President signs health legislation to combat Alzheimer's disease at close of 115th Congress

Key Takeaways

On December 31, President Trump signed into law the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (H.R. 4256/S. 2076), a bipartisan bill aimed at the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The NACo-supported bill authorizes $20 million annually for FY 2020 through FY 2024 to promote brain health activities under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program.

Once enacted, the legislation will create a nationwide public health infrastructure program to implement risk-reduction measures around Alzheimer’s disease. As part of this effort, the bill directs the CDC to establish Alzheimer’s Centers of Excellence at eligible organizations to increase awareness among health care professionals and assist public health departments implementing evidence-based practices that increase early detection and support care-planning for residents living with the disease.

Additionally, the Centers will be able to award cooperative agreement grants to public health departments and nonprofit organizations to improve program quality and data-reporting on Alzheimer’s. County health departments will be eligible to apply for these grants.

NACo supports increased federal resources for the prevention, treatment and care for individuals with Alzheimer’s, and signed letters of support for this bill to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. County leaders will continue to engage with congressional legislators to ensure counties have the resources to support the health and well-being of residents.

---

Click here to view the letter to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Click here to view the letter to the U.S. Senate.

Click here to view NACo’s 2019 legislative priorities.