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The Vermont Statutes Online



Title

03

:
Executive






Chapter

053

:
HUMAN SERVICES






Subchapter

004
:
DEPARTMENTS, DIVISIONS, AND BOARDS










 

§

3085b. Commission on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders

(a) The

Commission on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders is created.

(b) The

Commission shall be composed of 18 members: the Commissioners of Disabilities,

Aging, and Independent Living and of Health or designees, and 16 members

appointed by the Governor. The members appointed by the Governor shall

represent the following groups and organizations: physicians, social workers,

nursing home managers, including the administrators of the Vermont Veterans'

Home, the clergy, adult day center providers, the business community,

registered nurses, residential care home operators, family care providers, the

home health agency, the legal profession, mental health service providers, the

area agencies on aging, University of Vermont's Center on Aging, the Support

and Services at Home (SASH) program, and the Alzheimer's Association. The

members appointed by the Governor shall represent, to the degree possible, the

five regions of the State.

(c) Eight of the

members appointed by the Governor shall serve terms of two years and eight of

the members shall serve terms of three years. Members shall serve until their

successors are appointed. Members first appointed to the Commission prior to

January 1, 2015, may apply to serve no more than one additional term of either

two or three years following the expiration of their current term. Members

first appointed to the Commission after January 1, 2015, shall serve a maximum

of two terms. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring other than by

expiration of a term shall be appointed only for the unexpired portion of the

term, and if the unexpired portion of the term is less than or equal to one

year, the member appointed to fill the vacancy occurring other than by

expiration of a term may thereafter apply to serve a maximum of two additional

terms.

(d) Members of

the Commission who are not employees of the State of Vermont and who are not

otherwise compensated or reimbursed for their attendance shall be entitled to

compensation and expenses as provided in 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for no more than four

meetings per year. Payment to the members shall be from the appropriation to

the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living.

(e) Annually,

the Commission shall elect its chair and other officers from among its

membership and meet upon the call of the chair or a majority of its membership.

(f) The

Commission shall advise State agencies on matters of State policy relating to

Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related disorders in Vermont for both

the public and private sectors. The Commission shall:

(1) Evaluate the

adequacy of existing services to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other

dementia-related disorders and their families, and conduct studies to identify

gaps in these services. These studies may include access to mental

health-related services and support for services to families of individuals

with Alzheimer's disease.

(2) Identify

strategies and recommend resources to expand existing services.

(3) Review or

participate in the development of laws, rules and other governmental

initiatives which may affect individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other

dementia-related disorders, and their families. This may include participation

in the development of rules, and procedures related to 1996 Acts and Resolves

No. 160, Medicare and Medicaid, nursing and residential care facilities, adult

day centers, special care units, and all community-based services to elders.

(4) Provide

advice regarding revisions, coordination of services, accountability, and

appropriations.

(5) Support the

development of expanded community recognition, understanding, and capacity to

meet the needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related

disorders. This may include development of new technologies to improve access

to information for caregivers and practitioners who provide services throughout

the State and identification of new models of service and activities related to

expansion of community access to information, education, and service.

(g) The

Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living shall provide the

Commission with administrative support.

(h) Annually, on

or before January 15, the Commission shall submit a written report to the House

Committee on Human Services and to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

with its findings and any recommendations for legislative action. (Added 1999,

No. 57, § 1, eff. June 1, 1999; amended 2005, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2011,

No. 7, § 1, eff. April 18, 2011; 2011, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 51, eff. May 14,

2012; 2015, No. 28, § 1, eff. May 26, 2015.)