HHS Announces Federal Elder Justice Action Plan and the EJCC's “Never EVER” Campaign to Protect Older Americans

Federal strategy strengthens rights, prevention, enforcement, and public awareness to stop elder abuse, exploitation, and imposter scams

WASHINGTON — June 9, 2026 — Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC), announced the Federal Elder Justice Action Plan, a government-wide strategy to protect older Americans’ rights, strengthen accountability, and make help easier to find. The announcement also launches “Never EVER,” a national campaign that advances the Action Plan’s prevention goals by helping people recognize and avoid government and business imposter scams.

Chaired by the HHS Secretary, the EJCC brings together seventeen federal departments and agencies to strengthen collaboration, advance elder justice nationwide, and protect older adults’ dignity, independence, and financial security. The Action Plan builds on the EJCC’s 2014 Eight Recommendations with measurable steps to prevent harm, disrupt exploitation, hold bad actors accountable, and connect older Americans to help.

Financial exploitation, including imposter scams, is one of the urgent threats the Action Plan seeks to address. Research estimates that roughly one in ten older adults’ experiences abuse, neglect, or exploitation each year. Scammers often impersonate government agencies or well-known businesses to pressure people into giving up money, account access, or personal information. Some schemes also create safety risks by pushing victims to withdraw cash, transfer funds, or meet someone in person.

“President Trump and I are committed to ensuring every American can age with dignity, independence, and security,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Scammers steal an estimated $28 billion from older Americans each year. Through the Federal Elder Justice Action Plan and the ‘Never EVER’ campaign, the Trump administration is protecting seniors, supporting victims, and holding criminals accountable. The message is simple: no government agency will ever tell you to move your money to ‘protect it’— that’s a scam.”

Adult Protective Services programs receive approximately 1.3 million reports each year, while family caregivers often carry the financial, physical, and emotional burden when an older loved one is left without the resources they need. Despite the scale of the problem, many cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation are never reported.

“ACL is proud to serve as the lead agency coordinating the Elder Justice Coordinating Council and helping bring federal partners together to turn elder justice commitments into actions and resources for older adults, families, and caregivers,” said Mary Lazare, Principal Deputy Administrator for the Administration for Community Living. “The Federal Elder Justice Action Plan will expand the EJCC’s work even further by moving awareness into positive outcomes — strengthening prevention and reporting, improving coordination across partner agencies, and connecting older adults and caregivers to the wraparound supports they need before lasting harm occurs.”

The “Never EVER” campaign reinforces that warning with practical examples. Real government agencies will not tell people to move money to “protect it,” demand unusual forms of payment, or ask for a Social Security number to determine eligibility for a government grant.

As the nation’s older adult population continues to grow, coordinated federal action remains critical to uphold rights, promote independence, prevent exploitation, and help people age safely. The Action Plan gives federal partners a shared roadmap for making elder justice efforts more consistent, visible, and responsive nationwide.

For more information, visit the Elder Justice Coordinating Council website for details about the Council, the Federal Elder Justice Action Plan, and the “Never EVER” campaign.