SENATE DOCKET, NO. 921        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 295

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patricia D. Jehlen

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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.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera

10th Hampden

Robert L. Hedlund

Plymouth and Norfolk

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

Bruce J. Ayers

1st Norfolk

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

Katherine M. Clark

Fifth Middlesex

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 921        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 295

By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 295) of Patricia D. Jehlen, Colleen M. Garry, Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera, Robert L. Hedlund and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Acute Care Advisory Committee.  Elder Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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. 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 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.