Connecticut State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In 2013, Connecticut’s legislature passed Special Act 13-11, creating the state’s Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. The Task Force met to develop and publish a list of recommendations in December 2013 in the Report of the Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. The initial state plan focused on short-term goals to be completed over the course of three to five years. In January 2020, the Task Force published an update to the state plan, focusing on progress made, updating recommendations and expanding the role for the Connecticut Department of Public Health. In 2023, the state plan was updated after engaging with stakeholders and community partners. The state plan was informed by the twenty-five actions of 2018-2023 Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map and includes six goals to help address Alzheimer’s and dementia across the state.
Connecticut 2025 Policy Priorities
Improve Access to Biomarker Testing
With the historic Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of treatments that slow the progression of Alzheimer’s in the early stages, early detection and diagnosis are even more critical to ensure individuals receive the most benefit at the earliest point possible. Biomarkers offer one of the most promising paths to improve dementia detection, diagnosis and treatment. Yet these critical tests remain out of reach for many as insurance coverage is failing to keep pace with innovations and advancements in treatments. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state lawmakers to expand insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing for all residents of Connecticut ensuring coverage for those on private payer insurance. Without this legislation, dementia diagnoses may take up to two years for Connecticut residents with private insurance, increasing the long-term costs to the individual, family and the state.
Establish a Statewide Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Council
Connecticut is home to more than 76,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s and 128,000 unpaid caregivers. With the population of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia growing each year, coordination and collaboration among state agencies and external stakeholders is critical to address this disease effectively. Establishing a statewide Alzheimer’s advisory council can help identify and address the issues by developing state-specific solutions. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state policymakers to pass legislation to establish the Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Council, ensuring dementia is a priority in Connecticut.
Connecticut State Advocacy Day
Join advocates in Hartford on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 for State Advocacy Day! Advocates will come together and share their stories with state legislators to urge support for our critical policy priorities and improve the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Don't miss this chance to make a difference!
Sign Up to Learn About Advocacy Opportunities in Connecticut
Find My Chapter
Together, we’re making an impact. Find an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in your community for more ways to engage.
76,800
people living with Alzheimer’s in Connecticut
128,000
Connecticuters are providing unpaid care
$1 Billion
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
1049
deaths from Alzheimer’s in 2021
15%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
82.4%
increase of geriatricians in Connecticut needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in Connecticut
The following resources developed by AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association will help you learn more about the issues impacting people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, how Connecticut policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.