District of Columbia State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In 2012, the District of Columbia Office on Aging (DCOA) established a workgroup of community partners and stakeholders to develop an Alzheimer's plan. The District of Columbia State Plan on Alzheimer's Disease 2014-2019 was published a year later to mitigate the effects of Alzheimer's disease and improve access to benefits for those affected within the District. In an important next step, legislation enacted in 2019 created the role of Dementia Services Coordinator in the D.C. Department of Health and is tasked with implementing and updating the District’s State Alzheimer’s Plan. After convening a Brain Health Coalition of stakeholders across government, private sector partners and advocates, the District released The District of Columbia State Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias 2024-2028. The updated State Plan highlights the prevalence and burden of Alzheimer's in the District and emphasizes Alzheimer's as a public health issue. The Plan includes recommendations around increasing public awareness, supporting dementia family caregivers and strengthening the health workforce.
District of Columbia 2025 Policy Priorities
Expand Access to Alzheimer's Treatments in the District
The District of Columbia is home to over 15,000 individuals living with Alzheimer's, and this number is projected to grow significantly in the coming years. With the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease in its early stages, ensuring equitable access to these innovative treatments is critical for District residents. The Alzheimer's Association is calling on District policymakers to strengthen coverage policies for FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments across District health programs to ensure equitable access for eligible residents.
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Find My Chapter
Together, we’re making an impact. Find an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in your community for more ways to engage.
15,100
people living with Alzheimer’s in the District of Columbia
14,000
Washingtonians are providing unpaid care
$126 Million
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
66
deaths from Alzheimer’s disease in 2021
18%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
-22.2%
increase of geriatricians in the District of Columbia needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in District of Columbia
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 District of Columbia policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.