FILED ON: 10/11/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1882

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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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.(a) The department of public health shall convene an Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee.  The Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee shall consist of:

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 the Office of Medicaid;

(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;

(b) The Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee shall meet within 90 days of the effective date of this act and a minimum of three times.

SECTION 2.

(a) 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  participate  in implementing said strategy;

(3) help to ensure acute care settings are dementia-capable 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.

(b)The Advisory Committee shall advise the general court on Alzheimer’s and related dementia policy in acute care settings and make a written report to the general court and governor of the and all other pertinent state agencies within 9 months of the Advisory Committee’s first meeting.