CS/HB 589

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to Alzheimer's disease; creating s.
3	430.5025, F.S.; directing the Department of Elderly
4	Affairs to develop and implement a public education
5	program relating to screening for Alzheimer's disease;
6	providing criteria for awarding grants; providing a
7	definition; requiring grant recipients to submit an
8	evaluation of certain activities to the department;
9	authorizing the department to provide technical support;
10	requiring an annual report to the Legislature; providing
11	that implementation of the memory impairment screening
12	grant program is not contingent on an appropriation;
13	requiring the department to conduct or support a study on
14	memory impairment screening; requiring a report to the
15	Legislature; providing an effective date.
16
17	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease, a slow, progressive disorder
18	of the brain which results in loss of memory and other cognitive
19	functions, is the eighth leading cause of death in the United
20	States, and currently affects an estimated 5 million Americans,
21	with that number expected to increase to 16 million by mid-
22	century, and
23	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease strikes approximately 1 in 10
24	people over age 65 and nearly half of those who are age 85 or
25	older, although some people develop symptoms as young as age 40,
26	and
27	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
28	family members who are the caregivers for individuals who have
29	the disease, and
30	WHEREAS, caregivers for individuals who have Alzheimer's
31	disease suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than
32	caregivers for individuals who have other illnesses, and
33	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease costs United States businesses
34	more than $60 billion annually due to lost productivity and
35	absenteeism by primary caregivers and increased insurance costs,
36	and
37	WHEREAS, recent advancements in scientific research have
38	demonstrated the benefits of early medical treatment for persons
39	who have Alzheimer's disease and the benefits of early access to
40	counseling and other support services for their caregivers, and
41	WHEREAS, research shows that several medications have been
42	developed which can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease,
43	that persons begin to benefit most when these medications are
44	taken in the early stages of a memory disorder, and that this
45	intervention may extend the period during which patients can be
46	cared for at home, thereby significantly reducing the costs of
47	institutional care, and
48	WHEREAS, with early diagnosis, patients can participate in
49	decisions regarding their care and their families can take
50	advantage of support services that can reduce caregiver
51	depression and related health problems, and
52	WHEREAS, in direct response to research breakthroughs,
53	National Memory Screening Day was established as a collaborative
54	effort by organizations and health care professionals across the
55	country to promote awareness and early detection of memory
56	impairment, and
57	WHEREAS, on National Memory Screening Day, which is held on
58	the third Tuesday of November in recognition of National
59	Alzheimer's Disease Month, health care professionals administer
60	free memory screenings at hundreds of sites throughout the
61	United States, and
62	WHEREAS, memory screening is used as an indicator of
63	whether a person might benefit from more extensive testing to
64	determine whether a memory or cognitive impairment exists and
65	identifies persons who may benefit from medical attention but is
66	not used to diagnose any illness and in no way replaces
67	examination by a qualified physician, NOW, THEREFORE,
68
69	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
70
71	Section 1.  Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created
72	to read:
73	430.5025  Memory impairment screening; grant program.--
74	(1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall develop and
75	implement a public education program relating to screening for
76	memory impairment and the importance of early diagnosis and
77	treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
78	(2)  The department may award grants to qualifying entities
79	to support the development, expansion, or operation of programs
80	that provide:
81	(a)  Information and education on the importance of memory
82	screening for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's
83	disease and related disorders.
84	(b)  Screenings for memory impairment.
85	(3)  As used in this section, the term "qualifying
86	entities" means public and nonprofit private entities that
87	provide services and care to individuals who have Alzheimer's
88	disease or related disorders and their caregivers and families.
89	(4)  When awarding grants under this section, the
90	department shall give preference to applicants that:
91	(a)  Have demonstrated experience in promoting public
92	education and awareness of the importance of memory screening or
93	providing memory screening services.
94	(b)  Have established arrangements with health care
95	providers and other organizations to provide screenings for
96	memory impairment in a manner that is convenient to individuals
97	in the communities served by the applicants.
98	(c)  Provide matching funds.
99	(5)  A qualifying entity that receives a grant under this
100	section shall submit to the department an evaluation that
101	describes activities carried out with funds received under this
102	section, the long-term effectiveness of such activities in
103	promoting early detection of memory impairment, and any other
104	information that the department requires.
105	(6)  The department may set aside an amount not to exceed
106	15 percent of the total amount appropriated to the memory
107	impairment screening grant program for the fiscal year to
108	provide grantees with technical support in the development,
109	implementation, and evaluation of memory impairment screening
110	programs.
111	(7)  A grant may be awarded under subsection (2) only if an
112	application for the grant is submitted to the department and the
113	application is in the form, is made in the manner, and contains
114	the agreements, assurances, and information that the department
115	determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this
116	section.
117	(8)  The department shall annually submit to the President
118	of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
119	report on the activities carried out under this section,
120	including provisions describing the extent to which the
121	activities have affected the rate of screening for memory
122	impairment and have improved outcomes for patients and
123	caregivers.
124	(9)  Implementation of the memory impairment screening
125	grant program is not contingent on appropriation of state funds.
126	Section 2.  Study on screening for memory impairment.--
127	(1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall conduct or
128	provide support for a study on screening for memory impairment.
129	The study shall analyze scientific evidence regarding techniques
130	for memory screening, assess the availability of memory
131	screening on a nationwide basis, and identify strategies to
132	expand memory screening services through public-private
133	partnerships to improve outcomes for patients and caregivers.
134	(2)  The department shall, not later than 12 months after
135	this section becomes law, prepare and submit to the relevant
136	substantive committees of the Senate and the House of
137	Representatives a report that describes the results of the study
138	conducted under this section. The report shall include specific
139	recommendations to increase awareness of the importance of early
140	detection of memory impairment and to improve access to memory
141	screening services nationwide by supporting and expanding
142	existing memory screening efforts in the private sector.
143	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.

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