A bill in the Legislature would require the Arizona Department of Health Services to establish a “dementia services program” and update the Arizona Alzheimer’s State Plan. 

The bill was introduced by Republican Sen. TJ Shope, and the measure would designate DHS as the lead agency to address Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

The bill would also appropriate $300,000 for two full-time DHS employees for the dementia services program.

Arizona’s Alzheimer’s State Plan was completed in 2016, but a spokesperson for the Alzheimer’s Association, Desert Southwest chapter, says it needs to be reviewed, updated and implemented. There’s currently no statutory authority for the plan to continue.

Arizona has the fastest growing number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease in the nation, according to the Alzheimer's Association.