What's happening
This bill creates an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program to promote early identification, provide resources, and increase public awareness in New York.
Why it matters
Aims to improve early detection of dementia. by equipping both medical and non-medical professionals (like social workers) with up-to-date training and resources, potentially leading to earlier interventions and better patient outcomes.
Centralizes and broadens access to support. by creating a clearinghouse for information, hotlines, and electronic services, making it easier for patients, caregivers, and organizations to find community services, respite care, and support groups.
Mandates culturally and linguistically appropriate materials. to ensure outreach is effective for New York’s diverse communities, thereby reducing disparities in dementia care and awareness.
Encourages ongoing collaboration and updates. by establishing advisory councils, seeking public/private partnerships, and requiring regular updates based on best practices, which keeps resources relevant and responsive to evolving needs.
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Who cares
New York State Office for the Aging and Department of Health
The office would establish the outreach and education program in consultation with the health commissioner, and both agencies would post program materials online.
Physicians, nurses and social services personnel
The program would provide education and training resources to promote earlier identification of dementia and connections to community support services.
People with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia and their caregivers
The program would offer information on caregiver support groups, respite and care management, with materials kept current and culturally and linguistically appropriate.
Dementia advocacy organizations and senior service providers
The director would consult them on the program, and they would be represented on any advisory councils established under the bill.
Headline styles
Alzheimer’s Outreach and Education
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to aging
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Alzheimer's Outreach and Education
In Assembly Committee · Aging · Sponsor Jo Anne Simon
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7691
IN SENATE
February 7, 2020
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 225 to read as follows:
§ 225. Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program. 1. The office, in consultation with the commissioner of health, is hereby authorized and directed to establish an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program ("the program") for medical and non-medical professionals, including physicians, nurses, and social services personnel who work with older New Yorkers and their families, and for consumers, caregivers and other individuals and organizations working with or on behalf of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The purpose of the program shall be to:
(a) promote earlier identification of dementia in health care facilities including but not limited to hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and assisted living facilities;
(b) provide information and assistance on where to find community support services, including caregiver support groups and services, respite, care management and to serve as a clearinghouse for related information; and
(c) promote public awareness of and access to resources and information concerning Alzheimer's disease and any other dementia related matters that the commissioner and director of the office for the aging deem appropriate.
2. The program shall include but shall not be limited to any of the following elements:
(a) educational and informational materials in print, audio, visual, electronic or other media;
(b) training curriculum including best practices for institutions of higher learning and for ongoing in-service training;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01507-01-9
S. 7691 2
(c) public service announcements and advertisements; and
(d) establishment of toll-free telephone hotlines and electronic services to provide information.
3. The office shall produce, make available to others for reproduction, or contract with others to develop materials mentioned in this section as the director deems appropriate. These materials shall be made available to the public free of charge as appropriate or for a fee under certain circumstances. The director may request the commissioner of health to require any health care provider to make these materials available to patients where appropriate and encourage non-medical professionals to make them available to the clients they serve.
4. In exercising any of his or her powers under this section, the director shall consult with appropriate health care professionals and providers, senior service providers, organizations representing persons with dementia or cognitive impairments, consumers and patients or organizations representing them.
5. The director shall ensure that all information and materials produced under this section are maintained and updated to reflect best practice recommendations and are culturally and linguistically appropriate for the communities served by the Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program. The office shall post electronic copies of outreach material, including best practices, on its website. The department of health shall post the same information on its website.
6. The director may appoint advisory councils relating to various matters under this section. All such councils shall include representation of health care professionals, providers, senior service providers, organizations representing persons with dementia or cognitive impairments, consumers, patients and other appropriate interests. The members of the councils shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performance of their duties.
7. In addition to state funds appropriated under this section, the director may accept grants from public or private sources. The director, in administering this section, shall seek to coordinate programs and activities under this section with other public and private programs, and may undertake joint or cooperative programs with other public or private entities.
8. The director may make rules and regulations necessary and appropriate for implementation of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program
Purpose
This bill creates the Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program to promote earlier identification of the disease, provide information and assistance on where to find community supports and to promote public awareness concerning Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.
Summary of provisions
The bill adds a new section 224 to the elder law, creating the Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program. The purpose of this program is to promote identification and public awareness of dementia with education and information, training curriculum, public service announcements, and other similar efforts and material for medical as well as non-medical personnel. The new section also allows for, but does not require, the appointment of one or more advisory councils.
Justification
According to the New York State Task Force on Alzheimer's disease and other Dementias, 300,000 older New York State residents have dementia and this number is projected to continue growing rapidly. Coined "The Disease of the Century", the challenges that New York will continue to face in serving this population and their caregivers will continue to grow. Fortunately, there is growing research and best practices that have helped better identify persons with Alzheimer's disease, better care for persons with Alzheimer's disease, provide better support services for caregivers, and provide packages of services that delay nursing home placements. As the population ages, it is important to provide appropriate information and assistance, training and outreach and education to providers of services and to the general public in order to ensure that identification and intervention occur earlier and families are linked with the appropriate support to help provide a good quality of life for any individual with this disease.
Legislative history
2019-2020: A1430 (Simon) ref to aging 2017-2018: A949 (Simon) / S225 (Golden) 2015-2016: A9388 (Simon) / S1449 (Golden) 2013-2014: A7352 (Englebright) / S4384 (Golden) 2011-2012: S2187 (Golden) 2009-2010: S2016 (Golden) 2007-2008: S2451 (Golden)
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.