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4/10/2025
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House passes Ackerman bill to boost Alzheimer’s education and awareness
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STATE HOUSE — The House today voted to approve a bill from Deputy Majority Whip Mia A. Ackerman to improve public health education about Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“Despite the staggering impacts of this disease, public education about Alzheimer’s still lags behind. People know about Alzheimer’s, but they don’t know what to look for, and they don’t know what to do when they see it,” said Representative Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln). “That’s why I’m so happy to introduce this bill to both educate the public and medical providers on the value of regular cognitive assessments during annual wellness visits and the available treatments and methods of effective care planning for patients.”
The bill (2025-H 5619) would direct the Department of Health to work with the state advisory council on Alzheimer’s to develop and distribute educational materials concerning Alzheimer’s and dementia through their existing public health outreach programs. These materials would educate the public and medical providers on topics including the importance of prevention, of recognizing early warning signs, how other chronic health conditions impact and contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia, the value of regular cognitive assessments during annual wellness visits and the available treatments and methods of effective care planning for patients.
Representative Ackerman spoke last month at the Rhode Island Alzheimer’s Association State Advocacy Day in support of this bill, which is one of the association’s top legislative priorities for the year.
“This legislation was made possible by the tireless work of advocates and caregivers and with their help we’ll be able to pass it into law this session,” said Representative Ackerman.The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration, where Sen. Pamela J. Lauria (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence) has introduced companion legislation (2025-S 0481).
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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