Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee; research grants.

(1) It is the finding of the Legislature that Alzheimer’s disease and similar major memory disorders affect an alarmingly high percentage of citizens, primarily those over 65 years of age, and yet little is known of the cause, prevention, or treatment of this disease.

(2) There is created an Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee, composed of 15 members, which shall advise the Department of Elderly Affairs in the performance of its duties under this act. All members must be residents of the state. The committee shall advise the department regarding legislative, programmatic, and administrative matters that relate to persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caretakers.

(3)(a) The committee membership shall include the following:

1. Eleven members appointed by the Governor.

a. At least 4 of the 11 members must be licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459 or hold a Ph.D. degree and be currently involved in the research of Alzheimer’s disease.

b. At least 4 of the 11 members must be persons who have been caregivers of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease.

c. Whenever possible, the members appointed by the Governor shall include one each of the following professionals: a gerontologist, a geriatric psychiatrist, a geriatrician, a neurologist, a social worker, a registered nurse, and a first responder.

2. Two members appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom must be a sitting member of the Senate, and two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom must be a sitting member of the House of Representatives.

(b)1. The Governor shall appoint members from a broad cross-section of public, private, and volunteer sectors. All nominations shall be forwarded to the Governor by the Secretary of Elderly Affairs in accordance with this subsection.

2. Members shall be appointed to 4-year staggered terms in accordance with s. 20.052, except for the sitting members of the Senate and House of Representatives, who shall be appointed to a term corresponding to their term of office.

3. The Secretary of Elderly Affairs shall serve as an ex officio member of the committee.

4. The committee shall elect one of its members to serve as chair for a term of 1 year.

5. The committee may establish subcommittees as necessary to carry out the functions of the committee.

6. The committee shall meet quarterly, or as frequently as needed.

7. The committee shall submit an annual report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Secretary of Elderly Affairs on or before September 1 of each year. The annual report shall include information and recommendations on Alzheimer’s disease policy; all state-funded efforts in Alzheimer’s disease research, clinical care, institutional, home-based and community-based programs and the outcomes of such efforts; and any proposed updates to the Alzheimer’s disease state plan submitted under subparagraph 8.

8. Beginning in 2020, and every third year thereafter, on or before November 1, the Department of Elderly Affairs shall review the Alzheimer’s disease state plan and submit an updated state plan to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Department of Elderly Affairs shall utilize the annual reports submitted by the committee and collaborate with state Alzheimer’s disease organizations and professionals when considering such updates to the Alzheimer’s disease state plan. The state plan shall:

a. Assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia on the state.

b. Examine the existing industries, services, and resources addressing the needs of persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia and their family caregivers.

c. Examine the needs of persons of all cultural backgrounds having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia and how their lives are affected by the disease from younger-onset, through mid-stage, to late-stage.

d. Develop a strategy to mobilize a state response to this public health crisis.

e. Provide information regarding:

(I) State trends with respect to persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia and their needs, including, but not limited to:

(A) The role of the state in providing community-based care, long-term care, and family caregiver support, including respite, education, and assistance to persons who are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, who have younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease, or who have a related form of dementia.

(B) The development of state policy with respect to persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia.

(C) Surveillance of persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia for the purpose of accurately estimating the number of such persons in the state at present and projected population levels.

(II) Existing services, resources, and capacity, including, but not limited to:

(A) The type, cost, and availability of dementia-specific services throughout the state.

(B) Policy requirements and effectiveness for dementia-specific training for professionals providing care.

(C) Quality care measures employed by providers of care, including providers of respite, adult day care, assisted living facility, skilled nursing facility, and hospice services.

(D) The capability of public safety workers and law enforcement officers to respond to persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia, including, but not limited to, responding to their disappearance, search and rescue, abuse, elopement, exploitation, or suicide.

(E) The availability of home and community-based services and respite care for persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia and education and support services to assist their families and caregivers.

(F) An inventory of long-term care facilities and community-based services serving persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia.

(G) The adequacy and appropriateness of geriatric-psychiatric units for persons having behavior disorders associated with Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia.

(H) Residential assisted living options for persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia.

(I) The level of preparedness of service providers before, during, and after a catastrophic emergency involving a person having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia and their caregivers and families.

(III) Needed state policies or responses, including, but not limited to, directions for the provision of clear and coordinated care, services, and support to persons having Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia and their caregivers and families and strategies to address any identified gaps in the provision of services.

9. All state agencies shall provide assistance to the committee, upon request.

10. The Department of Elderly Affairs shall provide staff support to assist the committee in the performance of its duties.

11. Members of the committee and subcommittees shall receive no salary, but are entitled to reimbursement for travel and per diem expenses, as provided in s. 112.061, while performing their duties under this section.

(4) If funds are made available through gifts, grants, or other sources, the Department of Elderly Affairs shall deposit such funds into its Grants and Donations Trust Fund and shall award research grants to qualified profit or nonprofit associations and institutions or governmental agencies in order to plan, establish, or conduct programs in Alzheimer’s disease control or prevention, education and training, and research. The department may adopt rules necessary to carry out these duties.