86R13689 KKR-D
 
  By: Capriglione H.B. No. 3428
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to training on Alzheimer's disease and dementia for
  certain Department of Family and Protective Services employees and
  area agencies on aging employees and volunteers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code,
  is amended by adding Section 40.036 to read as follows:
         Sec. 40.036.  ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA TRAINING.
  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Adult protective services employee" means a
  division employee who performs a function described by Section
  40.035(a).
               (2)  "Division" means the department's adult protective
  services division.
         (b)  Except as provided by Subsections (c) and (d), the
  department shall develop a training program for adult protective
  services employees on identifying and interacting with individuals
  who have Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The program must include
  an initial four-hour training requirement and an annual two-hour
  continuing education requirement.  The requirements are in addition
  to the training required by Section 40.035, but may be provided in
  conjunction with that training.  The training program must cover,
  at a minimum, information about:
               (1)  dementia, including behavioral and psychiatric
  symptoms;
               (2)  interaction with an individual who has impaired
  communication skills, including effective and respectful
  communication techniques;
               (3)  techniques for understanding and approaching an
  individual's behavioral symptoms;
               (4)  specific aspects of safety, including wandering by
  an individual;
               (5)  abuse, neglect, and exploitation, as defined by
  Section 48.002, of an individual with Alzheimer's disease or
  dementia, including:
                     (A)  identifying the most common types of abuse;
                     (B)  recognizing signs of abuse, neglect, and
  exploitation; and
                     (C)  identifying when it is necessary to contact a
  law enforcement agency about potential criminal behavior toward an
  individual with Alzheimer's disease or dementia that is committed
  by a family member or caretaker of the individual or that occurs in
  an institution;
               (6)  identification of self-neglect by an individual
  with Alzheimer's disease or dementia; and
               (7)  protocols for connecting an individual with
  Alzheimer's disease or dementia to local care resources or
  professionals who are skilled in dementia care to encourage
  cross-referring the individual for services and increase reporting
  of incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
         (c)  The division may use a training program developed or
  adopted by the Health and Human Services Commission or the
  Department of State Health Services if the program is equivalent to
  or more extensive than the program requirements under Subsection
  (b).
         (d)  If another state law or a federal law or regulation
  requires training on Alzheimer's disease or dementia that is more
  rigorous or extensive than the training required by Subsection (b),
  the division shall provide training to adult protective services
  employees that complies with that law or regulation.
         (e)  An area agency on aging must ensure that the agency's
  employees or volunteers who provide services directly to an elderly
  individual or the individual's family members or caregivers receive
  training on Alzheimer's disease and dementia.  The training must:
               (1)  be evidence-based or evidence-informed; and
               (2)  focus on:
                     (A)  recognizing the signs and symptoms of
  cognitive impairments caused by Alzheimer's disease or dementia;
  and
                     (B)  understanding how the cognitive impairments
  may affect the screening of and service planning for an elderly
  individual.
         (f)  An area agency on aging may provide the training
  described by Subsection (b) through:
               (1)  a course developed by the agency; or
               (2)  a course that is available from the department,
  the Health and Human Services Commission, the Department of State
  Health Services, or an entity that is involved in education or
  services relating to Alzheimer's disease or dementia, including the
  Alzheimer's Association and caregiver organizations.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services
  shall:
               (1)  develop or approve the Alzheimer's disease and
  dementia training program required by Section 40.036, Human
  Resources Code, as added by this Act; and
               (2)  begin providing the initial training required by
  that section to all existing and newly hired adult protective
  services employees, as defined by that section.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.