Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer's Provider Training Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BALDERSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3747, the AADAPT Act.

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most significant public health challenges facing our country today. More than 7 million Americans, including over 236,000 Ohioans, are living with this devastating disease, and those numbers continue to grow.

The sooner we can identify Alzheimer's and other dementias, the sooner patients and families can begin treatment, plan for the future, and access the care and support they need.

For many families, especially in rural and underserved communities, a primary care provider is the first, and often only, healthcare professional they see when memory loss or cognitive decline begins.

The AADAPT Act strengthens and reauthorizes the Project ECHO program, giving those providers access to specialized training and mentoring so they can recognize the signs of a potential condition and deliver better care earlier and closer to home.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, which is a practical, bipartisan solution that strengthens our healthcare workforce and improves access to quality care for patients and families.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source