The federal government has been charged by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act to create and maintain a national plan to overcome Alzheimer’s disease.  This plan includes guidance to address the specific needs of certain “populations disproportionally affected by Alzheimer’s disease,” which include racial and ethnic minorities, persons with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities, and those experiencing early onset Alzheimer’s disease (before the age of 60). In order to address the care and support needs of these specific populations, a Task Force on Specific Populations has been created. Input from the public is sought in four distinct areas:

• Accurate and timely diagnosis
• Access to care
• Education on Alzheimer’s disease for practitioners who do not specialize in the care of people with Alzheimer’s disease, and
• Special considerations

Please refer to the National Plan to address Alzheimer’s for more information: : http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/napa/NatlPlan.pdf. Or you can call Teresa Chapa, Office of Minority Health at 240/453-6904.

Please forward your input to ICDRinfo@neweditions.net no later than Tuesday, October 9, 2012.