Bill Text: NY S06504 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Establishes an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-07 - returned to senate [S06504 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S06504-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6504

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                     April 24, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  CHU  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

        AN ACT to amend the public health 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 public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
     2  2701-a to read as follows:
     3    §  2701-a. Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program. 1.  The
     4  department, in consultation with the office for  the  aging,  is  hereby
     5  authorized and directed to establish an Alzheimer's disease outreach and
     6  education  program  for medical and non-medical professionals, including
     7  physicians,  nurses,  law  enforcement  personnel  and  social  services
     8  personnel  who  work  with older New Yorkers and their families, and for
     9  consumers, caregivers and other individuals  and  organizations  working
    10  with or on behalf of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related demen-
    11  tia. The purpose of such 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.
                                                                   LBD07669-01-3
        S. 6504                             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.  In  order  to  develop  materials  mentioned  in this section, the
     9  department shall produce, make available to others for reproduction,  or
    10  contract  with  not-for-profit  corporations whose primary purpose is to
    11  provide family intervention services related to Alzheimer's disease on a
    12  statewide basis in order to postpone or prevent nursing home  placements
    13  of  individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia.  These mate-
    14  rials shall be made available to the public free of charge as  appropri-
    15  ate  or  for  a  fee  under  certain circumstances. The commissioner may
    16  require any health care provider to make these  materials  available  to
    17  patients  where  appropriate  and encourage non-medical professionals to
    18  make them available to the clients they serve.
    19    4. In exercising any of his or her  powers  under  this  section,  the
    20  commissioner  shall  consult  with appropriate health care professionals
    21  and providers,  senior  service  providers,  organizations  representing
    22  persons  with  dementia or cognitive impairments, consumers and patients
    23  or organizations representing them.
    24    5. The commissioner shall ensure that all  information  and  materials
    25  produced  under  this section are maintained and updated to reflect best
    26  practice recommendations and are culturally and linguistically appropri-
    27  ate for the communities served by the Alzheimer's disease  outreach  and
    28  education  program.  The  department  shall  post  electronic  copies of
    29  outreach material, including best practices, on its website. The  office
    30  for the aging shall post the same information on its website.
    31    6.  The commissioner may appoint advisory councils relating to various
    32  matters under this section. All such councils  shall  include  represen-
    33  tation  of  health care professionals, providers, senior service provid-
    34  ers, organizations  representing  persons  with  dementia  or  cognitive
    35  impairments,  consumers,  patients  and other appropriate interests. The
    36  members  of  the  councils  shall  receive  no  compensation  for  their
    37  services,  but  shall  be  allowed  their  actual and necessary expenses
    38  incurred in performance of their duties.
    39    7. In addition to state funds appropriated to administer this section,
    40  the commissioner may accept grants from public or private  sources.  The
    41  commissioner,  in  administering  this section, shall seek to coordinate
    42  the department's programs and activities under this section  with  other
    43  public  and  private  programs,  and  may undertake joint or cooperative
    44  programs with other public or private entities.
    45    8. The commissioner may  make  rules  and  regulations  necessary  and
    46  appropriate for the implementation of this section.
    47    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.