HB 705

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to Alzheimer's disease; creating s.
3	430.5025, F.S.; directing the Department of Elderly
4	Affairs to develop and implement a public education
5	program relating to screening for Alzheimer's disease;
6	providing criteria for awarding grants; providing a
7	definition; requiring grant recipients to submit an
8	evaluation of certain activities to the department;
9	authorizing the department to provide technical support;
10	requiring an annual report to the Legislature; requiring
11	the department to conduct or support a study on memory-
12	impairment screening; requiring a report to the
13	Legislature; providing for implementation of the public
14	education program to operate within existing resources of
15	the department; providing that implementation of the
16	memory-impairment screening grant program is contingent
17	upon an appropriation of state funds or the availability
18	of private resources; providing for implementation of the
19	screening study on memory impairment to operate within
20	existing resources of the department; amending s.
21	400.1755, F.S.; specifying the types of facilities where
22	an employee or direct caregiver of an assisted living
23	facility may begin employment without repeating certain
24	training requirements; amending s. 400.6045, F.S.;
25	requiring direct caregivers to comply with certain
26	continuing education requirements; amending s. 429.178,
27	F.S.; specifying the types of facilities where an employee
28	or direct caregiver of an assisted living facility may
29	begin employment without repeating certain training
30	requirements; providing an effective date.
31
32	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a slow, progressive
33	disorder of the brain which results in loss of memory and other
34	cognitive functions, is the eighth leading cause of death in the
35	United States, and currently affects an estimated 5 million
36	Americans, with that number expected to increase to 16 million
37	by mid-century, and
38	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease strikes approximately 1 in 10
39	people over the age of 65 and nearly half of those who are age
40	85 or older, although some people develop symptoms as young as
41	age 40, and
42	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
43	family members who are the caregivers for individuals having the
44	disease, and
45	WHEREAS, caregivers for individuals who have Alzheimer's
46	disease suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than
47	caregivers for individuals who have other illnesses, and
48	WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease costs United States businesses
49	more than $60 billion annually due to lost productivity and
50	absenteeism by primary caregivers and increased insurance costs,
51	and
52	WHEREAS, recent advancements in scientific research have
53	demonstrated the benefits of early medical treatment for persons
54	who have Alzheimer's disease and the benefits of early access to
55	counseling and other support services for their caregivers, and
56	WHEREAS, research shows that several medications have been
57	developed which can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease,
58	that persons begin to benefit most when these medications are
59	taken in the early stages of a memory disorder, and that this
60	intervention may extend the period during which patients can be
61	cared for at home, thereby significantly reducing the costs of
62	institutional care, and
63	WHEREAS, with early diagnosis, patients can participate in
64	decisions regarding their care and their families can take
65	advantage of support services that can reduce caregiver
66	depression and related health problems, and
67	WHEREAS, in direct response to research breakthroughs,
68	National Memory Screening Day was established as a collaborative
69	effort by organizations and health care professionals across the
70	country to promote awareness and early detection of memory
71	impairments, and
72	WHEREAS, on National Memory Screening Day, which is held on
73	the third Tuesday of November in recognition of National
74	Alzheimer's Disease Month, health care professionals administer
75	free memory screenings at hundreds of sites throughout the
76	United States, and
77	WHEREAS, memory screening is used as an indicator of
78	whether a person might benefit from more extensive testing to
79	determine whether a memory or cognitive impairment exists and
80	identifies persons who may benefit from medical attention, but
81	is not used to diagnose any illness and in no way replaces
82	examination by a qualified physician, NOW, THEREFORE,
83
84	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
85
86	Section 1.  Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created
87	to read:
88	430.5025  Memory-impairment screening; grants.-
89	(1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall develop and
90	implement a public education program relating to screening for
91	memory impairment and the importance of early diagnosis and
92	treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
93	(2)  The department may award grants to qualifying entities
94	to support the development, expansion, or operation of programs
95	that provide:
96	(a)  Information and education on the importance of memory
97	screening for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's
98	disease and related disorders.
99	(b)  Screenings for memory impairment.
100	(3)  As used in this section, the term "qualifying
101	entities" means public and nonprofit private entities that
102	provide services and care to individuals who have Alzheimer's
103	disease or related disorders and their caregivers and families.
104	(4)  When awarding grants under this section, the
105	department shall give preference to applicants that:
106	(a)  Have demonstrated experience in promoting public
107	education and awareness of the importance of memory screening or
108	providing memory-screening services.
109	(b)  Have established arrangements with health care
110	providers and other organizations to provide screenings for
111	memory impairment in a manner that is convenient to individuals
112	in the communities served by the applicants.
113	(c)  Provide matching funds.
114	(5)  A qualifying entity that receives a grant under this
115	section shall submit to the department an evaluation that
116	describes activities carried out with funds received under this
117	section, the long-term effectiveness of such activities in
118	promoting early detection of memory impairment, and any other
119	information that the department requires.
120	(6)  The department may set aside an amount not to exceed
121	15 percent of the total amount appropriated to the memory-
122	impairment screening grant program for the fiscal year to
123	provide grantees with technical support in the development,
124	implementation, and evaluation of memory-impairment screening
125	programs.
126	(7)  A grant may be awarded under subsection (2) only if an
127	application for the grant is submitted to the department and the
128	application is in the form, is made in the manner, and contains
129	the agreements, assurances, and information that the department
130	determines are necessary to carry out the purposes of this
131	section.
132	(8)  The department shall annually submit to the President
133	of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
134	report on the activities carried out under this section,
135	including provisions describing the extent to which the
136	activities have affected the rate of screening for memory
137	impairment and have improved outcomes for patients and
138	caregivers.
139	Section 2.  Study on screening for memory impairment.-
140	(1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall conduct or
141	provide support for a study on screening for memory impairment.
142	The study shall analyze scientific evidence regarding techniques
143	for memory screening, assess the availability of memory
144	screening on a nationwide basis, and identify strategies to
145	expand memory-screening services through public-private
146	partnerships to improve outcomes for patients and caregivers.
147	(2)  The department shall, by July 1, 2011, prepare and
148	submit to the relevant substantive committees of the Senate and
149	the House of Representatives a report that describes the results
150	of the study conducted under this section. The report shall
151	include specific recommendations to increase awareness of the
152	importance of early detection of memory impairment and to
153	improve access to memory-screening services nationwide by
154	supporting and expanding existing memory-screening efforts in
155	the private sector.
156	Section 3.  Implementation.-
157	(1)  Implementation of the public education program created
158	under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, shall operate within
159	existing resources of the Department of Elderly Affairs.
160	(2)  Implementation of the memory-impairment screening
161	grant program created under s. 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is
162	contingent upon appropriation of state funds or the availability
163	of private resources.
164	(3)  Implementation of the study on screening for memory
165	impairment created under section 2 of this act shall operate
166	within existing resources of the Department of Elderly Affairs.
167	Section 4.  Subsection (6) of section 400.1755, Florida
168	Statutes, is amended to read:
169	400.1755  Care for persons with Alzheimer's disease or
170	related disorders.-
171	(6)  Upon completing any training listed in this section,
172	the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
173	that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
174	covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
175	The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
176	identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
177	required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
178	direct caregiver changes employment to a different facility or
179	to an assisted living facility, home health agency, adult day
180	care center, or hospice adult family-care home. The direct
181	caregiver must comply with other applicable continuing education
182	requirements.
183	Section 5.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
184	400.6045, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
185	400.6045  Patients with Alzheimer's disease or other
186	related disorders; staff training requirements; certain
187	disclosures.-
188	(1)  A hospice licensed under this part must provide the
189	following staff training:
190	(h)  Upon completing any training described in this
191	section, the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a
192	certificate that includes the name of the training provider, the
193	topic covered, and the date and signature of the training
194	provider. The certificate is evidence of completion of training
195	in the identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is
196	not required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
197	direct caregiver changes employment to a different hospice or to
198	a home health agency, assisted living facility, nursing home, or
199	adult day care center. The direct caregiver must comply with
200	other applicable continuing education requirements.
201	Section 6.  Subsection (4) of section 429.178, Florida
202	Statutes, is amended to read:
203	429.178  Special care for persons with Alzheimer's disease
204	or other related disorders.-
205	(4)  Upon completing any training listed in subsection (2),
206	the employee or direct caregiver shall be issued a certificate
207	that includes the name of the training provider, the topic
208	covered, and the date and signature of the training provider.
209	The certificate is evidence of completion of training in the
210	identified topic, and the employee or direct caregiver is not
211	required to repeat training in that topic if the employee or
212	direct caregiver changes employment to a different assisted
213	living facility or nursing home, hospice, adult day care center,
214	or home health agency facility. The employee or direct caregiver
215	must comply with other applicable continuing education
216	requirements.
217	Section 7.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.

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