Sec. 4. (a) An area agency may establish a dementia care specialist program under which an area agency may designate an employee as a dementia care specialist for the area agency to administer the program.

     (b) A specialist may work with the state dementia coordinator under IC 12-9.1-5-4 to administer the program through the following actions:

(1) Conducting education and outreach activities to increase community awareness of dementia and resources available to support individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

(2) Consulting with and providing training to individuals, including area agency staff, who interact with an individual or a caregiver caring for a person who:

(A) has dementia; or

(B) suffers from symptoms of dementia or a related cognitive disease.

(3) Establishing relationships with health care providers, health maintenance organizations, and other community-based organizations to serve as a liaison to facilitate increased contact and promote organizational care coordination and dementia-friendly activities.

(4) Providing any other service that is determined to be appropriate by the division or area agency that supports the aims and goals of the dementia strategic plan under IC 12-9.1-5 or supports a data collection and evaluation plan to determine health outcomes tied to the dementia care specialist programming.

As added by P.L.146-2023, SEC.6.