Establishes an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program for medical and non-medical professionals to promote earlier identification of Alzheimer's and to provide information and other assistance in finding community support for caregivers.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2298
SPONSOR: Simon (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing an
Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program
PURPOSE:
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:
Section one of the bill adds 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 demen-
tia 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.
Section two of the bill provides that this act shall take effect imme-
diately.
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 is and will
continue to face in serving this population and 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 the individual with the disease.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2020-19: Simon - referred to Aging
2018-17: Simon - referred to Aging
2016-15: Simon - referred to Aging
2014: S.4384 - Referred to Aging
2013: S.4384 - Reported to Finance
2011-12: S.2187 - Referred to Aging
2009-10: S.2016 - Referred to Aging
2008: S.2451 - Reported to Rules
2007: S.2451 - Reported to Finance
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2298
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 14, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, ABBATE, CARROLL, DINOWITZ, GRIFFIN, HYND-
MAN, LUPARDO, McDONOUGH, RICHARDSON, WALKER -- Multi-Sponsored by --
M. of A. BARRETT, CAHILL, COLTON, DiPIETRO, ENGLEBRIGHT, GALEF, GOTT-
FRIED, LAVINE, MONTESANO, OTIS, PALMESANO, RA, REYES, WILLIAMS -- read
once and referred 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 Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 225 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 225. Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program. 1. The
4 office, in consultation with the commissioner of health, is hereby
5 authorized and directed to establish an Alzheimer's disease outreach and
6 education program ("the program") for medical and non-medical profes-
7 sionals, including physicians, nurses, and social services personnel who
8 work with older New Yorkers and their families, and for consumers, care-
9 givers and other individuals and organizations working with or on behalf
10 of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The purpose of
11 the program shall be to:
12 (a) promote earlier identification of dementia in health care facili-
13 ties including but not limited to hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and
14 assisted living facilities;
15 (b) provide information and assistance on where to find community
16 support services, including caregiver support groups and services,
17 respite, care management and to serve as a clearinghouse for related
18 information; and
19 (c) promote public awareness of and access to resources and informa-
20 tion concerning Alzheimer's disease and any other dementia related
21 matters that the commissioner and director of the office for the aging
22 deem appropriate.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01033-01-1
A. 2298 2
1 2. The program shall include but shall not be limited to any of the
2 following elements:
3 (a) educational and informational materials in print, audio, visual,
4 electronic or other media;
5 (b) training curriculum including best practices for institutions of
6 higher learning and for ongoing in-service training;
7 (c) public service announcements and advertisements; and
8 (d) establishment of toll-free telephone hotlines and electronic
9 services to provide information.
10 3. The office shall produce, make available to others for reprod-
11 uction, or contract with others to develop materials mentioned in this
12 section as the director deems appropriate. These materials shall be made
13 available to the public free of charge as appropriate or for a fee under
14 certain circumstances. The director may request the commissioner of
15 health to require any health care provider to make these materials
16 available to patients where appropriate and encourage non-medical
17 professionals to make them available to the clients they serve.
18 4. In exercising any of his or her powers under this section, the
19 director shall consult with appropriate health care professionals and
20 providers, senior service providers, organizations representing persons
21 with dementia or cognitive impairments, consumers and patients or organ-
22 izations representing them.
23 5. The director shall ensure that all information and materials
24 produced under this section are maintained and updated to reflect best
25 practice recommendations and are culturally and linguistically appropri-
26 ate for the communities served by the Alzheimer's disease outreach and
27 education program. The office shall post electronic copies of outreach
28 material, including best practices, on its website. The department of
29 health shall post the same information on its website.
30 6. The director may appoint advisory councils relating to various
31 matters under this section. All such councils shall include represen-
32 tation of health care professionals, providers, senior service provid-
33 ers, organizations representing persons with dementia or cognitive
34 impairments, consumers, patients and other appropriate interests. The
35 members of the councils shall receive no compensation for their
36 services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
37 incurred in performance of their duties.
38 7. In addition to state funds appropriated under this section, the
39 director may accept grants from public or private sources. The director,
40 in administering this section, shall seek to coordinate programs and
41 activities under this section with other public and private programs,
42 and may undertake joint or cooperative programs with other public or
43 private entities.
44 8. The director may make rules and regulations necessary and appropri-
45 ate for implementation of this section.
46 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
