Alzheimer's Association State Report Details Legislative Actions; Support For Research, Long Term Care Among Key Successes 2/1/2002
From: Scott Treibitz for the Alzheimer's Association, 703-276-2772 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 -- Alzheimer public policy advocates scored victories in the 2001 state legislative process in key areas of research, long term care, nursing home staffing, and home and community based services. These legislative gains are described in a newly released state policy clearinghouse report, State Review 2001, produced annually by the Alzheimer's Association. The report details public policy efforts from across the country -- largely the work of the association's national chapter network -- for use by Alzheimer advocates preparing for the next legislative session through the exchange of details of state actions. Alzheimer advocacy efforts throughout the country ultimately proved successful as advocates reported working on 260 bills and one regulation. "Our advocates faced a particularly tough year in 2001 amidst an environment of transition to a new federal administration, tightened state budgets and a focus on a wide range of issues from election reform, welfare reform, and various education and health issues," said Bonnie Hogue, director of Federal and State Policy Issues at the Alzheimer's Association. "The legislative victories we see at the state level are a clear sign that lawmakers understand the growing crisis and challenges that this disease presents us with." Key highlights include: -- Arizona. House Bill 2595 appropriates an additional $1 million per year for Alzheimer research. -- Illinois. Senate Bill 286 requires the Public Health Director appoint a Dementia Patient Care Advisory Committee to study care and staffing for dementia residents in long term care facilities and submit recommendations to the director by April 15, 2002. -- Texas. The state allocated an additional $600,000 to the Community Alzheimer Resource and Education (CARE) program, a partnership between the state of Texas and the Alzheimer's Association Coalition of Texas dedicated to educating the public about Alzheimer's. -- Indiana. The adoption of House Resolution 1001 increases funding for the Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled (CHOICE) program by $6 million per year. -- North Dakota. Adoption of House Resolution 1012 calls for the state to determine requirements for acceptance of federal family caregiver funds including allowable uses, maintenance of effort, and future funding projections. -- Georgia. House Resolution 275 urges the Department of Community Health, as part of its reimbursement methodology, to provide incentives and, where appropriate, wage pass-throughs to nursing homes for the purposes of increasing staff levels above minimum requirements. The resolution also urges the department to provide incentives to help facilities recruit, train and retain direct-care staff. -- Oregon. Senate Bill 512 directs the Senior and Disabled Services Division to establish a demonstration project for regulating nursing homes. The legislation appropriates money from the General Fund to the Senior and Disabled Services Division for the project and creates an additional two-year licensing fee to be used by the division to fund the project. -- Maine. House Resolution 653 directs the Department of Human Services to develop assisted living services programs at six sites and establishes a commission to study assisted living options in order for the state to ascertain residential and assisted living residential and service program needs of the growing elderly and disabled populations. -- California. Assembly Bill 1347 established staff training and education requirements for skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities that advertise or promote special care, special programming or special environments for people with Alzheimer's or related dementias. --- Editor's Note: Contact Scott Treibitz at 703-276-2772 for copies of the report |