CS/HB 705

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	for implementation of the public education program to
12	operate within existing resources of the department;
13	providing that implementation of the memory-impairment
14	screening grant program is contingent upon an
15	appropriation of state funds or the availability of
16	private resources; amending s. 400.1755, F.S.; specifying
17	the types of facilities where an employee or direct
18	caregiver of an assisted living facility may begin
19	employment without repeating certain training
20	requirements; amending s. 400.6045, F.S.; requiring direct
21	caregivers to comply with certain continuing education
22	requirements; amending s. 429.178, F.S.; specifying the
23	types of facilities where an employee or direct caregiver
24	of an assisted living facility may begin employment
25	without repeating certain training requirements; providing
26	an effective date.
27
28	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a slow, progressive
29	disorder of the brain which results in loss of memory and other
30	cognitive functions, is the eighth leading cause of death in the
31	United States, and currently affects an estimated 5 million
32	Americans, with that number expected to increase to 16 million
33	by mid-century, and
34	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease strikes approximately 1 in 10
35	people over the age of 65 and nearly half of those who are age
36	85 or older, although some people develop symptoms as young as
37	age 40, and
38	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
39	family members who are the caregivers for individuals having the
40	disease, and
41	WHEREAS, caregivers for individuals who have Alzheimer's
42	disease suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than
43	caregivers for individuals who have other illnesses, and
44	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease costs United States businesses
45	more than $60 billion annually due to lost productivity and
46	absenteeism by primary caregivers and increased insurance costs,
47	and
48	WHEREAS, recent advancements in scientific research have
49	demonstrated the benefits of early medical treatment for persons
50	who have Alzheimer's disease and the benefits of early access to
51	counseling and other support services for their caregivers, and
52	WHEREAS, research shows that several medications have been
53	developed which can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease,
54	that persons begin to benefit most when these medications are
55	taken in the early stages of a memory disorder, and that this
56	intervention may extend the period during which patients can be
57	cared for at home, thereby significantly reducing the costs of
58	institutional care, and
59	WHEREAS, with early diagnosis, patients can participate in
60	decisions regarding their care and their families can take
61	advantage of support services that can reduce caregiver
62	depression and related health problems, and
63	WHEREAS, in direct response to research breakthroughs,
64	National Memory Screening Day was established as a collaborative
65	effort by organizations and health care professionals across the
66	country to promote awareness and early detection of memory
67	impairments, and
68	WHEREAS, on National Memory Screening Day, which is held on
69	the third Tuesday of November in recognition of National
70	Alzheimer's Disease Month, health care professionals administer
71	free memory screenings at hundreds of sites throughout the
72	United States, and
73	WHEREAS, memory screening is used as an indicator of
74	whether a person might benefit from more extensive testing to
75	determine whether a memory or cognitive impairment exists and
76	identifies persons who may benefit from medical attention, but
77	is not used to diagnose any illness and in no way replaces
78	examination by a qualified physician, NOW, THEREFORE,
79
80	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
81
82	Section 1.  Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created
83	to read:
84	430.5025  Memory-impairment screening; grants.-
85	(1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall develop and
86	implement a public education program relating to screening for
87	memory impairment and the importance of early diagnosis and
88	treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
89	(2)  The department may award grants to qualifying entities
90	to support the development, expansion, or operation of programs
91	that provide:
92	(a)  Information and education on the importance of memory
93	screening for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's
94	disease and related disorders.
95	(b)  Screenings for memory impairment.
96	(3)  As used in this section, the term "qualifying
97	entities" means public and nonprofit private entities that
98	provide services and care to individuals who have Alzheimer's
99	disease or related disorders and their caregivers and families.
100	(4)  When awarding grants under this section, the
101	department shall give preference to applicants that:
102	(a)  Have demonstrated experience in promoting public
103	education and awareness of the importance of memory screening or
104	providing memory-screening services.
105	(b)  Have established arrangements with health care
106	providers and other organizations to provide screenings for
107	memory impairment in a manner that is convenient to individuals
108	in the communities served by the applicants.
109	(c)  Provide matching funds.
110	(5)  A qualifying entity that receives a grant under this
111	section shall submit to the department an evaluation that
112	describes activities carried out with funds received under this
113	section, the long-term effectiveness of such activities in
114	promoting early detection of memory impairment, and any other
115	information that the department requires.
116	(6)  The department may set aside an amount not to exceed
117	15 percent of the total amount appropriated to the memory-
118	impairment screening grant program for the fiscal year to
119	provide grantees with technical support in the development,
120	implementation, and evaluation of memory-impairment screening
121	programs.
122	(7)  A grant may be awarded under subsection (2) only if an
123	application for the grant is submitted to the department and the
124	application is in the form, is made in the manner, and contains
125	the agreements, assurances, and information that the department
126	determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this
127	section.
128	(8)  The department shall annually submit to the President
129	of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
130	report on the activities carried out under this section,
131	including provisions describing the extent to which the
132	activities have affected the rate of screening for memory
133	impairment and have improved outcomes for patients and
134	caregivers.
135	Section 2.  Implementation.-
136	(1)  Implementation of the public education program created
137	under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, shall operate within
138	existing resources of the Department of Elderly Affairs.
139	(2)  Implementation of the memory-impairment screening
140	grant program created under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is
141	contingent upon appropriation of state funds or the availability
142	of private resources.
143	Section 3.  Subsection (6) of section 400.1755, Florida
144	Statutes, is amended to read:
145	400.1755  Care for persons with Alzheimer's disease or
146	related disorders.-
147	(6)  Upon completing any training listed in this section,
148	the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
149	that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
150	covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
151	The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
152	identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
153	required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
154	direct caregiver changes employment to a different facility or
155	to an assisted living facility, home health agency, adult day
156	care center, or hospice adult family-care home. The direct
157	caregiver must comply with other applicable continuing education
158	requirements.
159	Section 4.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
160	400.6045, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
161	400.6045  Patients with Alzheimer's disease or other
162	related disorders; staff training requirements; certain
163	disclosures.-
164	(1)  A hospice licensed under this part must provide the
165	following staff training:
166	(h)  Upon completing any training described in this
167	section, the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a
168	certificate that includes the name of the training provider, the
169	topic covered, and the date and signature of the training
170	provider. The certificate is evidence of completion of training
171	in the identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is
172	not required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
173	direct caregiver changes employment to a different hospice or to
174	a home health agency, assisted living facility, nursing home, or
175	adult day care center. The direct caregiver must comply with
176	other applicable continuing education requirements.
177	Section 5.  Subsection (4) of section 429.178, Florida
178	Statutes, is amended to read:
179	429.178  Special care for persons with Alzheimer's disease
180	or other related disorders.-
181	(4)  Upon completing any training listed in subsection (2),
182	the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
183	that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
184	covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
185	The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
186	identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
187	required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
188	direct caregiver changes employment to a different assisted
189	living facility or nursing home, hospice, adult day care center,
190	or home health agency facility. The employee or direct caregiver
191	must comply with other applicable continuing education
192	requirements.
193	Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.

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