HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1582        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 540

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Christine E. Canavan and Garrett J. Bradley

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the Massachusetts Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Christine E. Canavan

10th Plymouth

1/17/2013

Garrett J. Bradley

3rd Plymouth

1/18/2013

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

2/1/2013

Bruce J. Ayers

1st Norfolk

1/31/2013

John J. Binienda

17th Worcester

1/30/2013

Michael D. Brady

9th Plymouth

1/28/2013

Katherine M. Clark

Fifth Middlesex

2/1/2013

Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera

10th Hampden

2/1/2013

Claire D. Cronin

11th Plymouth

1/30/2013

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

2/1/2013

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/31/2013

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/31/2013

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/1/2013

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

2/1/2013

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

1/31/2013


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1582        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 540

By Representatives Canavan of Brockton and Bradley of Hingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 540) of Christine E. Canavan and others for legislation to establish the Massachusetts Alzheimer's and related dementias acute care advisory committee.  Elder Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act relative to the Massachusetts Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Acute Care and Dementia Act

(a) Whereas The deferred operation of this Act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is forthwith to provide strategy to ensure dementia-capable care  in all acute care settings in the Commonwealth, therefore, given the increasing number of individuals with dementia, it is hereby declared to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health.

(b) The purpose of the Act is to create the Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee, convened upon the order of the state legislature by the Department of Public Health.  The Acute Care Advisory Committee shall:

(1) Craft a strategy to address dementia-capable care in all acute care settings in the Commonwealth;

(2) be responsible for presentation of  strategy to the state legislature and all pertinent state agencies and departments  and  participation  in implementing said strategy;

(3) help to ensure acute care settings are dementia-capable, as defined in Appendix 1,with Alzheimer’s and related dementias;

(4) coordinate with federal government bodies to integrate and inform  dementia-capable care  in acute care settings, and

(5) provide information and coordination of Alzheimer’s and related dementia care in acute care settings across all state agencies.

SECTION 2. Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Advisory Committee. 

(1) There is established in the Acute Care and Dementia Act the Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Advisory Committee’’)

(2) Membership.

(A) The Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee shall comprise the following:

(i) A designee of the secretary of health and human services;

(ii) A designee of the secretary of elder affairs;

(iii) A designee of the commissioner of the department of public health;

(iv) A designee of the secretary of veteran’s affairs;

(v) A designee of MassHealth;

(vi) 2 Alzheimer patient advocates;

(vii) 2 Alzheimer caregivers;

(viii) 2 health care providers from acute care settings;

(ix) 2 researchers with Alzheimer-related expertise in basic, translational, clinical, or drug development science; 

(x) 2 designees of the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire Chapter; and

(xi) 2 designees of the Massachusetts Hospitals Association;

(3) The Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee shall meet within 90 days of this bill’s passage and a minimum three times over the six month period said Advisory Committee exists.

(4) The Advisory Committee shall advise the state legislature on Alzheimer’s and related dementia policy in acute care settings and provide a written report to both the state legislature and Governor of the Commonwealth and all other pertinent state agencies within 9 months of the Advisory Committee’s first meeting.

5) The Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee shall sunset upon completion of strategic plan and its delivery to the state legislature and office of the Governor and all other pertinent state agencies.

Appendix 1

Definition of Acute Care Setting: An acute care setting is a setting where patients receive short-term medical treatment  for acute illnesses or injury, or to recover from surgery. In this setting, medical and nursing personnel administer the care required to help restore a patient back to health

Definition of Dementia- Capable Care