselves. Provides a primary source of information and tools for consumers, families, caregivers, advocates and ombudsmen to help ensure quality care for the individual.
National Council on Aging (NCOA)
Mission is to improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling.
National Guardianship Association
Mission is to advance the nationally recognized standard of excellence in guardianship.
National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
Provides support, technical assistance and training to the 53 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs and their statewide networks of over 500 local Ombudsman entities. The Center's objectives are to enhance the skills, knowledge, and management capacity of the State programs to enable them to handle residents' complaints and represent resident interests in both individual and systems advocacy.
National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives
Mission is to encourage the highest level of representation and advocacy for persons seeking SSDI and SSI benefits.
NYS Bar Association Elder Law Section
Provides services and opportunities for involvement on issues relating to Elder Law and Special Needs Law, for members of the New York State Bar Association.

Organizations Serving Older Persons - by Specific Topic

Elder Abuse
Family Caregiving
Housing/Homelessness
In-Home & Long Term Care
Legal Services
Nutrition
Research and Education
Transportation

Center for Elder Rights Advocacy (CERA)
Project of Elder Law of Michigan, Inc. and provides technical assistance to state, regional and local organizations to design and implement low-cost legal assistance delivery systems such as senior legal helplines.
Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly
The Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly, located at the University of Delaware, is the nation's largest archive of published research, training resources, government documents, and other sources on elder abuse. Last updated 2007.
International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
Provides "global dissemination of information as part of its commitment to the world-wide prevention of the abuse of older people."
National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL)
Provides advocacy and education to "improve victim safety, increase abuser accountability, and expand coordinated community response."
New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Elder Law and Special Needs Section
Section membership of the New York State Bar Association that informs members with current information on key legislative developments, regulations, and case laws impacting the elderly.

Caregiver Action Network
Works to improve the quality of life for caregivers who provide care for loved ones with chronic conditions, disabilities, disease, or the frailties of old age.
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA)
Provides education, services, research, advocacy and tracks emerging policy trends and legislation across the states.
Family Caregiving
Guides and resources from AARP.
National Alliance for Caregiving
Organization conducts research and policy analysis, develops national best-practice programs, and works to increase public awareness of family caregiving issues.

National Alliance to End Homelessness
National organization aimed to prevent and end homelessness through improving policy and educating policymakers, and building capacity.
National Coalition for the Homeless
National network of people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and faith-based service providers, and others working to prevent and end homelessness, and ensuring the immediate needs of those experiencing homelessness are met and their civil rights protected.
National Directory of Home Modification and Repair Resources
National organization that aims "to make supportive housing and home modification a more integral component of successful aging, long-term care, preventive health, and the development of elder-friendly communities."
National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP)
National legal group dedicated to end and prevent homelessness through expanding access to affordable housing, meeting immediate and long-term needs of those who are homeless or at risk, and strengthening the social safety-net through policy advocacy, public education, litigation, and
advocacy.
Rebuilding Together
Works with low income families by improving the "safety and health of their homes" as well as the communities they live in.

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
JCAHO accredits and certifies almost 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States and ensures that these organizations meets certain performance standards.
Leading Age
Organization focused on education, advocacy, and applied research.
National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA)
Organization focused on the advancement of adult day services.
National Association for Homecare and Hospice (NAHC)
A professional association "representing the interests of chronically ill, disabled, and dying Americans of all ages and the caregivers who provide them with in-home health and hospice service."
National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs
Professional organization consisting of state long-term care ombudsmen representing their state programs created by the Older Americans Act.
National Center on Law and Elder Rights
National resource center for the legal services and aging and disability networks, focused on the legal rights of older adults. Providing webinars, trainings, written materials, and case consultations, NCLER is a one-stop resource for professionals serving older adults with the greatest economic and social needs. NCLER is administered by Justice in Aging in partnership with the National Consumer Law Center and the ABA Commission on Law & Aging, under contract with the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Administration on Aging.
National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (formerly NCCNHR)
Advocacy group focused on addressing long-term care issues.
National LTC Ombudsman Resource Center
Provides information about the ombudsman program in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home care service programs.

ABA Commission on Law and Aging
American Bar Association section on legal issues affecting older persons.
Justice in Aging
Formerly known as National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) and is a national non-profit legal advocacy organization that fights senior poverty through law.
National Consumer Law Center
An organization aimed to fight for the rights of low-income families and provides resources to many civil legal aid and private attorneys representing low-income consumers.
National Elder Law Association
A national certifying program for elder law and special needs attorneys.

Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA)
National organization supporting over 5,000 community-based senior nutrition programs.
National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Program (NANASP)
National organization advocating for community-based senior nutrition programs and their staff.

Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE)
Gerontogical research and education
Alliance for Aging Research
Organization dedicated to improving the pace of scientific discoveries and their application to improve the human experience of aging and health.
Gerontological Society of America (GSA)
Interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging.

American Automobile Association (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety
Mission is to identify traffic safety problems, foster research that seeks solutions and disseminate information and educational materials.
Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP)
Promotes "safe and effective delivery of public transportation" in rural areas and provides technical assistance to RTAP programs.