Passed by the Senate February 14, 2014 YEAS 47   ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House March 6, 2014 YEAS 90   ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Hunter G. Goodman, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6124 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Secretary | |
Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/07/14.
AN ACT Relating to developing a state Alzheimer's plan; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The department of social and health services
must convene an Alzheimer's disease working group to develop a state
Alzheimer's plan that consists of the following members to be appointed
by the department unless indicated otherwise:
(1) At least one unpaid family caregiver of a person who has been
diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease;
(2) At least one professional caregiver of a person who has been
diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease;
(3) At least one individual provider caregiver of a person who has
been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease;
(4) At least one person who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's
disease;
(5) A representative of nursing homes;
(6) A representative of assisted living facilities;
(7) A representative of adult family homes;
(8) A representative of home care agencies that care for people
with Alzheimer's disease;
(9) A representative of adult day services;
(10) A health care professional who treats people with Alzheimer's
disease;
(11) A psychologist who specializes in dementia care;
(12) A person who conducts research on Alzheimer's disease;
(13) A representative of the Alzheimer's association;
(14) A representative of the Alzheimer society of Washington;
(15) The governor or the governor's designee;
(16) The secretary of the department of social and health services
or the secretary's designee;
(17) The secretary of the department of health or the secretary's
designee;
(18) The director of the health care authority or the director's
designee;
(19) The long-term care ombuds or the ombuds' designee;
(20) A member of the senate health care committee, appointed by the
senate;
(21) A member of the house of representatives health care and
wellness committee, appointed by the house of representatives;
(22) Five health policy advocates including representatives of the
American association of retired persons, area agencies on aging, elder
care alliance, and other advocates of the elderly or long-term care
workers;
(23) A representative of the University of Washington's Alzheimer's
disease research center;
(24) A member with experience in elder law or guardianship issues;
and
(25) A representative from the Washington state department of
veterans affairs.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The Alzheimer's disease working group
established in section 1 of this act must examine the array of needs of
individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, services available to
meet these needs, and the capacity of the state and current providers
to meet these and future needs. The working group must consider and
make recommendations and findings on the following:
(1) Trends in the state's Alzheimer's population and service needs
including, but not limited to:
(a) The state's role in long-term care, family caregiver support,
and assistance to persons with early-stage and early-onset of
Alzheimer's disease;
(b) State policy regarding persons with Alzheimer's disease and
dementia; and
(c) Estimates of the number of persons in the state who currently
have Alzheimer's disease and the current and future impacts of this
disease in Washington;
(2) Existing resources, services, and capacity including, but not
limited to:
(a) Type, cost, and availability of dementia services;
(b) Dementia-specific training requirements for long-term care
staff providing care to persons with Alzheimer's disease at all stages
of the disease;
(c) Quality care measures for assisted living facilities, adult
family homes, and nursing homes;
(d) Availability of home and community-based resources for persons
with Alzheimer's disease, including respite care;
(e) Number and availability of long-term dementia units;
(f) Adequacy and appropriateness of geriatric psychiatric units for
persons with behavior disorders associated with Alzheimer's disease and
related dementia;
(g) Assisted living residential options for persons with dementia;
and
(h) State support of Alzheimer's research through the Alzheimer's
disease research center at the University of Washington; and
(3) Needed policies or responses including, but not limited to, the
promotion of early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and
dementia, the provision of coordinated services and supports to persons
and families living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia disorders, the
capacity to meet these needs, and strategies to address identified gaps
in services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 (1) The secretary of the department of
social and health services or the secretary's designee must convene the
first meeting and must serve as chair of the Alzheimer's disease
working group. Meetings of the working group must be open to the
public.
(2) The department of social and health services must submit a
report providing the findings and recommendations of the Alzheimer's
disease working group, including any draft legislation necessary to
implement the recommendations, to the governor and the health care
committees of the senate and the house of representatives by January 1,
2016.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 This act expires January 31, 2016.