| Chapter 356 |
| 2022 -- H 8258 Enacted 06/29/2022 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND PROGRAM TO ADDRESS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE |
Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Ackerman, McNamara, Hull, Diaz, and Blazejewski |
| Date Introduced: May 18, 2022 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Sections 23-1.7-2, 23-1.7-4, 23-1.7-5 and 23-1.7-6 of the General Laws in |
| Chapter 23-1.7 entitled "Rhode Island Program to Address Alzheimer's Disease" are hereby |
| amended to read as follows: |
| 23-1.7-2. Creation of advisory council. |
| (a) There is hereby established a council to be called the "Advisory Council advisory |
| council on Alzheimer's Disease disease Research and Treatment and related disorders." The |
| advisory council shall consist of thirteen (13) nineteen (19) members to be composed as follows: |
| the lieutenant governor, or designee; the director of the department of health, or designee; the |
| director of the office of healthy aging, or designee; the chairperson of the long-term care |
| coordinating council; three (3) members appointed by the lieutenant governor, one of whom shall |
| be appointed solely by the lieutenant governor without reference to any list; one of whom shall be |
| appointed and selected from a list of five (5) names of individuals submitted by the speaker of the |
| house, with two (2) individuals having experience as caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease |
| and related disorders and reflecting diverse backgrounds, including diversity in race and ethnicity; |
| one of whom shall be appointed and selected from a list of five (5) names of individuals submitted |
| by the president of the senate, with two (2) individuals having experience as caregivers of persons |
| with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders and reflecting diverse backgrounds, including race |
| and ethnicity; one member appointed by the speaker of the house; one member appointed by the |
| president of the senate; and seven (7) ten (10) members appointed by the governor. The members |
| appointed by the governor shall include one member who is an Alzheimer's disease patient |
| advocate; one member who is an Alzheimer's disease caregiver; one member who is a healthcare |
| provider; one member who is a researcher with Alzheimer's-related expertise in basic, translational, |
| clinical, or drug-development science; one member who is a representative from an Alzheimer's |
| disease organization that funds research and has demonstrated experience in care and patient |
| services; one member from an Alzheimer's advocacy organization that provides services to families |
| and professionals, including information and referrals, support groups, care consultation, |
| education, and safety services; one member who is a representative from an organization focused |
| on Alzheimer's workforce development; one member who is a representative from the long-term- |
| care industry; one member who will represent the adult primary care community; and one member |
| who is a representative of a healthcare insurer. Advisory council members shall select their own |
| chairperson. Seven (7) Ten (10) members shall constitute a quorum. |
| (b) The member appointed by the speaker of the house,, the member appointed by the |
| president of the senate, and three (3) members appointed by the governor shall be initially appointed |
| for a term to expire July 1, 2020, and four (4) members to be appointed by the governor shall be |
| initially appointed for a term to expire July 1, 2021. After the initial term, the appointed members |
| shall serve two-year (2) terms, until their successor is appointed. |
| 23-1.7-4. Assessment protocol. |
| (a) The director of the department of health shall establish and publish on their the |
| department’s website an Alzheimer's disease assessment protocol specifically focused on |
| recognizing the signs and symptoms of cognitive impairments, including, but not limited to, |
| Alzheimer's disease and appropriate resource information for effective medical screening, |
| investigation, and service planning. |
| (b) The director of the department of health shall make available upon request a copy of |
| the assessment protocol to protective-services caseworkers, healthcare professionals, and members |
| of the public. |
| (c) Protective-services caseworkers assigned to or employed by the office of healthy aging |
| shall be familiar with the information contained in the assessment protocol. |
| 23-1.7-5. Medical professional training. |
| (a) All physicians licensed pursuant to chapter 37 of title 5, and nurses licensed pursuant |
| to chapter 34 of title 5, shall, no later than October 1, 2021 2023, complete a one-time course of |
| training consisting of a minimum of one hour of instruction on the diagnosis, treatment, and care |
| of patients with cognitive impairments including, but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease and |
| dementia related disorders. |
| (b) The department of health shall promulgate rules to implement the training requirement |
| of subsection (a). |
| 23-1.7-6. Healthcare facility plan. |
| (a) Every healthcare facility as defined in § 23-17-2 shall, not later than October 1, 2021 |
| 2023, complete and implement an operational plan for the recognition and management of patients |
| with Alzheimer's disease or dementia and related disorders. |
| (b) The department of health shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the |
| operational plan requirements of subsection (a). |
| (c) The director of the department of health, in consultation with the advisory council on |
| Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, shall determine which health care healthcare facilities |
| defined in § 23-17-2 will be subject to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005770 |
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