S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  4540

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 4, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to the
  Committee on Aging

AN ACT making an appropriation to the department of health  relating  to
  helping  individuals  with  Alzheimer's  disease  and related dementia
  maintain their independence, remain at home and to support their care-
  givers

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section   1.   Legislative   findings.   The  legislature  finds  that
Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disease that usually begins gradu-
ally, causing a person to forget recent events or familiar tasks. It  is
the  most  common  form of dementia. How rapidly it advances varies from
person to person, but the brain  disease  eventually  causes  confusion,
personality and behavioral changes, and impaired judgment. Communication
becomes difficult as the affected person struggles to find words, finish
thoughts  or  follow  directions.  Eventually,  people  with Alzheimer's
disease become unable to care for themselves.
  In 1996, the  Journal  of  the  American  Medical  Association  (JAMA)
published an article called "A family intervention to delay nursing home
placement  with  patients  with Alzheimer's disease". In this and subse-
quent documents, the study's author,  M.  Mittleman  of  the  Siberstein
Aging  and  Dementia  Research Center at the New York University Medical
School, points out that with the use of a protocol similar to the  array
of  services  available through a combination of the Alzheimer's disease
Assistance  Centers  and  the  Alzheimer's  Disease  Community   Service
Program,  they  were  able  to  demonstrate that people in the treatment
group were able to achieve a median length of stay at home of  521  days
longer  than  the control group. In other words, they were able to delay
nursing home placement by 521 days.
  In 2004, an updated study was released confirming the 1996 study show-
ing that caregiver interventions and supports had a  significant  impact

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07965-01-1
              

A. 4540                             2

in  delaying  nursing  home  placements  and  decreased  the symptoms of
depression over a three year period. Troublesome behavior is  a  signif-
icant predictor of nursing home placement.
  Therefore,  the  legislature  hereby  finds  that supporting community
based interventions to provide essential respite care, caregiver support
and training, information and referral and other family support as  well
as  helping  to provide diagnosis, assessments and treatment through the
Alzheimer's disease  Assistance  Centers  and  the  Alzheimer's  Disease
Community  Service  Program,  will help save the state money by delaying
nursing home placements and will improve the quality  of  care  and  the
quality  of life for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related demen-
tia and their caregivers.
  S 2. The sum of seven million dollars ($7,000,000), or so much thereof
as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of  health
out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the cred-
it  of  the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated, and made
immediately available as follows:
  a. three million dollars ($3,000,000) for services and expenses of the
Alzheimer's disease Assistance Centers for  the  period  April  1,  2011
through March 31, 2012;
  b. three million dollars ($3,000,000) for services and expenses of the
Alzheimer's  Disease  Community  Service Program for the period April 1,
2011 through March 31, 2012; and
  c.  one million dollars ($1,000,000) for services and expenses of  the
Alzheimer's  Community  Assistance  Program for the period April 1, 2011
through March 31, 2012.
  Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and  warrant  of  the  comp-
troller  on vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of health
in the manner prescribed by law.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.