In June 2008, the South Carolina General Assembly created the Purple Ribbon Task Force by passing Senate Concurrent Resolution 1333 to study the current and future impact of Alzheimer’s disease within the state, assess resources for those impacted by Alzheimer’s, and develop a strategy to meet the needs of South Carolinians. Housed in the lieutenant governor’s Office on Aging, the Purple Ribbon Task Force included representatives from state health and aging agencies, law enforcement, research institutions, long-term care agencies as well as health care providers and state legislators. In March 2009, the Task Force published Conquering the Specter of Alzheimer’s Disease in South Carolina. Following a 14 year gap since the previous publication, the state Alzheimer’s plan for 2023-2028 was developed after a six-month planning and data collection period. The Alzheimer’s Resource Coordination Center (ARCC) Advisory Council served as the statewide representative coalition of experts and stakeholders throughout the planning process. Following the publication of the state plan, SB 0569 (Act No. 53 of 2023) was enacted, requiring the ARCC Advisory Council to maintain and update the state plan every five years and submit an annual report to the governor and general assembly concerning progress towards fulfilling the state plan.

Streamline Funding for the South Carolina Alzheimer’s Disease Registry

Regular collection of dementia-specific data is critical to analyzing trends over time. Through data collection and analysis, public health officials and state lawmakers can better understand the extent and impact of Alzheimer’s and other dementia on their state. The South Carolina Alzheimer’s Disease registry is the oldest and most comprehensive statewide registry of residents diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the United States. The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on state lawmakers to support legislation changing the funding structure for the Alzheimer’s Disease Registry, allowing funds to be allocated directly to the registry, making operation of the registry more streamlined and efficient.