SENATE, No. 1853

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 3, 1997

 

 

By Senator CAFIERO

 

 

An Act concerning adult day care center programs for victims of Alzheimers' disease, amending P.L.1988, c.114 and making an appropriation.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. Section 2 of P.L.1988, c.114 (C.26:2M-10) is amended to read as follows:

    2. a. "Adult day care" means a community-based group program designed to meet the needs of functionally or cognitively impaired adults through an individual plan of care structured to provide a variety of health, social and related support services in a protective setting during any part of a day but less than 24 hours.

    b. "Alzheimer's Disease and related disorders" means forms of dementia characterized by a general loss of intellectual abilities of sufficient severity to interfere with social or occupational functioning.

    c. "Care needs or behavorial problems" means the manifestations of dementia which may include, but need not be limited to, progressive memory loss, confusion, inability to communicate, extreme personality change, and eventual inability to perform the most basic tasks.

    d. Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the State Department of Health and Senior Services.

    e. "Department" means the State Department of Health and Senior Services.

    f. "Grantee" means a public agency, private for profit agency or private nonprofit agency selected by the department to establish an adult day care program for participants pursuant to this act.

    g. "Participant" means an individual with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder, particularly those in the moderate to severe stages. To be eligible for services, a participant shall have documentation from a physician that the participant has Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

(cf: P.L.1988, c.114, s.2)

    2. There is appropriated $1,000,000 from the Casino Revenue Fund to the Department of Health and Senior Services to the adult day care center program for victims of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders to provide grants for services.

 

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill amends P.L.1988, c.114, which established the adult day care center program for victims of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The bill expands the definition of "grantee" to include a private for profit agency, to permit these providers to participate in the program.

    Currently, the law allows only public or nonprofit agencies to establish adult day care programs for victims of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Many eligible persons with Alzheimer's disease are not receiving adult day care services because only nonprofit agencies can participate in the program as providers and in some areas of the State there are no nonprofit agency providers.

    The bill includes a $1,000,000 appropriation from the Casino Revenue Fund to the adult day care center program for victims of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders to fund additional services.

    The bill also changes the name of the department from Health to Health and Senior Services, to reflect the current department designation.

 

 

                            

 

Allows private operators to establish adult day care programs for victims of Alzheimer's disease; appropriates $1,000,000.