Bill Text: NY A01629 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: 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.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 20-10)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to aging [A01629 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-A01629-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1629 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 17, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, CARROLL, DINOWITZ, HYNDMAN, LUPARDO, McDO- NOUGH, WALKER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARRETT, COLTON, DiPIETRO, LAVINE, 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 226 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 226. 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 of health and the director deem appropri- 22 ate. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02706-01-3A. 1629 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.
