42 U.S.C. § 280c–4 — Promotion of public health knowledge and awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias

(a) Alzheimer's disease and related dementias public health centers of excellence. (1) The Secretary, working with the CDC Director and heads of other agencies as needed, must award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities — such as colleges and universities, state, tribal, and local health departments, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, associations, and other appropriate groups — to set up or support regional centers that address Alzheimer's disease and related dementias by: (A) Increasing what public health officials, health care professionals, and the public know about the most current information and research on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, including cognitive decline, brain health, and the health disparities tied to them. (B) Taking promising research findings — including findings from research done or supported by the National Institutes of Health, such as the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers authorized under section 285e–2 — and turning them into evidence-based programs for people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and their caregivers. (C) Expanding activities related to Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, and their health disparities, including through public-private partnerships. (2) To be eligible for this grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, an entity must apply to the Secretary with whatever agreements and information the Secretary requires, including a description of how the entity will: (A) Coordinate, where it applies, with existing federal, state, and tribal Alzheimer's programs. (B) Study, evaluate, and promote evidence-based programs for people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias — including underserved populations with these conditions — and for those who care for them. (C) Prioritize activities that: (i) Expand efforts to put evidence-based practices into place, including training state, local, and tribal public health officials and other health professionals. (ii) Support early detection and diagnosis. (iii) Reduce the risk of hospital stays that could have been avoided. (iv) Reduce the risk of cognitive decline and impairment tied to these conditions. (v) Better support caregivers' needs. (vi) Reduce health disparities in the care and support given to people with these conditions. (vii) Support care planning and management. (viii) Support other relevant activities the Secretary or the CDC Director identifies. (3) When deciding who gets these awards, the Secretary considers, among other things, whether the entity: (A) Serves rural areas or other underserved populations. (B) Can build on services and public health research it already has in place. (C) Has experience providing care or caregiver support, or doing research on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. (4) As much as practical, the Secretary must spread these awards out fairly, considering geographic area — including rural areas — and how much the disease burdens different sub-populations. (5) For an award under this subsection, the entity must report data to the Secretary — first no later than 90 days after the first year of funding ends, and then every year after that for as long as the grant, contract, or agreement lasts, including any renewal period. That data must cover: (A) The programs and activities the award funded. (B) The outcomes of those programs and activities. (b) Improving data on how common Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are, in states and nationwide. (1) The Secretary must work to improve how this incidence and prevalence data is analyzed and reported in a timely way, as appropriate. This data may include information about cognitive decline, caregiving, and the health disparities faced by people with cognitive decline and their caregivers. The Secretary may award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities for this work. (2) To be eligible, an entity must be a public or nonprofit private group — including colleges and universities, state, local, and tribal health departments, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations — and must apply to the Secretary as required. (3) This data analysis, reporting, and sharing may draw on sources such as: (A) The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. (B) The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. (C) The National Health Interview Survey. (c) The Secretary must make sure that dementia-related activities and programs under this section do not needlessly repeat the work of other agencies and offices within the Department of Health and Human Services.