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Bill would create dementia coordinator at MDH to improve statewide coordination of services
Summary
Senate File 1030 seeks to establish a dementia services program and a designated coordinator within the Minnesota Department of Health to unify scattered dementia-related work across state agencies. Advocates said Minnesota lacks a single point of contact to align resources, leverage federal dollars and improve care and detection.
Senator Mann presented Senate File 1030, which would establish a dementia services program at the Minnesota Department of Health and designate a dementia coordinator to align state activities, improve prevention efforts and coordinate services for people and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Robert Freeman, vice president of public policy for the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota chapter, told the committee that more than 100,000 Minnesotans live with dementia and that Minnesota lacks a single full-time state employee focused on coordination. Freeman said other states and Washington, D.C., already have similar positions and that a coordinator can improve efficiency and help draw federal and philanthropic funding.
"This bill doesn't create a new program or new bureaucracy. It creates clarity and coordination," Freeman said, urging members to adopt the measure. Committee members expressed support and signaled interest in the potential for improved coordination and better use of existing resources.
Senate File 1030 was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus package.
