THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, STOUT, TOMLINSON, KITCHEN, RAFFERTY, WASHINGTON, ERICKSON, TARTAGLIONE, LOGAN, O'PAKE, BOSCOLA, COSTA, WILLIAMS, BROWNE, WONDERLING AND FERLO, MARCH 2, 2009

REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, MARCH 2, 2009  

AN ACT

Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled

"An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the

executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the

Executive Department thereof and the administrative

departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof,

including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or

Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or

authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative

departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and

duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative

officers, and of the several administrative departments,

boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the

Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive

and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of

certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and

other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards,

and commissions; and prescribing the manner in which the

number and compensation of the deputies and all other

assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and

commissions shall be determined," in Department of Health,

providing for Alzheimer's disease programs.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known

as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding a

section to read:

Section 2126.  Alzheimer's Disease Programs.--(a)  The

Department of Health shall have the power, and its duty shall

be:

(1)  To develop a program to provide respite service programs

to persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease or related

disorders of aging.

(2)  To administer the programs, contract with other public

or private organizations or make grants to provide services

under this section for respite and related services which may

include:

(i)  diagnostic and evaluation programs;

(ii)  day-care centers;

(iii)  temporary care in nursing or boarding homes or other

institutions; or

(iv)  in-home visiting or temporary nursing services.

(3)  To develop rules and regulations to standardize the

necessary qualifications of respite service programs for

assistance, determine the eligibility of families or individuals

for assistance and develop a system of evaluation and review of

all programs.

(b)  No grant, contract or other funding shall be allocated

or distributed until the Department of Health has received

verification of the existence of private funds committed to the

program or service for which the funds are to be allocated. No

allocation shall exceed the amount of private funding available.

(c)  As used in this section, the term "respite service

program" means a program to assist individuals or families who

are providing primary care for an individual with Alzheimer's

disease or a related disorder of aging by providing temporary

care and assistance to the patient, individual or family.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.