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Department on Aging funded for 10 dementia care specialists; two hired, agency plans hires by June
Summary
The Department on Aging told a Senate oversight panel it was funded for 10 dementia care specialists to expand outreach and caregiver training, has hired two so far and plans to place the remainder in communities by June to provide local dementia services and training.
Connie Munn, director of the South Carolina Department on Aging, told a Senate oversight hearing the legislature funded 10 dementia care specialist (DCS) positions to expand services for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias; the department has hired two specialists and expects to fill the remaining positions by June.
Munn said a pilot dementia care specialist had been funded earlier through a public‑health grant and served statewide; that pilot generated training and outreach materials, including an online "Dementia 101" caregiver course developed by the pilot specialist. "We were funded for 10," Munn said. "We have 2. We've hired 2." She added: "The plan is to have them all employed by June of this year," and described an emphasis on placing specialists in community locations such as libraries to build local relationships.
Committee members asked how caregivers and people with dementia will be informed about services. Munn said the newly funded specialists will perform outreach in communities, coordinate with Area Agencies on Aging and local partners, and use the pilot materials as part of standardized offerings. She said the Alzheimer's and dementia division — led by Jennifer Bruton — now houses the dementia program and that the legislature recently provided funding to stand up the 10 positions.
Lawmakers asked about the timeline and rollout. Munn said part of the hiring delay stems from establishing community partnerships and workspace arrangements (for example, local library boards approving use of space). She said the pilot position had operated for about two years before the legislative funding and that the pilot's statewide work informed the expansion plan.
Why it matters: The department reported that about 11% of the state's population age 65 and older are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, and senators said expanded local services and caregiver training are critical as the state's older population grows. Committee members asked the department for data about where small grants and the dementia care specialists' work would be spent so legislators can evaluate deployment and unmet need.
