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Committee OKs $1.5M Alzheimer’s awareness campaign through Department of Elder Affairs
Summary
The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services reported favorably on SB 398, which would create a statewide public-health awareness campaign on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias run by the Department of Elder Affairs and funded with a $1.5 million nonrecurring appropriation.
The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services reported favorably on Senate Bill 398 on a voice roll call, moving a proposal to create a statewide Alzheimer’s and dementia public-awareness campaign through the Department of Elder Affairs.
Sponsor Senator Ed Burgess said the bill would fund a public-health campaign to educate Floridians on signs, risk reduction and clinical-trial access, and target older adults and higher-risk populations. He told the committee Florida ranks second in the U.S. for Alzheimer’s cases, and estimated “over 580,000 Floridians” currently affected.
The bill designates a $1,500,000 nonrecurring appropriation to the Department of Elder Affairs for the campaign. Committee members raised no formal questions during the hearing; AARP registered an appearance in support. Vice Chair Davis and Senator Harrell both spoke in favor, with Harrell noting his service on a state advisory committee on Alzheimer’s and calling the bill “a very important next step.”
Committee procedure and next steps: the committee clerk called the roll and reported the bill favorably; the committee did not record amendments or a recorded division vote in the transcript. The bill text assigns the Department of Elder Affairs responsibility for program implementation, including public outreach, materials, and targeted messaging.
Why it matters: advocates and lawmakers framed the bill as an early-detection and resource-navigation effort aimed at reducing disparities in dementia care and connecting families to services.
No legal authorities beyond the Department of Elder Affairs or specific statute citations were mentioned in the hearing record.
Votes at a glance: the clerk reported SB 398 “reported favorably” following a roll call that recorded multiple “Yes” responses from committee members; the transcript closing line shows the committee moved the bill forward.
