HB 491

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 providing care for persons with Alzheimer's
19	disease may begin employment without repeating certain
20	training requirements; amending s. 400.6045, F.S.;
21	requiring direct caregivers to comply with certain
22	continuing education requirements; amending s. 429.178,
23	F.S.; specifying the types of facilities where an employee
24	or direct caregiver providing care for persons with
25	Alzheimer's disease may begin employment without repeating
26	certain training requirements; providing an effective
27	date.
28
29	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a slow, progressive
30	disorder of the brain which results in loss of memory and other
31	cognitive functions, is the eighth leading cause of death in the
32	United States, and currently affects an estimated 5 million
33	Americans, with that number expected to increase to 16 million
34	by mid-century, and
35	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease strikes approximately 1 in 10
36	people over the age of 65 and nearly half of those who are age
37	85 or older, although some people develop symptoms as young as
38	age 40, and
39	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
40	family members who are the caregivers for individuals having the
41	disease, and
42	WHEREAS, caregivers for individuals who have Alzheimer's
43	disease suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than
44	caregivers for individuals who have other illnesses, and
45	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease costs United States businesses
46	more than $60 billion annually due to lost productivity and
47	absenteeism by primary caregivers and increased insurance costs,
48	and
49	WHEREAS, recent advancements in scientific research have
50	demonstrated the benefits of early medical treatment for persons
51	who have Alzheimer's disease and the benefits of early access to
52	counseling and other support services for their caregivers, and
53	WHEREAS, research shows that several medications have been
54	developed which can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease,
55	that persons begin to benefit most when these medications are
56	taken in the early stages of a memory disorder, and that this
57	intervention may extend the period during which patients can be
58	cared for at home, thereby significantly reducing the costs of
59	institutional care, and
60	WHEREAS, with early diagnosis, patients can participate in
61	decisions regarding their care and their families can take
62	advantage of support services that can reduce caregiver
63	depression and related health problems, and
64	WHEREAS, in direct response to research breakthroughs,
65	National Memory Screening Day was established as a collaborative
66	effort by organizations and health care professionals across the
67	country to promote awareness and early detection of memory
68	impairments, and
69	WHEREAS, on National Memory Screening Day, which is held on
70	the third Tuesday of November in recognition of National
71	Alzheimer's Disease Month, health care professionals administer
72	free memory screenings at hundreds of sites throughout the
73	United States, and
74	WHEREAS, memory screening is used as an indicator of
75	whether a person might benefit from more extensive testing to
76	determine whether a memory or cognitive impairment exists and
77	identifies persons who may benefit from medical attention, but
78	is not used to diagnose any illness and in no way replaces
79	examination by a qualified physician, NOW, THEREFORE,
80
81	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
82
83	Section 1.  Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created
84	to read:
85	430.5025  Memory-impairment screening; grants.-
86	(1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall develop and
87	implement a public education program relating to screening for
88	memory impairment and the importance of early diagnosis and
89	treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
90	(2)  The department may award grants to qualifying entities
91	to support the development, expansion, or operation of programs
92	that provide:
93	(a)  Information and education on the importance of memory
94	screening for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's
95	disease and related disorders.
96	(b)  Screenings for memory impairment.
97	(3)  As used in this section, the term "qualifying
98	entities" means public and nonprofit private entities that
99	provide services and care to individuals who have Alzheimer's
100	disease or related disorders and their caregivers and families.
101	(4)  When awarding grants under this section, the
102	department shall give preference to applicants that:
103	(a)  Have demonstrated experience in promoting public
104	education and awareness of the importance of memory screening or
105	providing memory-screening services.
106	(b)  Have established arrangements with health care
107	providers and other organizations to provide screenings for
108	memory impairment in a manner that is convenient to individuals
109	in the communities served by the applicants.
110	(c)  Provide matching funds.
111	(5)  A qualifying entity that receives a grant under this
112	section shall submit to the department an evaluation that
113	describes activities carried out with funds received under this
114	section, the long-term effectiveness of such activities in
115	promoting early detection of memory impairment, and any other
116	information that the department requires.
117	(6)  The department may set aside an amount not to exceed
118	15 percent of the total amount appropriated to the memory-
119	impairment screening grant program for the fiscal year to
120	provide grantees with technical support in the development,
121	implementation, and evaluation of memory-impairment screening
122	programs.
123	(7)  A grant may be awarded under subsection (2) only if an
124	application for the grant is submitted to the department and the
125	application is in the form, is made in the manner, and contains
126	the agreements, assurances, and information that the department
127	determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this
128	section.
129	(8)  The department shall annually submit to the President
130	of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
131	report on the activities carried out under this section,
132	including provisions describing the extent to which the
133	activities have affected the rate of screening for memory
134	impairment and have improved outcomes for patients and
135	caregivers.
136	Section 2.  Implementation.-
137	(1)  Implementation of the public education program created
138	under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, shall operate within
139	existing resources of the Department of Elderly Affairs.
140	(2)  Implementation of the memory-impairment screening
141	grant program created under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is
142	contingent upon appropriation of state funds or the availability
143	of private resources.
144	Section 3.  Subsection (6) of section 400.1755, Florida
145	Statutes, is amended to read:
146	400.1755  Care for persons with Alzheimer's disease or
147	related disorders.-
148	(6)  Upon completing any training listed in this section,
149	the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
150	that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
151	covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
152	The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
153	identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
154	required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
155	direct caregiver changes employment to a different facility or
156	to an assisted living facility, home health agency, adult day
157	care center, or hospice adult family-care home. The direct
158	caregiver must comply with other applicable continuing education
159	requirements.
160	Section 4.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
161	400.6045, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
162	400.6045  Patients with Alzheimer's disease or other
163	related disorders; staff training requirements; certain
164	disclosures.-
165	(1)  A hospice licensed under this part must provide the
166	following staff training:
167	(h)  Upon completing any training described in this
168	section, the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a
169	certificate that includes the name of the training provider, the
170	topic covered, and the date and signature of the training
171	provider. The certificate is evidence of completion of training
172	in the identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is
173	not required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
174	direct caregiver changes employment to a different hospice or to
175	a home health agency, assisted living facility, nursing home, or
176	adult day care center. The direct caregiver must comply with
177	other applicable continuing education requirements.
178	Section 5.  Subsection (4) of section 429.178, Florida
179	Statutes, is amended to read:
180	429.178  Special care for persons with Alzheimer's disease
181	or other related disorders.-
182	(4)  Upon completing any training listed in subsection (2),
183	the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
184	that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
185	covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
186	The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
187	identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
188	required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
189	direct caregiver changes employment to a different assisted
190	living facility or nursing home, hospice, adult day care center,
191	or home health agency facility. The employee or direct caregiver
192	must comply with other applicable continuing education
193	requirements.
194	Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

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