Upcoming EventsSacramento Advocacy DayTuesday, March 4, 2014 Download the flyer and registration form here. The annual Advocacy Day is an opportunity for those interested in advocacy to gather in Sacramento at the State Capitol with fellow advocates and the California chapters of the Alzheimer's Association. Advocates spend the morning learning about current legistlation and programs relevant to Californians living with Alzheimer's disease and their loved ones. Speakers include state legislators and staff from the California Council of the Alzheimer's Association. Advocates spend the last part of Advocacy Day meeting with members of the California State Legislture and their staff lobbying for the advancement of the discussed legislation and programs, which often includes using their personal story through Alzheimer's disease. An online registration link with instructions will be posted soon. A limited number of scholarships are available through the chapter to help offset the cost of attending. For more information, contact chapter public policy staff. Alzheimer's Association Advocacy Forum 2014April 7-9, 2014Renaissance Hotel, Washington, D.C.
The Advocacy Forum is an annual conference in which advocates from all fifty states gather in Washington, DC to learn about current federal legislative priorities pertaining to Alzheimer's disease, and meet with members of Congress to lobby for the advancement of these legislative priorities. The first two days of the Forum are spent learning from speakers including government officials and staff from the Alzheimer's Association's public policy division. You will learn not only about legislative priorities, but also how to be an effective advocate including the use of personal stories through Alzheimer's disease. The last day of the Forum is spent meeting with members of Congress and their staff, where you will emphasize that Alzheimer's cannot wait while lobbying for the advancement of relevant public policy. Advocates will leave the Forum with a wealth of knowledge about why Alzheimer's disease must remain a federal priority. For more information including online registration and travel details, click here. A limited number of scholarships are available through the chapter to help offset travel expenses. To apply, contact chapter public policy staff. California PolicyAlzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in California. By 2030, the number of Californians over the age of 55 living with Alzheimer’s disease will double to 1.1 million. In 2011, the Alzheimer’s Association and California Health & Human Services released the California State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease. Within the plan is a set of recommendations to California policymakers that will help California prepare for and improve conditions for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. Click here to view California’s State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease (PDF). Each year in Sacramento the Alzheimer’s Association holds an Advocacy Day. This event is crucial to advancing our legislative efforts at the state level. Volunteer advocates from throughout California gather at the State Capitol and meet with members of the California legislature to ensure that our policy priorities are addressed. All are welcome to participate in this event, as there is no tool more powerful than your personal stories.
Tracking Our State Priorities
The Alzheimer's Association is currently tracking a set of two-year bills at the state level that would have some impact on many California families living with Alzheimer's disease. The bills are ranked by level of interest and labeled 'AA', 'A', or 'B'. We invite you to learn more about the bills we are currently tracking by reading our latest Priority Bill Update (PDF). You may also learn more about these bills by visiting: http://leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.
Nevada PolicyIn Nevada, an estimated 29,000 people are living with Alzheimer's disease. More than 126,000 Nevada caregivers provided unpaid care to someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia valued at over $1.7 billion. Between 2000 and 2050 the number of Nevadans with Alzheimer's disease is expected to double. Given these figures, Nevada needs a state plan to combat this worsening epidemic. Nevada State Alzheimer's Disease Statistics (PDF) Introduced in 2011, ACR10 "directs the Legislative Committee on Health Care to create a task force to develop a state plan to address Alzheimer's disease." To learn more about ACR10 and to read the bill text as introduces and as enrolled, visit: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Reports/history.cfm?ID=1178. In May 2012, the Legislative Committee on Health Care unanimously approved the creation of the State Plan for Alzheimer's Task Force. The committee has been selected and is comprised of individuals from the private, public, and local caregiver community. The Task Force, chaired and staffed by Senator Valerie Wiener, is a non funded mandate. Click here for a brief biography of each Committee member (PDF). Agendas and other materials from these meetings are available to the public and may be viewed by visiting: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Interim/76th2011/Committee/StatCom/Alzheimers/?ID=73. Federal PolicyNational Alzheimer's Plan 2013 Update On June 14, 2013 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the 2013 update to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. The creation of the original national plan, along with a yearly revision, was mandated by the bipartisan National Alzheimer's Project Act. The 2013 update includes a timeline for achieving its first goal: prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025, and a review of progress over the past year. The Alzheimer's Association has issued a statement on the update, available here. National Alzheimer's Plan Top 10 Accomplishments of 2013 (PDF) There are currently 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease. At the 2013 Advocacy Forum, 900 people from all 50 states came together in Washington, D.C. to ask their members of Congress to take action in two important areas:
Many Advocacy Forum attendees have agreed to follow up with their elected officials. This is an important step in sustaining the impact they initiated, and ultimately changing the trajectory of this disease. It is because of the determination and passion of our advocates that we celebrate the release of the first ever National Alzheimer’s Plan in May 2012 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. Individuals with Alzheimer's disease are often largely dependent on government-funded healthcare programs; therefore a plan that builds in the needs of people with Alzheimer's disease in mind has the potential to not only lower costs, but to allow for a higher standard of care. NAPA requires the creation of a National Strategic Plan to address Alzheimer's disease and the coordination of efforts to combat it across the federal government. In 2011, over 130 input sessions were held across the nation with over 3,000 Americans sharing what they felt should be included in a National Alzheimer's disease plan. On May 15, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the final version of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease. This historic achievement outlines the goal of effectively preventing Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. Click here to view the final National Alzheimer’s Plan (PDF). HOPE for Alzheimer's Act The Health Outcome, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer's Act (S. 709/H.R. 1507), reintroduced into Congress on April 11, 2013, focuses on the three key areas of diagnosis, care planning services, and medical record documentation. At the 2013 Advocacy Forum, advocates from around the country asked their elected officials to sign on as a cosponsor for the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act. For more information on the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act, read the HOPE Fact Sheet (PDF). To find out if your member of Congress has signed on as a cosponsor of the H.O.P.E. for Alzheimer's Act, visit the Alzheimer's Impact Movement. 2013 Federal Legislative Priorities (PDF)
Get Involved!Volunteers The Alzheimer’s Association utilizes the work of volunteers in capacities such as administrative support and helping with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. To find out more, contact Tessie Calligeros at tcalligeros@alz.org. Advocates and Ambassadors Advocates and ambassadors are crucial to keeping our legislative asks at a high priority level within Congress. For more information about becoming an advocate, contact Kimberly Weber at kweber@alz.org. We invite prospective ambassadors to read the Ambassador Program Description (PDF). Legislative Visits Legislative visits at the local, state and federal levels are the primary method we use to influence policy pertaining to Alzheimer care and research. These visits are usually done by small teams (3-4 people) that include a team leader. An accurate set of statistics, such as the 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, can prove quite helpful. Being able to tell one’s personal story is always the most powerful tool that an Alzheimer’s advocate possesses. The Alzheimer’s Association will work with you to fine tune your personal story and effectively speak to legislators about legislation that supports Alzheimer’s families. E-Advocate The E-Advocate volunteer is an important part and VOICE of the community on Advocacy efforts. By signing up online you will be contacted by e-mail of important state or federal action items, alerts, activities and events that they may choose whether or not to participate in. We encourage you to sign up so you can stay up to date on all the important and relevant policy and information!
Early Stage InvolvementIndividuals in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease are among our most powerful, influential advocates. A person who is living with Alzheimer's and chooses to raise their voice against the disease not only sends a powerful message to legislators at the state and federal level, but helps remove stigma and negative assumptions associated with Alzheimer's disease. For more information about early stage involvement, contact Judy Filippoff by email at jfilippoff@alz.org or by phone at 925-284-7942. |
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