Public Policy
Advocacy
AB 2541 (Bains) Guidelines for Addressing Wandering
Over 60% of those living with Alzheimer’s will wander at some point and finding people quickly is the key to ensuring their safe return. An estimated 50% of those with Alzheimer’s not found within 24 hours will suffer serious injury or death. And while San Diego has the Take Me Home program, over 70% of counties in California do not have a rapid response program and/or registry to aid in finding a missing person with a cognitive impairment. There is no statewide coordination or response to preventing and addressing the issue of wandering of those with a cognitive impairment.
To address the issue of wandering, Alzheimer’s San Diego, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, and Alzheimer’s Orange County are cosponsors of AB 2541. Introduced by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (AD-35), this bill will develop guidelines for law enforcement addressing wandering associated with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and autism. AB 2541 directs the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to develop guidelines with the help of subject matter experts across government, emergency, and public transit agencies along with organizations with expertise in autism, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and wandering.
Public Policy Platform
Alzheimer’s San Diego is proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Orange County and Alzheimer’s Los Angeles on important state issues that affect those living with dementia and their care partners. Click here to learn about our top policy priorities.
Contact State Representatives
The California State Legislature is the governing body for the state. It consists of 80 members of the Assembly and 40 members of the Senate, each representing specific local districts. Each elected official has an office in Sacramento and locally, where constituents can call or schedule in-person meetings to discuss state priorities. Members of the California Senate are elected to a four-year term and serve specific districts. Members of the California State Assembly are elected to a two-year term and serve specific districts. Click here to find your state representatives and ask them to support these bills.
Local Initiatives
The Alzheimer’s Project
Alzheimer’s San Diego has built an incredible movement to address the devastating toll of dementia locally through the County Alzheimer’s Project. As a key partner, we actively work to raise public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, to provide guidance to local community and government leaders, and to fund Alzheimer’s research projects through Collaboration4Cure, a groundbreaking initiative accelerating local efforts to find a cure.
Contact Local Representatives
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors are elected to four-year terms. Click here to find your Supervisor to ask them to continue to make Alzheimer’s a priority in San Diego County.
An estimated 6.2 million people in America are living with Alzheimer’s. We advocate for research, caregiver support, and access to affordable quality health care. Alzheimer’s San Diego is a proud member of the Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease (LEAD) Coalition. Click here to learn more about our priorities.