The vision of the National Trends and Services (NTS) facet is to eliminate disparities by reducing barriers to services through advocacy, education, and service. The Washington (DC) NTS facet has implemented the following programs to address these disparities:

Annual Family Caregivers Forum. This annual event was launched in 2009 for caregivers to address self-care for caregivers of persons in all age groups and to provide access to caregiver resources. The 2019 Caregivers Forum focused on mindfulness and mental health strategies for caregivers and included presentations by the AARP, the DC Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Seabury Resources for Aging. Earlier forums addressed such issues as accessing resources for individuals with mental health disorders and included presentations by representatives of the George Washington University Medical School Department of Psychiatry and NAMI.

Voter Registration Drive. This drive was launched in 2017 to increase voter registration prior to the 2018 mid-term elections. The NTS facet partnered with the student council of the Cathy Hughes School of Communication and the Student National Dental Association at Howard University, targeting Howard students and the surrounding community.

Senior Citizen Christmas Party. This event was launched more than 40 years ago as an outreach program for aging adults who lived in senior housing in the District of Columbia. The Christmas Party has become an annual event between the DC Office of Aging, the Howard University Dental School and the Washington (DC) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

The Family Caregivers Forum has been awarded 2nd Place for Program Excellence and twice been recognized as a “Best Practice” at The Links, Incorporated Eastern Area Conferences.