EXEMPT
(Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 17, 2023)
FIRST REPRINT S.B. 297
- *SB297 _R1 *
SENATE BILL NO. 297–COMMITTEE ON
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
(ON BEHALF OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON SENIOR
CITIZENS, VETERANS AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS)
MARCH 16, 2023
____________
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
SUMMARY—Provides for the establishment of the Nevada
Memory Network. (BDR 40-298)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation not included
in Executive Budget.
~
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to dementia; providing for the establishment of
the Nevada Memory Network for the diagnosis of
dementia and the care of patients with dementia; making
an appropriation; and providing other matters properly
relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law creates the Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease within the 1
Department of Health and Human Services and requires the Task Force to develop 2
a state plan to address Alzheimer’s disease. (NRS 439.508-439.5085) Section 1 of 3
this bill authorizes the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Medicine and 4
the University of Nevada, Reno, School of Medicine, in collaboration with the 5
Department, to establish the Nevada Memory Network, which is a system for the 6
diagnosis of dementia and the ongoing management of care for patients with 7
dementia. Section 2 of this bill makes an appropriation to the Nevada System of 8
Higher Education to support the establishment and operation of the Network. 9
– 2 –
- *SB297 _R1 *
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 439 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 1
thereto a new section to read as follows: 2
1. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Medicine 3
and the University of Nevada, Reno, School of Medicine, in 4
collaboration with the Department, may establish the Nevada 5
Memory Network in accordance with this section. If the Nevada 6
Memory Network is established, the University of Nevada, Las 7
Vegas, School of Medicine, the University of Nevada, Reno, 8
School of Medicine and the Department shall: 9
(a) Establish or contract with clinics that employ or contract 10
with physicians who specialize in neurology, neuropsychology and 11
geriatrics to: 12
(1) Train providers of primary care in screening for and 13
treating dementia; 14
(2) Diagnose dementia in patients referred to the clinics by 15
providers of primary care; 16
(3) Create plans of care for patients with dementia; and 17
(4) Use telehealth where necessary or convenient to carry 18
out the duties prescribed in subparagraphs (1), (2) and (3). 19
(b) Employ or contract with community health workers who 20
specialize in dementia care. The community health workers shall: 21
(1) Coordinate care and provide referrals to community-22
based services and in-home care for patients diagnosed with 23
dementia pursuant to subparagraph (2) of paragraph (a); and 24
(2) Monitor the well-being of and provide support to 25
persons who provide care to patients diagnosed with dementia 26
pursuant to subparagraph (2) of paragraph (a), including, without 27
limitation, providers of respite care to such patients. 28
2. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Medicine, 29
the University of Nevada, Reno, School of Medicine and the 30
Department may collaborate or contract with any additional 31
persons or entities as necessary to carry out the provisions of this 32
section. 33
3. As used in this section: 34
(a) “Community health worker” has the meaning ascribed to it 35
in NRS 449.0027. 36
(b) “Telehealth” has the meaning ascribed to it in 37
NRS 629.515. 38
Sec. 2. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the State 39
General Fund to the Nevada System of Higher Education the sum of 40
$684,573 to support the establishment and operation of the Nevada 41
Memory Network pursuant to section 1 of this act, including, 42
– 3 –
- *SB297 _R1 *
without limitation, by employing or contracting with at least four 1
persons to perform the functions described in paragraph (b) of 2
subsection 1 of section 1 of this act. 3
2. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by 4
subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 5
2025, by the entity to which the appropriation is made or any entity 6
to which money from the appropriation is granted or otherwise 7
transferred in any manner, and any portion of the appropriated 8
money remaining must not be spent for any purpose after 9
September 19, 2025, by either the entity to which the money was 10
appropriated or the entity to which the money was subsequently 11
granted or transferred, and must be reverted to the State General 12
Fund on or before September 19, 2025. 13
Sec. 3. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2023. 14
H