Accelerating Access to Dementia Training

Full Title:
Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer’s Provider Training Act

Summary#

This bill would change and extend a federal grant program called Project ECHO. It would reauthorize existing Project ECHO grants and add a new grant option focused on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The new grants would fund technology-enabled collaborative learning and training models to help health care professionals improve retention and increase access to early and accurate diagnosis and quality dementia care. Eligible applicants include entities that serve rural, frontier, health professional shortage, or medically underserved areas or populations, including Native American organizations, and public or nonprofit entities that can lead dementia-focused programs. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must award one or more Alzheimer’s-focused grants within one year of enactment and require applicants to assess effects on patient outcomes and providers. Grantees for the Alzheimer’s grants must report collected information to the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services. The Secretary must also prepare and post an updated report to Congress and on the HHS website within four years after the Alzheimer’s grant provision takes effect.

What it means for you#

  • Health care providers in rural and underserved areas might gain access to technology-enabled training and collaborative learning about dementia care and diagnosis.
  • Organizations that serve underserved populations or Native American communities could apply for grants to build capacity for Alzheimer’s and dementia care training.
  • Grant applications must include plans to measure how training affects patients and providers.

Expenses#

  • The bill authorizes $10,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2022 through 2032 for Project ECHO grants other than the Alzheimer’s-specific grants.
  • The bill authorizes $1,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 specifically for the Alzheimer’s and related dementias grants.
  • No publicly available information about the bill’s overall estimated cost, budgetary score, or how appropriations would be allocated in practice.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.