Senate Human Services Committee advances bill updating dementia care services program

The Senate Human Services Committee on Monday advanced Senate Bill 2140, a Department of Health and Human Services-requested update to the state's dementia care services authorizing statute.

Supporters, including the Alzheimer's Association and state adult and aging services staff, told the committee the bill revises definitions and program language that date to 2009 to reflect current diagnostic tools, biomarker testing and the growing understanding that Alzheimer's disease exists on a continuum rather than appearing only in late stages.

Melanie Gaby, North Dakota policy director for the Alzheimer's Association, told the committee the changes are technical and do not alter the program's purpose. "We now have the ability to accurately diagnose Alzheimer's disease through a combination of standard cognitive exams, biomarker testing, and amyloid PET scans," Gaby said. "This understanding is the reason we propose removing the definition of dementia and replacing it with a definition of who…