BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act

BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act

The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act was passed into law on December 31, 2018 (P.L. 115-406)pdf iconexternal icon and amends the Public Health Service Act (Section 398A; 42 U.S.C. 280c-3-4). The activities outlined in BOLD are designed to create a uniform national public health infrastructure with a focus on issues such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, risk reduction, prevention of avoidable hospitalizations, and supporting dementia caregiving. It’s designed to promote implementation of CDC’s Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map and the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map for Indian Country.

Specifically, the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act directs CDC to:

Establish Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Public Health Centers of Excellence

• The Centers will increase education of public health officials, health care professionals, and the public on Alzheimer’s, brain health, and health disparities.
• The Centers will also provide technical assistance to public health departments across the country in implementing effective Alzheimer’s interventions.
• These interventions will focus on priorities such as increasing early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk, preventing avoidable hospitalizations, reducing health disparities, supporting the needs of caregivers and supporting care planning for people living with the disease.
• The Centers will expand innovative public-private partnerships that focus on addressing cognitive impairment and health disparities.

Provide Funds to Support Public Health Departments

• Funding will help state, local, and tribal public health departments implement effective Alzheimer’s interventions, including interventions identified by the Alzheimer’s Public Health Centers of Excellence.
• Funding will also help public health departments implement strategic actions identified in the Healthy Brain Initiative’s Public Health Road Map.

Increase Data Analysis and Timely Reporting

• CDC will increase the analysis and timely public reporting of data on Alzheimer’s, cognitive decline, caregiving, and health disparities.
• This data will come from sources such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).