Capito introduces legislation to bolster primary care training on dementia detection, treatment

U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., recently introduced bipartisan legislation to bolster training for primary care providers so they can better diagnose Alzheimer’s and other dementia and deliver high-quality, person-centered care in community-based settings.

The Accelerating Access to Dementia & Alzheimer’s Provider Training (AADAPT) Act would provide Alzheimer’s and dementia education and training to more primary care providers, improving detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, Capito’s office said Wednesday in a press release.

“With the introduction of new drug therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia over the past few years, the need for access to early and accurate diagnosis of the disease is more important than ever,” Capito said. “I’m pleased to help introduce the AADAPT Act, which will extend and expand the existing successful Project ECHO program to train health care professionals to make these vital diagnoses. This is especially important for rural states like West Virginia where access to specialized care is often limited.”

“Detecting Alzheimer’s and other dementia early can reduce stress for patients and families, reduce unnecessary health costs, and improve access to care,” Klobuchar added in the press release. “Primary care providers have been calling for more training resources to improve early detection, accurate diagnosis, and care. This bipartisan legislation will deliver those tools and improve patients’ quality of life and health outcomes.”

“We are grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Sens. Klobuchar and Capito introducing the AADAPT Act in the Senate. This bipartisan bill focused on accelerating dementia workforce preparedness will increase access to early diagnosis and quality dementia care in communities across the nation while reducing geographic barriers and the cost of care. On behalf of the Alzheimer’s community, thank you,” Robert Egge, Alzheimer’s Association chief public policy officer and Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) president, said.

Capito has long been an outspoken advocate for resources, care, and early detection technology for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. As Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS),she has worked to direct increased funding towards research efforts.