CS/CS/CS/HB 589

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to Alzheimer's disease; creating s.
3430.5025, F.S.; directing the Department of Elderly
4Affairs to develop and implement a public education
5program relating to screening for Alzheimer's disease;
6providing criteria for awarding grants; providing a
7definition; requiring grant recipients to submit an
8evaluation of certain activities to the department;
9authorizing the department to provide technical support;
10requiring an annual report to the Legislature; requiring
11the department to conduct or support a study on memory
12impairment screening; requiring a report to the
13Legislature; providing for implementation of the public
14education program to operate within existing resources of
15the department; providing that implementation of the
16memory impairment screening grant program is contingent
17upon an appropriation of state funds or the availability
18of private resources; providing for implementation of the
19screening study on memory impairment to operate within
20existing resources of the department; amending s.
21400.1755, F.S.; specifying the types of facilities where
22an employee or direct caregiver of an assisted living
23facility may begin employment without repeating certain
24training requirements; amending s. 400.6045, F.S.;
25requiring direct caregivers to comply with certain
26continuing education requirements; amending s. 429.178,
27F.S.; specifying the types of facilities where an employee
28or direct caregiver of an assisted living facility may
29begin employment without repeating certain training
30requirements; providing an effective date.
31
32     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease, a slow, progressive disorder
33of the brain which results in loss of memory and other cognitive
34functions, is the eighth leading cause of death in the United
35States, and currently affects an estimated 5 million Americans,
36with that number expected to increase to 16 million by mid-
37century, and
38     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease strikes approximately 1 in 10
39people over age 65 and nearly half of those who are age 85 or
40older, although some people develop symptoms as young as age 40,
41and
42     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
43family members who are the caregivers for individuals who have
44the disease, and
45     WHEREAS, caregivers for individuals who have Alzheimer's
46disease suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than
47caregivers for individuals who have other illnesses, and
48     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease costs United States businesses
49more than $60 billion annually due to lost productivity and
50absenteeism by primary caregivers and increased insurance costs,
51and
52     WHEREAS, recent advancements in scientific research have
53demonstrated the benefits of early medical treatment for persons
54who have Alzheimer's disease and the benefits of early access to
55counseling and other support services for their caregivers, and
56     WHEREAS, research shows that several medications have been
57developed which can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease,
58that persons begin to benefit most when these medications are
59taken in the early stages of a memory disorder, and that this
60intervention may extend the period during which patients can be
61cared for at home, thereby significantly reducing the costs of
62institutional care, and
63     WHEREAS, with early diagnosis, patients can participate in
64decisions regarding their care and their families can take
65advantage of support services that can reduce caregiver
66depression and related health problems, and
67     WHEREAS, in direct response to research breakthroughs,
68National Memory Screening Day was established as a collaborative
69effort by organizations and health care professionals across the
70country to promote awareness and early detection of memory
71impairment, and
72     WHEREAS, on National Memory Screening Day, which is held on
73the third Tuesday of November in recognition of National
74Alzheimer's Disease Month, health care professionals administer
75free memory screenings at hundreds of sites throughout the
76United States, and
77     WHEREAS, memory screening is used as an indicator of
78whether a person might benefit from more extensive testing to
79determine whether a memory or cognitive impairment exists and
80identifies persons who may benefit from medical attention but is
81not used to diagnose any illness and in no way replaces
82examination by a qualified physician, NOW, THEREFORE,
83
84Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
85
86     Section 1.  Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created
87to read:
88     430.5025  Memory impairment screening; grant program.--
89     (1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall develop and
90implement a public education program relating to screening for
91memory impairment and the importance of early diagnosis and
92treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
93     (2)  The department may award grants to qualifying entities
94to support the development, expansion, or operation of programs
95that provide:
96     (a)  Information and education on the importance of memory
97screening for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's
98disease and related disorders.
99     (b)  Screenings for memory impairment.
100     (3)  As used in this section, the term "qualifying
101entities" means public and nonprofit private entities that
102provide services and care to individuals who have Alzheimer's
103disease or related disorders and their caregivers and families.
104     (4)  When awarding grants under this section, the
105department shall give preference to applicants that:
106     (a)  Have demonstrated experience in promoting public
107education and awareness of the importance of memory screening or
108providing memory screening services.
109     (b)  Have established arrangements with health care
110providers and other organizations to provide screenings for
111memory impairment in a manner that is convenient to individuals
112in the communities served by the applicants.
113     (c)  Provide matching funds.
114     (5)  A qualifying entity that receives a grant under this
115section shall submit to the department an evaluation that
116describes activities carried out with funds received under this
117section, the long-term effectiveness of such activities in
118promoting early detection of memory impairment, and any other
119information that the department requires.
120     (6)  The department may set aside an amount not to exceed
12115 percent of the total amount appropriated to the memory
122impairment screening grant program for the fiscal year to
123provide grantees with technical support in the development,
124implementation, and evaluation of memory impairment screening
125programs.
126     (7)  A grant may be awarded under subsection (2) only if an
127application for the grant is submitted to the department and the
128application is in the form, is made in the manner, and contains
129the agreements, assurances, and information that the department
130determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this
131section.
132     (8)  The department shall annually submit to the President
133of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
134report on the activities carried out under this section,
135including provisions describing the extent to which the
136activities have affected the rate of screening for memory
137impairment and have improved outcomes for patients and
138caregivers.
139     Section 2.  Study on screening for memory impairment.--
140     (1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall conduct or
141provide support for a study on screening for memory impairment.
142The study shall analyze scientific evidence regarding techniques
143for memory screening, assess the availability of memory
144screening on a nationwide basis, and identify strategies to
145expand memory screening services through public-private
146partnerships to improve outcomes for patients and caregivers.
147     (2)  The department shall, not later than 12 months after
148this section becomes law, prepare and submit to the relevant
149substantive committees of the Senate and the House of
150Representatives a report that describes the results of the study
151conducted under this section. The report shall include specific
152recommendations to increase awareness of the importance of early
153detection of memory impairment and to improve access to memory
154screening services nationwide by supporting and expanding
155existing memory screening efforts in the private sector.
156     Section 3.  Implementation.--
157     (1)  Implementation of the public education program created
158under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, shall operate within
159existing resources of the Department of Elderly Affairs.
160     (2)  Implementation of the memory impairment screening
161grant program created under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is
162contingent upon appropriation of state funds or the availability
163of private resources.
164     (3)  Implementation of the study on screening for memory
165impairment created under section 2 shall operate within existing
166resources of the Department of Elderly Affairs.
167     Section 4.  Subsection (6) of section 400.1755, Florida
168Statutes, is amended to read:
169     400.1755  Care for persons with Alzheimer's disease or
170related disorders.--
171     (6)  Upon completing any training listed in this section,
172the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
173that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
174covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
175The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
176identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
177required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
178direct caregiver changes employment to a different facility or
179to an assisted living facility, home health agency, adult day
180care center, or hospice adult family-care home. The direct
181caregiver must comply with other applicable continuing education
182requirements.
183     Section 5.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
184400.6045, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
185     400.6045  Patients with Alzheimer's disease or other
186related disorders; staff training requirements; certain
187disclosures.--
188     (1)  A hospice licensed under this part must provide the
189following staff training:
190     (h)  Upon completing any training described in this
191section, the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a
192certificate that includes the name of the training provider, the
193topic covered, and the date and signature of the training
194provider. The certificate is evidence of completion of training
195in the identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is
196not required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
197direct caregiver changes employment to a different hospice or to
198a home health agency, assisted living facility, nursing home, or
199adult day care center. The direct caregiver must comply with
200other applicable continuing education requirements.
201     Section 6.  Subsection (4) of section 429.178, Florida
202Statutes, is amended to read:
203     429.178  Special care for persons with Alzheimer's disease
204or other related disorders.--
205     (4)  Upon completing any training listed in subsection (2),
206the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
207that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
208covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
209The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
210identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
211required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
212direct caregiver changes employment to a different assisted
213living facility or nursing home, hospice, adult day care center,
214or home health agency facility. The employee or direct caregiver
215must comply with other applicable continuing education
216requirements.
217     Section 7.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.