The Senate has unanimously approved the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act.
“After decades of expanding biomedical research in Alzheimer’s, we are ready for the next step: to translate research into practice,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), a co-sponsor. The measure has also been strongly endorsed by senior living organizations, among them AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, Argentum, LeadingAge and the American Health Care Association / National Center for Assisted Living.
The bill puts an unprecedented structure in place for Alzheimer’s research and care. Specifically, it would create:
- Centers of Excellence in Public Health Practice. The centers would work to promote effective interventions and expand public education.
- Core capacity and enhanced activity cooperative agreements. These contracts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be awarded to state health departments.
- Data analysis and reporting cooperative agreements. These agreements with the CDC would ensure that data on Alzheimer’s, cognitive decline, caregiving, and health disparities are analyzed and disseminated to the public “in a timely manner.”
The bill now heads to the House for consideration. Companion legislation has 251 co-sponsors.
