H.B. 837
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Apr 20, 2023
SESSION 2023 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
H D
HOUSE BILL DRH30304-MGa-125A
Short Title: Make North Carolina More Dementia-Capable. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Wheatley.
Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
3 DIVISION OF AGING AND ADULT SERVICES (DAAS), TO UPDATE THE
4 STRATEGIC STATE PLAN FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED
5 DEMENTIAS (THE DEMENTIA-CAPABLE NORTH CAROLINA STATE PLAN) AT
6 LEAST ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS AND TO MAINTAIN WITHIN THE DAAS A
7 DEMENTIA SERVICES COORDINATOR RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING AND
8 UPDATING THE DEMENTIA-CAPABLE NORTH CAROLINA STATE PLAN;
9 APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO OFFSET THE COSTS INCURRED IN UPDATING THE
10 DEMENTIA-CAPABLE NORTH CAROLINA STATE PLAN; AND REQUIRING THE
11 TASK FORCE ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS TO MEET
12 ON AT LEAST A QUARTERLY BASIS TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
13 UPDATES TO THE DEMENTIA-CAPABLE NORTH CAROLINA STATE PLAN.
14 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
15 SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 143B-181.1 reads as rewritten:
16 "§ 143B-181.1. Division of Aging and Adult Services. – creation, powers and duties.
17 (a) There is hereby created within the office of the Secretary of the Department of Health
18 and Human Services a Division of Aging, Aging and Adult Services, which shall have the
19 following functions and duties:
20 …
21 (13) To develop a strategic State plan for Alzheimer's disease. disease and other
22 related dementias, which shall be known as the Dementia-Capable North
23 Carolina State Plan. By January 1, 2025, and quadrennially thereafter, the
24 Division of Aging and Adult Services shall update and submit this plan to the
25 General Assembly. The plan shall address ways to improve at least all of the
26 following with respect to Alzheimer's disease:disease and related dementias:
27 a. Statewide awareness and education.
28 b. Early detection and diagnosis.
29 c. Care coordination.
30 d. Quality of care.
31 e. Health care system capacity.
32 f. Training for health care professionals.
33 g. Access to treatment.
34 h. Home- and community-based services.
35 i. Long-term care.
36 j. Caregiver assistance.
*DRH30304-MGa-125A*
 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023
1 k. Research.
2 l. Brain health.
3 m. Data collection.
4 n. Public safety and safety-related needs of individuals with Alzheimer's
5 disease.disease and related dementias.
6 o. Legal protections for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and
7 related dementias, and their caregivers.
8 p. State policies to assist individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related
9 dementias, and their families.
10 …."
11 SECTION 1.(b) Effective July 1, 2023, there is appropriated from the General Fund
12 to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS),
13 the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and
14 the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to
15 offset the costs incurred by the DAAS in updating the Dementia-Capable North Carolina State
16 Plan by January 1, 2025, as required by subdivision (a)(13) of G.S. 143B-181.1.
17 SECTION 2. Part 14 of Article 3 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended
18 by adding a new section to read:
19 "§ 143B-181.2A. Dementia Services Coordinator – appointment and duties.
20 The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall appoint a coordinator within the
21 Department of Health and Human Services for the Dementia-Capable North Carolina State Plan
22 required by subdivision (a)(13) of G.S. 143B-181.1, whose title shall be Dementia Services
23 Coordinator. In addition to the powers and duties delegated to the Dementia Services Coordinator
24 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Dementia Services Coordinator shall oversee
25 development, periodic updating, and implementation of the Dementia-Capable State Plan."
26 SECTION 3. Beginning October 1, 2023, the Department of Health and Human
27 Services (Department), in partnership with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, shall
28 convene the Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (also known as the
29 Dementia-Capable North Carolina Task Force) on at least a quarterly basis each year to develop
30 and submit recommendations to the Department for actionable, goal-oriented updates to the
31 Dementia-Capable North Carolina State Plan required by subdivision (a)(13) of
32 G.S. 143B-181.1.
33 SECTION 4. Throughout the General Statutes, the Revisor of Statutes shall replace
34 the phrase "Division of Aging" with the phrase "Division of Aging and Adult Services."
35 SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes
36 law.
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Statutes affected:
Filed: 143B-181.1
Edition 1: 143B-181.1
Edition 2: 143B-181.1