MD SB555

Establishes the Dementia Services and Brain Health Program within the Maryland Department of Health to lead the state's public health efforts on brain health and dementia, administered by the existing Director of Dementia Services and Brain Health

Shifts core duties — including staffing the Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Council, overseeing the State Plan, and coordinating dementia-related data and stakeholder partnerships — from the Director individually to the broader Program

Adds new Council duties to examine the readiness and capacity of health care providers to deliver care to individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and to identify methods for the state to assist those providers

Requires the Department of Health, in partnership with the Department of Aging, the Council, and other expert organizations, to develop a clinical toolkit for dementia care by January 1, 2027, covering risk factors, early detection tools, racial and ethnic disparities, care planning resources, and continuing education opportunities

Mandates annual review and update of the toolkit beginning January 1, 2028, and promotion of the toolkit across health care sectors including managed care programs, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and academic institutions; the Act takes effect October 1, 2026