NY S02187

Establishes an Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program under the Office for the Aging in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, targeting medical professionals, social services personnel, consumers, and caregivers working with persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.

Program purposes include promoting earlier identification of dementia in health care facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, assisted living facilities), providing information on community support services including caregiver support groups and respite care, and promoting public awareness of Alzheimer's disease resources.

Program elements include educational materials in multiple formats, training curricula for institutions of higher learning and in-service training, public service announcements, and establishment of toll-free hotlines and electronic information services.

Materials shall be made available to the public free of charge or for a fee as appropriate, and the Director may request health care providers to distribute materials to patients and encourage non-medical professionals to make them available to their clients.

Director shall maintain and update all materials to reflect best practices and ensure cultural and linguistic appropriateness, with materials posted on both the Office for the Aging and Department of Health websites; Director may accept grants from public or private sources and coordinate with other public and private programs.