SPONSOR:	Rep. Booth & Sen. Hall-Long;
	Reps. Carson, Mitchell, Cathcart, D. Short, Carey, Hocker, Lavelle, Outten, Wilson; Sens. Bunting, Simpson, Sorenson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

145th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 159

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO POWERS, DUTIES, AND FUNCTIONS OF THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 7903(10), Title 29 of the Delaware Code by adding a new paragraph to § 7903(10) to read:

“a. The Secretary shall, in cooperation with the appropriate division directors and office heads, adopt regulations which require at least one hour of training each year for persons who are certified, licensed, or registered by the State, and/or who are partially or fully funded by the State, to provide direct healthcare services to persons diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, or with mental illness. The mandatory training must include the following topics:

(i) communicating with persons diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, or with mental illness;

(ii) the psychological, social, and physical needs of those persons; and

(iii) safety measures which need to be taken with those persons;”.

SYNOPSIS

This bill requires the Department of Health and Social Services to adopt regulations that require at least one hour of training annually for certified, licensed, or registered healthcare providers, as well as for healthcare providers who are partially or fully funded by the State, who provide services to persons diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, or with mental illness.