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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Rawson

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/22/07

03/06/07 HB

SHORT TITLE Alzheimer’s Disease Services Task Force

SB 765/aSFL#1

ANALYST Geisler

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

$0.01

Minimal see

narrative

Non-

Recurring General

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relationship: SB 1189, HB 131

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Senate Floor Amendment

The Senate Floor amendment to Senate Bill 765 clarifies that the task force shall have fourteen

members.

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Bill 765 creates a Task Force to examine and recommend improvements for Alzheimer's

Disease programs and services in New Mexico. The Task Force will compile a comprehensive

set of recommendations for long- and short-term improvements in policy and programs and

report to the legislative health and human services committee by October 2008.

The Task Force would consist of 13 members including: the Governor's Health Policy Advisor;

one representative each from the Aging and Long-Term Services Department; Department of

Health; Human Services Department; and the Department of Finance and Administration; nine

(9) non-governmental representatives including three representatives from each of three U.S.

congressional districts, appointed by the governor, representing caregivers, researchers, members

of Alzheimer's disease organizations and medical professionals.

SB 765 states that the Aging and Long-Term Services Department shall provide staff support for

the Task Force.

Senate Bill 765/aSFL#1 – Page

2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

SB 765 does not have an appropriation but does state that Task Force members shall be entitled

to per diem and mileage per the Per Diem and Mileage Act. These costs should be minimal to

the department. The Aging and Long-Term Services Department states that they have the

capacity to support the Task Force with existing staff and systems.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in

impaired memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of

dementia. Dementia is a loss of intellectual function (thinking, remembering and reasoning) so

severe that it interferes with an individual’s daily functioning and eventually results in death.

Identified risk factors are age and family history. Most people diagnosed with AD are older than

age 65; however, AD can occur in people in their 40’s and 50’s. Age is the greatest risk factor

for getting the disease, which affects one in 10 individuals over age 65 and nearly half of those

over 85.

In New Mexico, the Alzheimer’s Association estimates 34,000 persons are afflicted with

Alzheimer’s. The numbers are increasing as individuals are living longer. The New Mexico

Chapter serves Alzheimer’s families around the state through support groups, a statewide

Helpline, information kits, resource information, a speakers bureau, training workshops,

education conferences, lending library, health fairs, quarterly news-letters, information on Safe

Return and Project Lifesaver, a respite assistance program, along with listings of community

resources, agencies, facilities, and doctors.

RELATIONSHIP

SB 1189 seeks to apply the procedures of the amber alert law to individuals with Alzheimer’s

disease. House Bill 131 contains $513,200 for information, assistance, education and respite

services for persons with Alzheimer's Disease, other chronic illnesses and/or functional

impairments and their caregivers.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The New Mexico Alzheimer’s Disease Program began in 1993 after a statewide study identified

the needs of families and individuals effected by Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.

Services provided under this program include caregiver training conferences, information and

assistance, support groups, provider training, dissemination of culturally sensitive educational

materials and advocacy. A statewide Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Group has been established

to identify service gaps and evaluate and recommend service enhancements.

The Aging and Long-Term Services Department currently administers a federal Alzheimer’s

Disease Demonstration Grant awarded by the Administration on Aging. The purpose of this

award is to enhance and expand our current service delivery system for families of individuals

with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias, particularly in underserved rural areas and

tribal communities. The three-year cycle for this grant expires on June 30, 2007.

GG/nt