(b) The council shall additionally review and report upon the use of
clinically recognized, scientifically based, cognitive impairment
screening tools used to identify signs of and individuals at-risk for
cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's disease or other dementias,
in all settings of the health continuum. Such tools shall include but
not be limited to tools approved and/or recognized by the Joint
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS), and others as determined by the council which
are used by health care providers, across all settings of the health
continuum. The council shall also review and report on best practices of
providers concerning early identification of at-risk individuals and
referral practices, the range of interventions and services available
for the cognitively impaired, and shall report its assessment of the
need and presence of such tools and practices in each sector of the
health continuum. The council shall further include in its reports any
findings concerning potential gaps of identification and intervention
for the cognitively impaired, the need for public education about
cognitive impairment, and recommendations to address that education
need.
5. The department shall serve as the focal point to develop
comprehensive coordinated responses of the various state agencies with
regard to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia and thus help to
assure timely and appropriate responses to issues and problems. The
department shall collaborate with the state office for the aging on
issues related to nonmedical support services for individuals with
Alzheimer's disease and other dementia and their caregivers. The
department shall collaborate with other appropriate state agencies to
establish a simplified coordinated assessment procedure for obtaining
needed services for persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia.
6. The department, in consultation with the council, shall utilize
data and information compiled and maintained pursuant to this article to
coordinate state funded research efforts to ensure the most efficient
use of funds available for this purpose.