Gov. Evers and First Lady Announce Grant Award to Address Alzheimer’s Disease in Wisconsin

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Submitted to OnFocus – MADISON —​ Gov. Tony Evers and First Lady Kathy Evers announced that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is one of 15 public health programs across the country to be awarded the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Disease grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). DHS will use the grant funding to fulfill the aim of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Disease Act to develop and enhance public health strategies for risk prevention, timely diagnosis, disease management, and caregiver support.

“Kathy and I are proud that DHS has been awarded this grant to build on the work that’s already being done across our state to care for the approximately 120,000 Wisconsinites living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, and look forward to the development of new and innovative approaches to address dementia in the future and provide support to the people caring for a loved one with this disease,” said Gov. Evers.

DHS will partner with organizations that represent numerous arms of public health to make enhancements to existing systems and create new infrastructure to support people living with dementia and their family caregivers. Strategies outlined in the grant project are intended to provide individuals with methods to lower their risk of developing dementia, improve access to timely and appropriate diagnosis, enhance management of coexisting medical conditions and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations.

“We are honored to partner with the Department of Health Services in creating a strong public health approach in Wisconsin to address Alzheimer’s disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the state,” said Dave Grams, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter.

Additional grant partners include the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute, the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging, the Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

This grant will help DHS build on its work under the Wisconsin State Dementia Plan: 2019-2023 by bringing additional resources and providing new opportunities for partnership across the state. Many of the State Plan’s aims are included in the grant’s activities, including caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the community, crisis response for people with dementia, and facility-based care.

The three-year grant will begin on September 30, 2020. DHS will receive approximately $300,000 per year.

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News Desk
Author: News Desk

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