HB 1241

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Florida Alzheimer's State Plan Task
3	Force; establishing the Florida Alzheimer's State Plan
4	Task Force within the Department of Elderly Affairs;
5	providing for membership; requiring the Department of
6	Elderly Affairs to provide administrative support;
7	requiring the task force to assess and make
8	recommendations on specified issues; requiring the task
9	force to gather feedback from the general public;
10	requiring the task force to submit a report to the
11	Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
12	the House of Representatives; providing for termination of
13	the task force; providing an effective date.
14
15	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a slow, progressive
16	disorder of the brain that results in loss of memory and other
17	cognitive functions and eventually death, and
18	WHEREAS, because Alzheimer's disease is accompanied by
19	memory loss, poor judgment, changes in personality and behavior,
20	and a tendency to wander, persons with this disease are at an
21	increased risk for accidental injury, getting lost, abuse,
22	neglect, and exploitation, and
23	WHEREAS, with 1 in 10 people in the country over the age of
24	65 and almost one in every two people in the country over the
25	age of 85 having Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia
26	disorder, the number of Floridians with Alzheimer's disease and
27	related dementia disorders has risen dramatically over the past
28	10 years, and today over 450,000 people in Florida are affected,
29	and
30	WHEREAS, the baby boom generation is entering the age of
31	greatest risk for Alzheimer's disease and by 2025 the number of
32	the baby boom generation population in Florida is expected to
33	double, and
34	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
35	loving family members, with an estimated 1 in 4 acting as
36	caregivers for each individual with the disease, and
37	WHEREAS, caregivers for persons with Alzheimer's disease
38	watch closely the deleterious effects of the disease and often
39	suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than
40	caregivers of people with other illnesses, and
41	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is considered to be early
42	onset if a person is younger than the age of 65 when symptoms
43	first appear, and early onset Alzheimer's disease can strike
44	persons as early as their 30s, 40s, and 50s, with new data
45	showing there may be half a million Americans under the age of
46	65 who have dementia or cognitive impairment at a level of
47	severity consistent with dementia, and
48	WHEREAS, the state needs to assess the current and future
49	impact of Alzheimer's disease on Floridians and state health
50	care systems, programs, and services to ensure an integrated,
51	comprehensive, coordinated, and current strategy to address the
52	needs of this growing segment of Florida's population, and
53	WHEREAS, currently, state programs, resources, information,
54	and services serving this population are fragmented, NOW,
55	THEREFORE,
56
57	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
58
59	Section 1.  There is established the Florida Alzheimer's
60	State Plan Task Force within the Department of Elderly Affairs.
61	The Florida Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force shall consist of
62	19 volunteer members, including, but not limited to, the chair
63	of the House of Representatives Healthcare Council, the chair of
64	the House of Representatives Committee on Healthy Seniors, the
65	chair of the Senate Social Responsibility Policy and Calendar
66	Committee, and the chair of the Senate Children, Families, and
67	Elder Affairs Committee; at least one person with Alzheimer's
68	disease; one caregiver of a person with Alzheimer's disease; a
69	representative of the nursing facility industry, a
70	representative of the assisted living industry, a representative
71	of the adult day services industry, a representative of the
72	health care provider industry, and a representative of the
73	Alzheimer's Association; a representative of the Alzheimer's
74	Disease Advisory Committee; and the secretary of the Department
75	of Elderly Affairs or a designee, the Director of the Agency for
76	Health Care Administration or a designee, the secretary of the
77	Department of Children and Families or a designee, and the
78	secretary of Department of Health or a designee.
79	Section 2.  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall convene
80	and provide necessary administrative support to the Florida
81	Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force.
82	Section 3.  The Florida Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force
83	is directed to assess the current and future impact of
84	Alzheimer's disease and related dementia disorders on state
85	residents; examine the existing industries, services, and
86	resources addressing the needs of persons with Alzheimer's
87	disease or related dementia disorders and their families and
88	caregivers; and develop recommendations and strategies to
89	mobilize a state response to this public health crisis.
90	Section 4.  The Florida Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force
91	shall include an examination of the following in its assessment
92	and recommendations:
93	(1)  Trends and needs of state population with Alzheimer's
94	disease, including the state population with Alzheimer's-related
95	dementia disorders, including, but not limited to:
96	(a)  The state's role in long-term care, family caregiver
97	support, and assistance to persons with early stage and early
98	onset of Alzheimer's disease or related dementia disorders.
99	(b)  The state's policy regarding persons with Alzheimer's
100	disease or related dementia disorders.
101	(2)  Existing services, resources, and capacity, including,
102	but not limited to, the:
103	(a)  Type, cost, and availability of services to persons
104	with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia disorders.
105	(b)  Quality care measures for residential care facilities.
106	(c)  Capacity of public safety and law enforcement to
107	respond to persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia
108	disorders.
109	(d)  Availability of home-based and community-based
110	resources for persons with Alzheimer's disease or related
111	dementia disorders and respite care to assist families.
112	(e)  Inventory of long-term care dementia care units.
113	(f)  Adequacy and appropriateness of geriatric-psychiatric
114	units for persons with behavior disorders associated with
115	Alzheimer's disease and related dementia disorders.
116	(g)  Assisted-living residential options for persons with
117	Alzheimer's disease or related dementia disorders.
118	(3)  Needed state policies or responses, including, but not
119	limited to, directions for the provision of clear and
120	coordinated services and support to persons and families living
121	with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia disorders and
122	strategies to address identified gaps in services.
123	Section 5.  The Florida Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force
124	is directed to hold public meetings and utilize technological
125	means, such as webcasts, to gather feedback on the
126	recommendations from persons and families affected by
127	Alzheimer's disease and related dementia disorders and the
128	general public.
129	Section 6.  The Florida Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force
130	is directed to submit a report of its findings and date-specific
131	recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
132	and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the form of a
133	State Alzheimer's Plan no later than January 1, 2008.
134	Section 7.  The Florida State Alzheimer's Plan Task Force
135	shall terminate upon delivery of the State Alzheimer's Plan to
136	the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
137	the House of Representatives.
138	Section 8.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

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