The New York State Coordinating Council for Services Related to Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias was established in 2007 by Public Health Law § 2004-a (Chapter 58 of the Laws of 2007, Part B). The Council was formed to facilitate interagency planning and policymaking, review specific agency initiatives for their impact on the care of people living with dementia and their families, and provide a continuing forum for discussions related to creating a comprehensive state policy for Alzheimer’s disease. Charged with providing reports to the governor and the legislature every two years beginning in June 2009, the Council provides policy recommendations for addressing the Alzheimer’s crisis and a review of services to meet the needs of people living with dementia and their families. In December 2009, New York released its first state Alzheimer’s plan, the Annual Report of the New York State Coordinating Council for Services Related to Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, with updated reports published every two years thereafter. New York released the most recent report in 2019, the 2019 Report of the New York State Coordinating Council for Services Related to Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.

Incorporate Dementia in New York’s Master Plan for Aging 

The Master Plan for Aging works to ensure that older New Yorkers and individuals of all ages live in a safe, healthy environment and can age with dignity and independence. The Master Plan will address social determinants of health, Medicaid and Medicare funding, family caregivers, challenges in health care workforce, and more. Many of the included topics affect people living with dementia, but special attention to this population is critical. The Alzheimer’s Association is advocating for the incorporation of dementia within key topics of the Master Plan to better serve the growing number of New York residents living with dementia and their caregivers.