SB345 Summary

• Establishes a full-time Dementia Services Coordinator position within the Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services of the Department of Human Services.

• Coordinator shall evaluate dementia service coordination statewide and coordinate information resources for Arkansans living with dementia and their caregivers.

• Coordinator responsibilities include using dementia-related data to improve public health outcomes, establishing relationships with state agencies and organizations, supporting dementia-specific staff training, and recommending service improvement strategies.

• Coordinator shall streamline state government services to increase efficiency and improve care quality in residential and home- and community-based settings.

• Coordinator shall identify duplicated services, pursue grant opportunities to expand services, support policy development, promote public awareness, and collect and monitor data on dementia's impact in Arkansas.