Apply to join Brain Health and Caregiving Virtual Learning Community

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is accepting applications for the Brain Health and Caregiving (BHC) Virtual Learning Community. This cohort-based learning experience will support state teams in learning about and implementing promising policies, models, and strategies outlined in the “From Policy to Practice: Supporting Brain Health and Caregiving at the State Level” and “Applying Healthy Aging Practices and Policies to Advance Brain Health and Caregiving” resources. BHC Learning Community participants will engage in a series of virtual learning sessions and receive technical assistance from ASTHO to help identify and execute sustainable actions to support brain health and caregiving in their state. The estimated participation period will be December 2026 to July 2027.

Action opportunity: All interested parties are encouraged to review the Request for Applications (automatic Word download) and submit a completed application by email (include “RFA: ASTHO BHC Learning Community” in the subject line) by the October 30 deadline.

Apply to join 2027 Falls Prevention Virtual Community of Practice

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is accepting applications for the 2027 Falls Prevention Virtual Community of Practice (CoP). This cohort-based learning experience will provide a platform for participating teams to exchange insights, develop action plans, refine implementation approaches, and strengthen planning for expanding falls prevention through community-clinical linkages. CoP participants will engage in a series of virtual sessions to learn from fellow teams and experts and receive technical assistance to implement Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, & Injuries (STEADI)-based strategies for preventing falls among older adults. Additionally, participants will contribute to ASTHO’s Virtual Falls Prevention Summit in the summer of 2027, highlighting promising practices and evidence-based interventions to a national audience. The estimated participation period will be January to July 2027.

Action opportunity: All interested parties are encouraged to review the Request for Applications (automatic Word download) and submit a completed application by email (include “RFA: ASTHO Falls Prevention Community of Practice” in the subject line) by the October 30 deadline.

Respond to PCORI RFI on high-priority evidence needs

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is seeking input on high-priority evidence needs that could be addressed through patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) to help people make informed health and healthcare decisions. Through this Request for Information (RFI), PCORI is seeking input on research questions that:  

• Compare healthcare treatment options, care delivery approaches or system-level strategies. 
• Explore whether treatments work differently across different groups and communities. 
• Address current healthcare challenges that affect patient health outcomes. 
• Reflect care delivered across a variety of settings, including clinical, community, home and virtual care.

Respondents are asked to consider describing the evidence gap or healthcare issue, who needs this evidence, and the types of healthcare options that could be compared. PCORI will use input from the RFI to better understand important evidence needs and help inform the future evolution of its funding opportunities. 

Action opportunity: All interested parties are encouraged to respond to the RFI by the November 2 deadline. There is not a required format for responses, but responses may be brief or detailed and should not exceed 500 words. Respondents may submit more than one idea.

Apply to NIA funding opportunities for clinician-scientists starting careers in aging and AD/ADRD research

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has released two funding opportunities to support early-career clinician-scientists pursuing research opportunities in the aging field. These include: 

• GEMSSTAR Program: Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists’ Transition to Aging Research (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
  • Supports clinician-scientists trained in medical or surgical specialties who are seeking to launch careers in aging- or geriatric-focused research. 
  • Provides two years of support for transdisciplinary aging research, with annual budgets of up to $125,000 in direct costs. 
    • NIA intends to commit $3,000,000 in FY 2027–2029 to fund 15 awards focused on general aging topics, and an additional $800,000 each FY to fund 4 awards focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (AD/ADRD).
• Beeson Program: The Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging (K76 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  • Supports clinician-scientists with research experience interested in further advancing an independent research career in aging. 
  • Provides up to the overall direct cost limit of $225,000 per year toward the research development costs of the award recipient.
    • NIA intends to commit $1,944,000 in FY 2027–2029 to fund approximately 8 general aging awards each year and an additional $972,000 each FY to fund approximately 4 AD/ADRD awards.

Action opportunity: Qualified clinician-scientists are encouraged to explore these opportunities and begin preparing applications. New applications for both programs are due November 10 by 5:00 p.m. local time of the applicant organization and must be submitted via grants.gov.

Provide feedback on proposed ICD-10 codes for ARIA

On September 15 and 16, the International Classification of Diseases Coordination and Maintenance Committee (ICD-10 Committee), overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), reviewed proposals for new diagnosis codes and revisions. Currently, a set of codes related to Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA) are under consideration for implementation on October 1, 2027.

The proposed codes for ARIA are intended to allow population-based monitoring of ARIA, a known safety risk in the context of treatment with amyloid beta-directed monoclonal antibodies. The codes are expected also to enable standardized clinical documentation, real-world evidence generation, and improved patient risk stratification across diverse populations. The final agenda and meeting materials for all proposed and revised codes discussed during the September meeting are posted on the CDC website.

Action Opportunity: Interested parties may provide public comments to the NCHS at nchsicd10cm@cdc.gov by the November 13 deadline.

Respond to the CDC RFI on strengthening public health data exchange

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Request for Information (RFI; CDC-2026-1519) seeking input on how data intermediaries can improve the secure, efficient, and standardized exchange of health data between health care organizations and public health agencies. Data intermediaries include health information exchanges, health data utilities, and other data-sharing networks, and are responsible for connecting health care providers, laboratories, public health agencies, and other data sources. CDC seeks input specifically on technical capabilities and standards, sustainable funding models, governance and accountability, privacy protections, and approaches to reducing the administrative and technical burden of data exchange. Comments will aid CDC in advancing broader goals to prevent disease, detect emerging threats, drive state-of-the-art solutions that empower communities, and strengthen public health systems for a safer, healthier nation.

Action opportunity: Public health organizations, health care providers, research institutions, data organizations, and other interested parties are encouraged to respond on the docket by the November 20 deadline.

Nominate qualified experts and consumer representatives to FDA advisory committees

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking nominations from scientists, clinicians, researchers, technical professionals, patient advocates, and consumer representatives to broaden the expertise and perspectives informing its advisory committees. These committees bring together scientific experts along with patient advocates and consumer representatives to evaluate the evidence on drugs, vaccines, biologics, medical devices, and other FDA-regulated products — providing independent recommendations that help the FDA make well-informed decisions on behalf of the U.S. public.

Self-nominations for committee membership are welcome, and members may serve terms of up to four years. Organizations and individuals with relevant scientific expertise or community and consumer experience are encouraged to apply.

Action opportunity: Interested parties are encouraged to submit nominations for FDA advisory committees via the centralized application portal by the respective deadlines. Consumer representative nominations must be submitted by November 15 while nominations for scientific, technical, professional, and other voting members must be submitted by November 30.

Respond to the NIH RFI on reducing administrative burden in federally funded research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a Request for Information (RFI; NOT-OD-26-118) seeking input on ways to reduce administrative burden associated with NIH-funded research. The RFI invites recommendations across the full lifecycle of NIH research awards, including application requirements, pre- and post-award processes, reporting, certifications, and prior approvals. NIH is particularly interested in opportunities to streamline duplicative documentation, standardize requirements across funding programs, improve technology and data sharing, and reduce administrative requirements that disproportionately affect early-career investigators, smaller institutions, and organizations with limited administrative resources.

Reducing unnecessary administrative burden could allow researchers and research institutions to devote more time and resources to scientific discovery and innovation. However, streamlining requirements must also preserve appropriate oversight, research integrity, and accountability for federal funds. Accordingly, NIH is seeking specific, actionable recommendations that identify existing burdens and propose practical alternatives, including opportunities to simplify processes, improve information systems, and adopt more efficient, risk-based approaches to oversight.

Action opportunity: Researchers, research administrators, institutional officials, professional and scientific organizations, and other interested parties are encouraged to respond to the RFI through NIH’s online submission form by the December 8 deadline. 

Provide feedback on the DOD Alzheimer’s Research Program

The Department of Defense (DOD) has posted a request for information (RFI) to solicit feedback on their Alzheimer’s Research Program (AZRP). The structured RFI is intended to help shape the future research direction of the AZRP, a Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) aimed at funding impactful, solution-oriented research to address critical needs and improve quality of life for service members, veterans, their families, and the public who are living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. 

Appropriations for the AZRP from Fiscal Years (FY) 2011 – 2026 totaled $228 million. As of October 2026, FY2027 funds for the AZRP have not been appropriated. Responses to the RFI survey questions (also available for download here) will help support strategic program planning for FY2027 and beyond. The DOD invites feedback from all stakeholders, including academia, industry, community and non-profit organizations, scientific groups, federal agencies, and the public.

Action opportunity: Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the RFI by completing the survey by the December 4 deadline.

Provide comment on CMS proposed rule amending regulations for the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule (CMS-4214-P) that amends the regulations for the Medicare Advantage (MA) program and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) program to implement key sections of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (CAA), including:

• Section 6219: Reducing the generic drug copayment from $1 to $0 for full-benefit dual-eligible individuals at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level, starting Jan. 1, 2028. CMS estimates this proposed change would affect approximately six million beneficiaries.  
• Section 6220: Codifying regulations to implement the Requiring Enhanced and Accurate Lists of (REAL) Health Providers Act, which establishes new provider directory verification and accuracy requirements for MA organizations beginning in contract year 2028. MA plans would be required to verify and update their provider directory information at least every 90 days and report an accuracy score to CMS. Plans would also prominently display these scores on their public-facing directories, empowering beneficiaries to choose plans with confidence. CMS also proposes codifying the statutory requirements for contract year 2029, including requiring CMS to publicly display provider directory accuracy scores in a machine-readable format and MA organizations to prominently display those scores in their provider directories.
• Section 6224: Proposals to add new requirements governing the remuneration that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their affiliates may receive for services in connection with the utilization of Part D drugs, data reporting by PBMs to Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors and CMS, and other requirements.

Proposed changes under CMS-4214-P have the potential to improve affordability, access to qualified healthcare providers, and prescription drug transparency for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, their care partners, and families..

Action opportunity: Interested parties are encouraged to submit commits on the docket by the December 15 deadline.

Respond to the Senate Finance Committee RFI on long-term care policy proposals

The Senate Finance Committee’s Ranking Member Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking input on a range of policy proposals aimed at improving long-term care for all Americans. The RFI seeks feedback across three general areas: 

• Making home care more affordable and accessible
• Improving nursing home quality
• Strengthening the long-term care workforce

These three issues are especially important for the Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (AD/ADRD) community. People living with AD/ADRD require a workforce with specialized training and support, yet dementia-capable care remains unevenly available — the high costs of home- and community-based services (HCBS) and long-term services and supports (LTSS) create significant affordability challenges for families. Furthermore, current immigration policies are exacerbating an already severe workforce shortage, with especially profound consequences for AD/ADRD families who often face years of intensive care needs and the cumulative physical, mental health, and financial toll of caregiving.

Comments received via the RFI will help shape future legislation guided by five principles: universal access, simplicity, flexibility, workforce investments, and safeguards against abuse and waste.

Action opportunity: Interested parties are encouraged to review the RFI and consider submitting comments to homecare@finance.senate.gov by the December 18 deadline.

Apply to the NIH INCLUDE Voices: Research in Action Challenge

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is accepting submissions for the INCLUDE Voices: Research in Action Challenge. Part of the NIH’s INCLUDE (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE) Project, the Challenge invites people with Down syndrome, families, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, students, advocacy organizations, and other members of the Down syndrome community to create original content that sparks conversations about the future of Down syndrome research, highlights how research is improving lives, and encourages greater participation in research. The Challenge offers a total prize purse of $50,000.

Action opportunity: Interested parties are encouraged to apply, following Challenge submission guidance, by the December 18 deadline.

Encourage support for AD/ADRD-relevant legislation

There are several pieces of legislation relevant to the Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related disorders (AD/ADRD) community. The bills being tracked by the LEAD Coalition are listed on our Our Activities page and real-time action updates are available via the legislative tracking spreadsheet. We especially want to call attention to the ASAP Act (H.R.6130/ S.3267) and CHANGE Act (H.R.3501 / S.1799), for which the Coalition has submitted letters of support (ASAP; CHANGE).

Action opportunity:  We encourage all LEAD Coalition members and allies to track and support these pieces of legislation. If relevant legislation is missing from our list, we encourage individuals to share bills with the LEAD Coalition’s Federal Policy Director, Courtney Wallin (cwallin@leadcoalition.org), for review and consideration.