GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

S                                                                                                                                                    D

SENATE BILL DRS35114-MGa-78*   (03/07)

Short Title:      Raise Awareness About Alzheimer's & Dementias.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Robinson, Barefoot, and Chaudhuri (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT appropriating funds to the department of health and human services, division of aging and adult services, for the implementation of certain recommendations of the task force on alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services, the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year and the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year. These funds shall be allocated to the Center of Outreach in Alzheimer's, Aging, and Community Health at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ("the Center"), to be used exclusively for the following purposes:

(1)        To utilize a lay‑health advisor model to develop evidence‑based workshops, support groups, and conferences designed to improve awareness, literacy, and knowledge about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in 20 counties of the State with the highest number of low‑income families, specifically targeting underserved and underrepresented populations and, in particular, those residing in rural areas of North Carolina. The Center shall develop culturally relevant, bilingual informational materials for distribution at these workshops, support groups, and conferences. The materials shall also be made available free of charge to the general public on the Center's and the Department of Public Health Service's Internet Web sites in a format that can be downloaded. In developing the training programs authorized by this subdivision, the Center shall consult with the Department of Health and Human Services and any other relevant State agencies to ensure that awareness activities are inclusive and engaging across all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and educational levels and is encouraged to work with faith‑based organizations to provide outreach to the community concerning brain health.

 (2)       To develop a comprehensive caregiver toolkit to assist families caring for a loved one affected by Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. The design of the caregiver toolkit must (i) be informed by data from families impacted by Alzheimer's disease or related dementias and (ii) address financial resources, legal planning, elder care, and care for the caregiver and provide guidance on local resources and resources specific to counties. The toolkit must be made available free of charge to the general public on the Department of Health and Human Service's Internet Web site in a format that can be downloaded.

(3)        To implement a "Connect the Family" project to increase awareness about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and to inform the community about resources available to assist families caring for a loved one affected by Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. As part of this project, the Center shall conduct a statewide caregiver's education conference to share up‑to‑date information on research as well as introduce the comprehensive caregiver toolkit described in subdivision (3) of this section. The conference shall be conducted in each of the 20 rural counties identified pursuant to subdivision (1) of this section, either remotely or in person.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2017.