Brief ⁽¹⁾

SCR 1636 urges support of a University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center proposed pilot project. The preamble of the resolution states that:

• Alzheimer's disease affects a significant portion of the population age 65 and older;



• the number of elderly individuals affected by the disease will double by the year 2020;



• the cost of caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease is increasing;



• the cost of care for individuals with Alzheimer's disease can be greatly reduced and the quality of life improved by early diagnosis and treatment; and



• the University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center has proposed the Kansas Memory Assessment Program, at a cost of $21,035, to support access to dementia diagnosis and treatment services for rural families and to support the education of rural health care providers in the diagnosis and management of persons with dementia.

Background

Conferees who testified in support of the resolution included Charles De Carli, MD, Director of the University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center, and Cynthia Teel, PhD, RN, Director, Education and Information Transfer, University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center. The conferees jointly briefed the Committee on the Kansas Memory Assessment Program (KS-MAP), a pilot project proposal. The purpose of the project is to support the diagnosis and treatment of persons with dementia and their families who live in rural areas of Kansas. Overall, the project is designed to improve access to dementia services and to enhance the expertise of local health care providers in the management of persons with dementia.

SCR 1636 was drafted and introduced by the Health Care Reform Legislative Oversight Committee after several hearings on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. For background information on the proposed pilot program, see Report of the Health Care Reform Legislative Oversight Committee to the 2000 Legislature, pages 11-13.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html