Overview
- More than 130 organizations and roughly 650 individuals asked Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to pause the planned restructuring of ACF’s Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
- An internal Feb. 10 memo set a 15‑day window to plan the transfer of early childhood, child welfare, and family assistance research from OPRE to program offices, with implementation starting March 12.
- The coalition warns only congressionally mandated studies may continue and would require political appointee sign‑offs, risking bias and the loss of ongoing taxpayer‑funded evaluations.
- The Data Foundation estimates central OPRE staffing would fall from about 120 employees to roughly 20 under the plan.
- HHS has not responded publicly to the letter, a former OPRE‑supporting contractor resigned in protest, and signatories questioned whether the move conflicts with FY2026 appropriations intent.