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Plans & Priorities

The HCBS Commission was established by Executive Order in December 2025. Its members were appointed in February 2026, along with a Commissioner to lead the work, and the Commission convened for the first time on May 29, 2026. From that first meeting, it moved quickly into action. Mindful that time is precious when our people are waiting, the Commission set a focused six-month agenda and was in the field within weeks. That agenda is now well underway, and every part of it points toward one milestone: in December 2026, we will present our findings and recommendations to the Governor.

Our 6 Month Priority Plan

The plan follows a simple path — launch, collect, report. In June, field assessments began across the Territory. From July through November, we gather what we need along two tracks at once: community assessments that listen directly to families, and shared data from our partner agencies. In December, it all comes together as findings and recommendations for the Governor.

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Olmstead Foundational Planning

American Samoa's Olmstead Plan will be built on our own information — not assumptions borrowed from elsewhere. In June 2026, the Commission adopted seven focus components that give the Plan its structure, from population inventory and data governance to housing, workforce, and cultural fidelity. What remains is the evidence to fill that structure. Through an interagency data-sharing agreement and a tailored Olmstead Workbook, each partner agency is now contributing the records it already holds — completing only the components within its own scope. As that verified data comes in, it sharpens each component and moves us toward a final Olmstead Plan in November. This is deliberate, shared work: — tending the relationships between agencies so the Plan reflects the real needs of our aiga and communities.

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HCBS Commission
Office of the Governor
Utulei, American Samoa.   
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American Samoa’s Home and Community‑Based Services (HCBS) program provides services without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or any other status protected by applicable federal or territorial law.​ The HCBS program complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as applicable, and all other nondiscrimination requirements attached to federal financial assistance. The HCBS program is committed to ensuring equitable access to long‑term services and supports for all eligible residents of American Samoa, including individuals who have historically faced barriers to care.In pursuing this commitment, the program does not provide  preferential treatment or restrict eligibility based on race or color, and it does not segregate individuals in services or activities based on protected characteristics; all policies and practices are designed to comply with federal antidiscrimination laws.

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The Home & Community-Based Services Commission of American Samoa website is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under financial assistance award 1LICMS331881-01-00 totaling $266,880, which is 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are solely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, or imply endorsement by, CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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