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

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