The ALS Association Awards $3 Million to Bring Expert ALS Care to Communities that Don't Have It

New Hoffman clinic grants target rural, underserved and geographically isolated Americans living with ALS

ARLINGTON, Va., May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The ALS Association today announced the newest recipients of the Hoffman ALS Clinic Development and Capacity Awards, grant programs established through the historic $58 million from the late Hugh Hoffman to expand access to multidisciplinary ALS care in communities across the country. Right now, only around half of registered people living with ALS receive multidisciplinary care – a team based-model proven to extend survival and improve quality of life.

The Gap is Real – and Closeable

Multidisciplinary care -- a coordinated team of specialists working together around one person living with ALS -- has been proven to extend life and and improve quality of life. Yet, geography, insurance barriers and limited local expertise leave far too many people navigating one of the most complex and rapidly progressing diseases without the team-based support they need. The ALS Association is building the infrastructure of care this disease demands, community by community until that gap is closed.

A Transformational Gift Making a Real Difference

Made possible through the historic $58 million gift from the late Hugh Hoffman, the largest single philanthropic gift ever made to an ALS organization, the Hoffman ALS Clinic Awards Program is building a national infrastructure of expert ALS care. In 1989, the ALS Association established its certification program, designating Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence® and Recognized Treatment Centers®. Today, that network is growing faster than ever.

This round of awards will fund both the development of new certified ALS clinics and the expansion of existing ones, bringing more clinic days, enhanced telehealth services, and reduced financial barriers to care.

"We know that multidisciplinary care extends survival and improves quality of life – that's not aspirational, that's proven," said Jen Hjelle, chief community engagement officer at the ALS Association. "Right now, there are far too many people around the country who cannot access multidisciplinary care because there is not a clinic near them or it is not financially feasible for them. These grants are how we close that gap – one clinic, one community at a time, until everyone living with ALS has access to the care they deserve."

2026 HOFFMAN CLINIC CAPACITY AWARD RECIPIENTS

Clinic Capacity awards granted support enhanced patient access to multidisciplinary care by adding ALS clinic days, expanding telehealth services and reducing financial barriers to care. Awardees receive up to $360,000 over three years.

University of California, San Francisco - Expanding Multidisciplinary ALS Care in Hawaii led by Mark Terrelonge, M.D., M.P.H

This proposal expands multidisciplinary ALS care across the Hawaiian Islands through a hybrid model combining UCSF-led virtual multidisciplinary clinics and partnerships with local health systems including The Queen's Medical Center and Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience. The initiative will address longstanding barriers including travel distances between islands, limited neuromuscular-trained neurologists and insurance and diagnostic delays.

University of California, San Francisco - Expanding Multidisciplinary ALS Care in Alaska led by Laura Rosow, M.D.

Alaska currently has no existing certified ALS clinic. This award will establish a UCSF-affiliated multidisciplinary ALS satellite clinic in the state, combining annual in-person visits from a UCSF multidisciplinary team with ongoing telemedicine care. The long-term goal is to build a fully sustainable local ALS clinic with strong community partnerships and integration into ALS research networks.

The University of Chicago Improving Equity in ALS Care: A Regional Clinic for Northwest Indiana led by Kourosh Rezania, M.D.

Dr. Rezania, a neurologist and associate professor at the University of Chicago, will establish a dedicated ALS Center of Excellence in Crown Point, Indiana, extending access to multidisciplinary care across South Illinois, Northwest Indiana, and Southwest Michigan. The clinic will provide integrated services including neurology, pulmonary medicine, palliative care, respiratory therapy, physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work and clinical trial access.

Austin Neuromuscular Center, Austin, TX Enhancing ALS Patient Care at Austin Neuromuscular Center ALS Clinic led by Yessar Hussain, M.D.

Dr. Hussain, director of the ALS Association Certified Treatment Center of Excellence at Austin Neuromuscular Center, will expand multidisciplinary ALS services to meet growing patient demand across Central Texas. The clinic currently serves a diverse population, including underinsured and uninsured individuals. Funding will increase care-team staffing and reduce access delays.

University of Kansas Medical Center BRIDGE ALS Care led by Omar Jawdat, M.D.

The BRIDGE ALS Care initiative will expand a multidisciplinary telemedicine and remote-care clinic to deliver high-quality ALS care directly to patients' homes, addressing the unique challenges faced by people living with ALS in rural and underserved areas. Key elements include increased weekly telemedicine visit capacity and full multidisciplinary team participation in each remote visit.

2026 HOFFMAN CLINIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS

Clinic Development Awards support the establishment of new ALS Certified or Recognized Treatment Centers, or the elevation of existing clinics to certified status. Awardees receive up to $900,000 over three years for new clinic development and up to $450,000 for elevation of existing clinics.

Cooper University Health Care, Camden, NJ Multidisciplinary ALS Clinic at Cooper Neurological Institute led by Joseph Campellone, M.D.

Southern New Jersey currently has no accessible ALS center. This award will support the establishment of a new multidisciplinary ALS clinic at the Cooper Neurological Institute, serving patients in some of the region's most economically challenged and underserved communities, including those insured through NJ Medicaid and residents of rural Salem and Cumberland counties. The award supports development toward Recognized Treatment Center or Certified Treatment Center of Excellence status within three years.

Neurology Consultants of Kansas, Wichita, KS Wichita ALS Clinic led by David Mayans, M.D

The Wichita ALS Clinic will relocate and expand its current clinic space, increasing capacity from 8 to 16 in-person visits per month and expanding telehealth services. For people living with ALS in rural Kansas, the nearest existing Certified Treatment Center is more than 200 miles away. This award supports the clinic's path to achieving Recognized Treatment Center status and bringing expert ALS care closer to home.

The Need: The Work Is Not Done

These awards represent meaningful progress — but the gap remains significant. Millions of Americans live far from certified ALS care, and every mile between a patient and a multidisciplinary clinic is a barrier that affects survival and quality of life. The ALS Association will continue to invest in expanding this network until expert ALS care is within reach for everyone living with this disease.

Applications for The Hoffman ALS Clinic Capacity Awards Program and The Hoffman ALS Clinic Development Awards Program are now open. For more information, visit als.org.

About the ALS Association
The ALS Association is the largest ALS organization in the world. The ALS Association funds global research collaborations, assists people with ALS and their families through its nationwide network of care and certified clinical care centers, and advocates for better public policies for people with ALS. The mission of the ALS Association is to make ALS livable and cure it. For more information about the ALS Association, visit our website at www.als.org.

About ALS 
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Over the course of the disease, people lose the ability to move, to speak, and eventually, to breathe. The disease is always fatal, usually within five years of diagnosis. Few treatment options exist, resulting in a high unmet need for new therapies to address functional deficits and disease progression.

SOURCE The ALS Association