Bill Text: NY S00225 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program for medical and non-medical professionals to promote earlier identification of Alzheimer's and to provide information and other assistance in finding community support for caregivers.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-05-08 - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE [S00225 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S00225-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 225 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 4, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sen. GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 224 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 224. Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program. 1. The 4 office, in consultation with the commissioner of health, is hereby 5 authorized and directed to establish an Alzheimer's disease outreach and 6 education program ("the program") for medical and non-medical profes- 7 sionals, including physicians, nurses, and social services personnel who 8 work with older New Yorkers and their families, and for consumers, care- 9 givers and other individuals and organizations working with or on behalf 10 of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. The purpose of 11 the program shall be to: 12 (a) promote earlier identification of dementia in health care facili- 13 ties including but not limited to hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and 14 assisted living facilities; 15 (b) provide information and assistance on where to find community 16 support services, including caregiver support groups and services, 17 respite, care management and to serve as a clearinghouse for related 18 information; and 19 (c) promote public awareness of and access to resources and informa- 20 tion concerning Alzheimer's disease and any other dementia related 21 matters that the commissioner and director of the office for the aging 22 deem appropriate. 23 2. The program shall include but shall not be limited to any of the 24 following elements: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD00968-01-7S. 225 2 1 (a) educational and informational materials in print, audio, visual, 2 electronic or other media; 3 (b) training curriculum including best practices for institutions of 4 higher learning and for ongoing in-service training; 5 (c) public service announcements and advertisements; and 6 (d) establishment of toll-free telephone hotlines and electronic 7 services to provide information. 8 3. The office shall produce, make available to others for reprod- 9 uction, or contract with others to develop materials mentioned in this 10 section as the director deems appropriate. These materials shall be made 11 available to the public free of charge as appropriate or for a fee under 12 certain circumstances. The director may request the commissioner of 13 health to require any health care provider to make these materials 14 available to patients where appropriate and encourage non-medical 15 professionals to make them available to the clients they serve. 16 4. In exercising any of his or her powers under this section, the 17 director shall consult with appropriate health care professionals and 18 providers, senior service providers, organizations representing persons 19 with dementia or cognitive impairments, consumers and patients or organ- 20 izations representing them. 21 5. The director shall ensure that all information and materials 22 produced under this section are maintained and updated to reflect best 23 practice recommendations and are culturally and linguistically appropri- 24 ate for the communities served by the Alzheimer's disease outreach and 25 education program. The office shall post electronic copies of outreach 26 material, including best practices, on its website. The department of 27 health shall post the same information on its website. 28 6. The director may appoint advisory councils relating to various 29 matters under this section. All such councils shall include represen- 30 tation of health care professionals, providers, senior service provid- 31 ers, organizations representing persons with dementia or cognitive 32 impairments, consumers, patients and other appropriate interests. The 33 members of the councils shall receive no compensation for their 34 services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 35 incurred in performance of their duties. 36 7. In addition to state funds appropriated under this section, the 37 director may accept grants from public or private sources. The director, 38 in administering this section, shall seek to coordinate programs and 39 activities under this section with other public and private programs, 40 and may undertake joint or cooperative programs with other public or 41 private entities. 42 8. The director may make rules and regulations necessary and appropri- 43 ate for implementation of this section. 44 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
