AN ACT requiring the department of health and human services, division of aging and adult services (daas), to update the strategic state plan for alzheimer's disease and related dementias (the dementia‑capable north carolina state plan) at least once every four years and to maintain within the daas a dementia services coordinator responsible for overseeing and updating the dementia‑capable north carolina state plan; and requiring the task force on alzheimer's disease and related dementias to meet on at least a quarterly basis to develop recommendations for updates to the dementia‑capable north carolina state plan.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 143B‑181.1 reads as rewritten:

§ 143B‑181.1. Division of Aging and Adult Services. – creation, powers and duties.

(a)        There is hereby created within the office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services a Division of Aging, Aging and Adult Services, which shall have the following functions and duties:

…

(13)      To develop a strategic State plan for Alzheimer's disease. disease and other related dementias, which shall be known as the Dementia‑Capable North Carolina State Plan. By January 1, 2025, and quadrennially thereafter, the Division of Aging and Adult Services shall update and submit this plan to the General Assembly. The plan shall address ways to improve at least all of the following with respect to Alzheimer's disease:disease and related dementias:

a.         Statewide awareness and education.

b.         Early detection and diagnosis.

c.         Care coordination.

d.         Quality of care.

e.         Health care system capacity.

f.          Training for health care professionals.

g.         Access to treatment.

h.         Home‑ and community‑based services.

i.          Long‑term care.

j.          Caregiver assistance.

k.         Research.

l.          Brain health.

m.        Data collection.

n.         Public safety and safety‑related needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease.disease and related dementias.

o.         Legal protections for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and their caregivers.

p.         State policies to assist individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and their families.

….

SECTION 2.  Part 14 of Article 3 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 143B‑181.2A.  Dementia Services Coordinator – appointment and duties.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall appoint a coordinator within the Department of Health and Human Services for the Dementia‑Capable North Carolina State Plan required by subdivision (a)(13) of G.S. 143B‑181.1, whose title shall be Dementia Services Coordinator. In addition to the powers and duties delegated to the Dementia Services Coordinator by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Dementia Services Coordinator shall oversee development, periodic updating, and implementation of the Dementia‑Capable State Plan.

SECTION 3.  Beginning October 1, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (Department), in partnership with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, shall convene the Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (also known as the Dementia‑Capable North Carolina Task Force) on at least a quarterly basis each year to develop and submit recommendations to the Department for actionable, goal‑oriented updates to the Dementia‑Capable North Carolina State Plan required by subdivision (a)(13) of G.S. 143B‑181.1.

SECTION 4.  Throughout the General Statutes, the Revisor of Statutes shall replace the phrase Division of Aging with the phrase Division of Aging and Adult Services.

SECTION 5.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.