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AB-1618 Alzheimer’s disease.(2021-2022)



Current Version: 06/13/22 - Amended Senate

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AB1618:v97#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  June 13, 2022
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 08, 2022

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1618

Introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Arambula, Low, Nazarian, and Nguyen)
(Coauthors: Senators Cortese, Limón, Newman, and Ochoa Bogh)

January 06, 2022

An act to amend Section 1568.17 of, and to add Section 125270 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to Alzheimer’s disease.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1618, as amended, Aguiar-Curry. Alzheimer’s disease.
Existing law authorizes any postsecondary higher educational institution with a medical center to establish diagnostic and treatment centers for Alzheimer’s disease, and requires the State Department of Public Health to administer grants to the postsecondary higher educational institutions that establish a center pursuant to these provisions.
This bill would require the department to establish the Office of the Healthy Brain Initiative to conduct all department activities relating to Alzheimer’s disease and to implement the action agenda items in the Healthy Brain Initiative, as defined. The bill would also, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the office to establish a program in at least 10 local health jurisdictions, as specified, and award participating local health jurisdictions one-time grant funding, to develop local initiatives that are consistent with the Healthy Brain Initiative. The bill would require the office to conduct an evaluation of the program and produce a report describing best practices and making recommendations regarding which solutions and innovations are most feasible to replicate. The bill would require the office to provide a copy of the report to the Legislature by December 31, 2025, and to provide an updated copy of the report to the Legislature every 3 years thereafter.
Existing law requires the Secretary of California Health and Human Services to be responsible for oversight and coordination of programs serving people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, and their families. Existing law establishes the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee in the California Health and Human Services Agency, and specifies that the committee consists of 14 members, including, among others, one member who represents a consumer organization representing persons with Alzheimer’s disease. disease, and 2 people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, serving one-year terms.
This bill would, in the provisions governing the committee, revise references to Alzheimer’s disease to also refer to related disorders. The bill would also expand the membership of the committee to 20 at least 21, but not more than 25, members and would specify that the additional members include a 2nd member representing a consumer organization representing persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, one member who represents first responders, one commissioner from the California Commission on Aging who has expertise regarding Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, one member who represents primary care physicians, one member representing local health jurisdictions, and 2 ex officio, nonvoting members, one of which is a Member of the Assembly and one of which is a Senator. The bill would remove the requirement that the 2 members who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders serve a one-year term.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 1568.17 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

1568.17.
 (a) The California Health and Human Services Agency shall establish an Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee consisting of 20 members selected as follows: that reflects the diversity of California and that consists of at least 21, but not more than 25, members, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) One representing the field of academic medical research.
(2) One representing the field of social research.
(3) One representing the field of mental health.
(4) One representing the Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders day care resource centers.
(5) One representing the Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders diagnostic and treatment centers.
(6) One representing local health jurisdictions.

(6)

(7) Two representing families of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders.

(7)

(8) Two representing organizations providing services to persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders patients. disorders.

(8)

(9) Two representing a consumer organization representing persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders.

(9)

(10) One representing a member of the State Bar who is familiar with the legal issues confronting those living with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders and their families.

(10)

(11) Two people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder to serve one-year terms. disorder.

(11)

(12) One representing first responders.

(12)

(13) One commissioner from the California Commission on Aging who has expertise regarding Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders.

(13)

(14) One representing primary care physicians.

(14)

(15) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services or their designee.

(15)

(16) Two ex officio, nonvoting members, one Senator appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one Member of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. These members shall participate in the activities of the committee to the extent that their participation is not incompatible with their respective positions as Members of the Legislature.
(b) Members described in paragraphs (1) to (14), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of California Health and Human Services. Members described in paragraph (15) (16) of subdivision (a) shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority. The agency secretary may establish fixed terms for advisory committee membership. For purposes of continuity, those terms shall be staggered.
(c) Members shall serve without compensation, but shall receive reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of their official duties.
(d) The Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee shall do all of the following:
(1) Provide ongoing advice and assistance to the administration and the Legislature as to the program needs and priorities of the target population.
(2) Provide planning support to the administration and the Legislature by updating recommendations of the 1987 California Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force Report and regularly reviewing and updating recommendations as needed.
(3) Appoint a chairperson and vice chairperson.
(4) Meet quarterly.
(e) The Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee shall do all of the following when making policy and plan recommendations:
(1) Consult with a broad range of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, family members or informal caregivers, community-based and institutional providers, Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders researchers and academicians, formal caregivers, the Alzheimer’s Association, the California Commission on Aging, and other state entities.
(2) Consider the recommendations of other state plans, including, but not limited to, the Olmstead Plan, the Long-Range Strategic Plan on Aging, and the California Department of Aging’s State Plan on Aging.
(3) Consider cultural and linguistic factors that impact persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders and their families who are from diverse populations.
(4) Review current state policies and practices concerning care and treatment related to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia disorders, and develop recommendations concerning all of the following issues:
(A) Community-based support for California’s diverse people with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders and their family members. members or informal caregivers.
(B) Choices for care and residence for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders and their families.
(C) An integrated public health care management approach to Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders in health care settings that makes full use of dementia care practices.
(D) The dementia competence of health care professionals.
(E) Early identification and intervention through increasing public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
(f)  All meetings of the advisory committee, and any subcommittees thereof, shall be open to the public and adequate notice shall be provided in accordance with Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SEC. 2.

 Section 125270 is added to the Health and Safety Code, immediately preceding Section 125275, to read:

125270.
 (a) (1) In order to plan and prepare for a historic increase in the population affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, the department shall establish the Office of the Healthy Brain Initiative.
(2) The office shall be responsible for all department activities and programs related to Alzheimer’s disease.
(3) The office shall implement the action agenda items identified in the Healthy Brain Initiative, and notify the Legislature annually about activities conducted pursuant to this paragraph.
(b) (1) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the office shall operate a program in at least 10 local health jurisdictions to develop local initiatives consistent with the Healthy Brain Initiative. Local health jurisdictions selected for the program shall include up to two rural local health jurisdictions and at least one coastal local health jurisdiction. The office shall provide one-time grant funding to local health jurisdictions to assist in local planning and preparation in one or more of the following areas:
(A) Education and empowerment of the public with regard to brain health and cognitive aging.
(B) Mobilizing public and private partnerships to engage local stakeholders in effective community-based interventions and best practices.
(C) Ensuring a competent workforce by strengthening the knowledge, skills, and abilities of health care professionals who deliver care and services to people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and their family caregivers.
(D) Monitoring data and evaluating programs to contribute to evidence-based practice.
(2) The office shall establish a competitive request for application process through which a local health jurisdiction may apply to participate in the program operated pursuant to paragraph (1) and receive grant funding. A local health jurisdiction that is selected to participate in the program shall incorporate all of the following fundamental planning principles:
(A) Eliminating health disparities.
(B) Collaborating across multiple sectors.
(C) Leveraging public and private resources for sustained impact.
(3) (A) The office shall conduct an evaluation of the community-based solutions and innovations implemented by each local health jurisdiction and produce a consolidated report describing best practices and making recommendations regarding which solutions and innovations are most feasible to replicate. The office shall provide a copy of the report to the Legislature by December 31, 2025, and shall provide an updated copy of the report to the Legislature every three years thereafter.
(B) A report to be submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(c) For the purposes of this section, “Healthy Brain Initiative” means the report “Healthy Brain Initiative: State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia, The 2018-2023 Road Map,” published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.