Task force members push for permanent dementia services coordinator and public-awareness legislation

Members of a state Alzheimer's task force subcommittee discussed a package of policy proposals on Wednesday that would expand public awareness, make a temporary dementia services coordinator position permanent and create centralized resources for caregivers.

The subcommittee opened with Nathaniel White, the state director of the Alzheimer's Association, describing draft legislation the association plans to introduce. "The Alzheimer's Association is proposing legislation to really focus on public awareness," White said, adding the effort would partner with the Department of Public Health and the Department of Senior Services to target senior services and area agencies on aging.

Why it matters: Task force members said the proposals aim to improve early detection, link families to services and reduce barriers to care. Members repeatedly cited gaps in public knowledge, long waits for specialty appointments and variability in local services.

Discussion points clustered around several priorities. Members pressed to make the dementia services coordinator — a position currently funded through the BOLD grant — a permanent role inside the Department of Senior Services. A subcommittee member who chaired the meeting (identified in the record only as the subcommittee chair) said making the post permanent was “one of my top items,” and asked staff to add the proposal to the group's list of priorities.

A second recurring topic was a one-stop caregiver portal or hotline. Several participants recommended a combined website and an 800-number so older adults and their families could both find resources online and call for help. One member noted generational differences in access and recommended including an 800 number connected to the portal.

Members also discussed state bills intended to help pay for adult incontinence supplies. The transcript references Senate Bill 159 and House Bill 152 and a House draft identified as "1502," which members described as pending in committee. A state representative on the call said the diaper/incontinence measure could be a vehicle for immediate help if it moves through the legislature this session.

Training and outreach were another focus. Participants said first-responder dementia training and a dementia-sensitivity kit for emergency personnel have been piloted locally; the group discussed hosting virtual dementia tours for legislators and expanding continuing-education opportunities for nursing, pharmacy and social-work students.

Research and service-delivery models drew attention. Several members pointed to Georgia’s 2017 initiative — a tax-checkoff fund used to partner with academic centers and set up diagnostic clinics — as an example to study. Speakers also noted ongoing research at UAB, HudsonAlpha and other institutions and urged attention to federal research funding.

What was decided: The subcommittee took no formal votes during the meeting. Direction given included circulating the Alzheimer's Association's draft legislation to members, discussing the coordinator position with the governor's office, adding the coordinator proposal to the subcommittee's priority list, and continuing to pursue outreach and training events. Members asked staff to return with details and to coordinate with the BOLD grant administrators about whether the coordinator should transition from grant funding to a permanent state-funded post.

No formal outcomes or binding actions were recorded in the transcript.

Ending note: Members emphasized sustaining a coalition of public agencies, nonprofit partners and academic centers to maintain progress beyond any single administration. Participants urged that any state policy include implementation steps, funding clarity and periodic review — the group mentioned reviewing the state plan every three years.