HB 491

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to Alzheimer's disease; creating s.
3430.5025, F.S.; directing the Department of Elderly
4Affairs to develop and implement a public education
5program relating to screening for Alzheimer's disease;
6providing criteria for awarding grants; providing a
7definition; requiring grant recipients to submit an
8evaluation of certain activities to the department;
9authorizing the department to provide technical support;
10requiring an annual report to the Legislature; providing
11for implementation of the public education program to
12operate within existing resources of the department;
13providing that implementation of the memory-impairment
14screening grant program is contingent upon an
15appropriation of state funds or the availability of
16private resources; amending s. 400.1755, F.S.; specifying
17the types of facilities where an employee or direct
18caregiver providing care for persons with Alzheimer's
19disease may begin employment without repeating certain
20training requirements; amending s. 400.6045, F.S.;
21requiring direct caregivers to comply with certain
22continuing education requirements; amending s. 429.178,
23F.S.; specifying the types of facilities where an employee
24or direct caregiver providing care for persons with
25Alzheimer's disease may begin employment without repeating
26certain training requirements; providing an effective
27date.
28
29     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a slow, progressive
30disorder of the brain which results in loss of memory and other
31cognitive functions, is the eighth leading cause of death in the
32United States, and currently affects an estimated 5 million
33Americans, with that number expected to increase to 16 million
34by mid-century, and
35     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease strikes approximately 1 in 10
36people over the age of 65 and nearly half of those who are age
3785 or older, although some people develop symptoms as young as
38age 40, and
39     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
40family members who are the caregivers for individuals having the
41disease, and
42     WHEREAS, caregivers for individuals who have Alzheimer's
43disease suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than
44caregivers for individuals who have other illnesses, and
45     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease costs United States businesses
46more than $60 billion annually due to lost productivity and
47absenteeism by primary caregivers and increased insurance costs,
48and
49     WHEREAS, recent advancements in scientific research have
50demonstrated the benefits of early medical treatment for persons
51who have Alzheimer's disease and the benefits of early access to
52counseling and other support services for their caregivers, and
53     WHEREAS, research shows that several medications have been
54developed which can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease,
55that persons begin to benefit most when these medications are
56taken in the early stages of a memory disorder, and that this
57intervention may extend the period during which patients can be
58cared for at home, thereby significantly reducing the costs of
59institutional care, and
60     WHEREAS, with early diagnosis, patients can participate in
61decisions regarding their care and their families can take
62advantage of support services that can reduce caregiver
63depression and related health problems, and
64     WHEREAS, in direct response to research breakthroughs,
65National Memory Screening Day was established as a collaborative
66effort by organizations and health care professionals across the
67country to promote awareness and early detection of memory
68impairments, and
69     WHEREAS, on National Memory Screening Day, which is held on
70the third Tuesday of November in recognition of National
71Alzheimer's Disease Month, health care professionals administer
72free memory screenings at hundreds of sites throughout the
73United States, and
74     WHEREAS, memory screening is used as an indicator of
75whether a person might benefit from more extensive testing to
76determine whether a memory or cognitive impairment exists and
77identifies persons who may benefit from medical attention, but
78is not used to diagnose any illness and in no way replaces
79examination by a qualified physician, NOW, THEREFORE,
80
81Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
82
83     Section 1.  Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created
84to read:
85     430.5025  Memory-impairment screening; grants.-
86     (1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall develop and
87implement a public education program relating to screening for
88memory impairment and the importance of early diagnosis and
89treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
90     (2)  The department may award grants to qualifying entities
91to support the development, expansion, or operation of programs
92that provide:
93     (a)  Information and education on the importance of memory
94screening for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's
95disease and related disorders.
96     (b)  Screenings for memory impairment.
97     (3)  As used in this section, the term "qualifying
98entities" means public and nonprofit private entities that
99provide services and care to individuals who have Alzheimer's
100disease or related disorders and their caregivers and families.
101     (4)  When awarding grants under this section, the
102department shall give preference to applicants that:
103     (a)  Have demonstrated experience in promoting public
104education and awareness of the importance of memory screening or
105providing memory-screening services.
106     (b)  Have established arrangements with health care
107providers and other organizations to provide screenings for
108memory impairment in a manner that is convenient to individuals
109in the communities served by the applicants.
110     (c)  Provide matching funds.
111     (5)  A qualifying entity that receives a grant under this
112section shall submit to the department an evaluation that
113describes activities carried out with funds received under this
114section, the long-term effectiveness of such activities in
115promoting early detection of memory impairment, and any other
116information that the department requires.
117     (6)  The department may set aside an amount not to exceed
11815 percent of the total amount appropriated to the memory-
119impairment screening grant program for the fiscal year to
120provide grantees with technical support in the development,
121implementation, and evaluation of memory-impairment screening
122programs.
123     (7)  A grant may be awarded under subsection (2) only if an
124application for the grant is submitted to the department and the
125application is in the form, is made in the manner, and contains
126the agreements, assurances, and information that the department
127determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this
128section.
129     (8)  The department shall annually submit to the President
130of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
131report on the activities carried out under this section,
132including provisions describing the extent to which the
133activities have affected the rate of screening for memory
134impairment and have improved outcomes for patients and
135caregivers.
136     Section 2.  Implementation.-
137     (1)  Implementation of the public education program created
138under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, shall operate within
139existing resources of the Department of Elderly Affairs.
140     (2)  Implementation of the memory-impairment screening
141grant program created under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is
142contingent upon appropriation of state funds or the availability
143of private resources.
144     Section 3.  Subsection (6) of section 400.1755, Florida
145Statutes, is amended to read:
146     400.1755  Care for persons with Alzheimer's disease or
147related disorders.-
148     (6)  Upon completing any training listed in this section,
149the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
150that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
151covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
152The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
153identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
154required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
155direct caregiver changes employment to a different facility or
156to an assisted living facility, home health agency, adult day
157care center, or hospice adult family-care home. The direct
158caregiver must comply with other applicable continuing education
159requirements.
160     Section 4.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
161400.6045, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
162     400.6045  Patients with Alzheimer's disease or other
163related disorders; staff training requirements; certain
164disclosures.-
165     (1)  A hospice licensed under this part must provide the
166following staff training:
167     (h)  Upon completing any training described in this
168section, the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a
169certificate that includes the name of the training provider, the
170topic covered, and the date and signature of the training
171provider. The certificate is evidence of completion of training
172in the identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is
173not required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
174direct caregiver changes employment to a different hospice or to
175a home health agency, assisted living facility, nursing home, or
176adult day care center. The direct caregiver must comply with
177other applicable continuing education requirements.
178     Section 5.  Subsection (4) of section 429.178, Florida
179Statutes, is amended to read:
180     429.178  Special care for persons with Alzheimer's disease
181or other related disorders.-
182     (4)  Upon completing any training listed in subsection (2),
183the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
184that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
185covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
186The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
187identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
188required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
189direct caregiver changes employment to a different assisted
190living facility or nursing home, hospice, adult day care center,
191or home health agency facility. The employee or direct caregiver
192must comply with other applicable continuing education
193requirements.
194     Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.


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