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Healthy Brain Initiative, State and Local Public Health State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map TABLE OF CONTENTS i Introduction 40 IV. The Healthy Brain Initiative: Developing The Third Road Map ii Action Agenda 43 V. Case Studies iv Glossary 53 VI. Conclusion 1 I. The Public Health Challenge 55 Appendix A: Leadership Committee, Federal Liaisons & Staff 8 II. Using the Road Map 57 Appendix B: Workgroups, Contributors & Reviewers 15 III. The Action Agenda 16 Educate & Empower 59 Appendix C: Actions by Topic Area 20 Develop Policies & Mobilize 63 Appendix D: References Partnerships 28 Assure a Competent Workforce 36 Monitor & Evaluate Healthy Brain Initiative: The Road Map for Indian Country This Road Map focuses on issues pertinent to state and local public health agencies and their partners. Suggested Citation A companion Healthy Brain Initiative: The Road Alzheimer’s Association and Centers for Disease Control Map for Indian Country has been designed and Prevention. Healthy Brain Initiative, State and specifically for public health systems serving Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: American Indians and Alaska Natives. The 2018-2023 Road Map. Chicago, IL: Alzheimer’s Association; 2018. INTRODUCTION The Alzheimer’s Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed the third in a series of Healthy Brain Initiative Road Maps to advance cognitive health as an integral component of public health (see Section IV). This Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map outlines how state and local public health agencies and their partners can continue to promote cognitive health, address cognitive impairment for people living in the community, and help meet the needs of caregivers. Twenty-five specific actions are proposed in four traditional domains of public health: educate and empower, develop policies and mobilize partnerships, assure a competent workforce, and monitor and evaluate. This “action agenda” speaks to critical issues of risk identification and risk reduction, diagnosis, education and training, caregivers, and evidence on impact of the disease. Twenty-one of the 25 actions are rooted in the second Road Map, The Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2013-2018. Even as new initiatives are pursued, the need for continued attention to earlier identified priorities remains. Collectively, the action agenda provides a solid foundation for the public health community to anticipate and respond to the growing impact of Alzheimer’s and other dementias on every facet of society. The vision is for state and local public health agencies to continue strengthening their capacity, building strong state and local partnerships, and integrating cognitive health into ongoing public health efforts. Moving forward, changes to policies, systems, and environments should be considered to make progress in reducing risk for cognitive decline and optimizing the health, well-being, and functioning of people living with dementia and their caregivers. • State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map The first Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map was published in 2007,A National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health. Six years later, the second edition was released, The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2013-2018. This edition—State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map—marks the third in this series. i ACTION AGENDA EDUCATE & DEVELOP POLICIES & EMPOWER MOBILIZE PARTNERSHIPS E-1 Educate the public about brain health and P-1 Promote the use of effective interventions and cognitive aging, changes that should be discussed with best practices to protect brain health, address cognitive a health professional, and benefits of early detection impairment, and help meet the needs of caregivers for and diagnosis. people with dementia. E-2 Integrate the best available evidence about brain P-2 Assure academic programs, professional health and cognitive decline risk factors into existing associations, and accreditation and certification entities health communications that promote health and chronic incorporate the best available science about brain condition management for people across the life span. health, cognitive impairment, and dementia caregiving into training for the current and future public health E-3 Increase messaging that emphasizes both the workforces. important role of caregivers in supporting people with dementia and the importance of maintaining caregivers’ P-3 Support better informed decisions by educating health and well-being. policymakers on the basics of cognitive health and impairment, the impact of dementia on caregivers E-4 Promote prevention of abuse, neglect, and and communities, and the role of public health in exploitation of people with dementia. addressing this priority problem. E-5 Provide information and tools to help people with P-4 Improve inclusion of healthcare quality measures dementia and caregivers anticipate, avert, and respond that address cognitive assessments, the delivery of to challenges that typically arise during the course of care planning to people with diagnosed dementia, and dementia. improved outcomes. E-6 Strengthen knowledge about, and greater use of, P-5 Engage public and private partners in ongoing care planning and related tools for people in all stages planning efforts to establish services and policies that of dementia. promote supportive communities and workplaces for people with dementia and their caregivers. E-7 Improve access to and use of evidence-informed interventions, services, and supports for people with P-6 Assure public health plans that guide emergency dementia and their caregivers to enhance their health, preparedness and emergency response address well-being, and independence. the special needs of people with dementia and their caregivers, support access to critical health information during crises, and prepare emergency professionals for situations involving people with dementia. ii Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018–2023 Road Map ASSURE A COMPETENT MONITOR & EVALUATE WORKFORCE W-1 Educate public health and healthcare M-1 Implement the Behavioral Risk Factor professionals on sources of reliable information about Surveillance System (BRFSS) optional module for brain health and ways to use the information to inform Cognitive Decline in 2019 or 2020, and the BRFSS those they serve. optional module for Caregiving in 2021 or 2022. W-2 Ensure that health promotion and chronic M-2 Support national data collection on dementia and disease interventions include messaging for healthcare caregiving. providers that underscores the essential role of Use data gleaned through available surveillance caregivers and the importance of maintaining their M-3 strategies and other sources to inform the public health health and well-being. program and policy response to cognitive health, W-3 Educate public health professionals about impairment, and caregiving. the best available evidence on dementia (including Embed evaluation into training and caregiving detection) and dementia caregiving, the role of M-4 support programs to determine program accessibility, public health, and sources of information, tools, and effectiveness, and impact. assistance to support public health action. M-5 Estimate the gap between workforce capacity and W-4 Foster continuing education to improve healthcare anticipated demand for services to support people with professionals’ ability and willingness to support dementia and their caregivers. early diagnoses and disclosure of dementia, provide effective care planning at all stages of dementia, offer counseling and referral, and engage caregivers, as appropriate, in care management. W-5 Strengthen the competencies of professionals who deliver healthcare and other care services to people with dementia through interprofessional training and other strategies. W-6 Educate healthcare professionals about the importance of treating co-morbidities, addressing injury This action agenda provides 25 ways that risks, and attending to behavioral health needs among state and local public health agencies and their people at all stages of dementia. partners can pursue goals of the Healthy Brain W-7 Educate healthcare professionals to be mindful of Initiative. the health risks for caregivers, encourage caregivers’ use of available information and tools, and make referrals to supportive programs and services. iii GLOSSARY ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: an irreversible, progressive goals, and successfully negotiate the world. It can be brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and viewed along a continuum—from optimal functioning thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out to mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s and severe the simplest tasks. Symptoms usually develop slowly dementia. and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: trouble remembering, interfere with daily tasks. learning new things, concentrating, or making ALZHEIMER’S DEMENTIA: the dementia stage in the decisions that affect everyday life. Alzheimer’s continuum. DEMENTIA: the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, BRAIN HEALTH: a concept that involves making the remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities most of the brain’s capacity and helping to reduce
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