Alzheimer's Action Alert!!!

Action Alert!

what: Call in to KEY State Legislators about the State Budget

when: By 5:00 PM Tuesday, June 2, 2009


California has reached a crisis of monumental proportion in the Budget and at this time the Governor is recommending to ELIMINATE State funding for the Alzheimer's Research Centers of California -- this would include UC Davis, Stanford, Martinez, UCSF and Fresno in the Northern California region and 6 others throughout the State. It is also recommended that Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Centers Funding be ELIMINATED. These are very tough economic times and we understand cuts, but we cannot stand by and have critical services eliminated without future recourse for the families and individuals who are touched by Alzheimer's disease.

There are several key members who are decision makers in this process. Their names and phone numbers are included below. Please call these members and ask that they not Eliminate funding to these critical programs. If you are within the district -- that is best, but otherwise call the one nearest to you and others if you choose. We'd like them to be inundated with calls on this topic. You should call Sacramento, but if you are in the district, it is helpful to also call the district office closest to you with the same message.

Senator Mark Leno: Sacramento (916) 651-4003, San Francisco (415) 557-1300, San Rafael (415) 479-6612

Assemblyman Jerry Hill: Capitol Office (916) 319-2019, San Mateo (650) 349-1900

Senator Elaine Alquist: Capitol Office (916) 651-4013, San Jose (408) 286-8318, Gilroy (408) 847-6101

Assemblyman Jim Nielsen: Capitol Office (916) 319-2002, Redding 530-223-6300, Yuba City (530) 751-8351

Assemblywoman Noreen Evans: Capitol Office (916) 319-2007, Santa Rosa (707) 546-4500, Napa (707) 258-8007, Vallejo (707) 649-2307

Assemblyman Roger Niello: Capitol Office (916) 319-2005, Sacramento Office: (916) 349-1995

Assemblyman Dave Jones: Capitol Office (916) 319-2009, Sacramento Office: (916) 324-4676

When you call in please ask:

· Please do not eliminate the Alzheimer's Research Centers (ARCCs). The ARCCs provide services and education to families, particularly minorities, to veterans and to health professionals—these services are not provided by others.

· Please do not eliminate the Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Centers—the only community-based program designed to keep people in the middle and late stage of Alzheimer's out of more costly nursing homes.

The Alzheimer’s Research Centers stimulate California's economy in multiple ways—they should not be regarded as a cost center in the state budget:

In over the 22 years the Centers have been funded by California, the state's investment has resulted in a return more than six-fold—they are a means to leveraging millions in federal dollars.

The following Centers will close: USC-Rancho Los Amigos (only ARCC at a County Hospital), UC Davis-Martinez, Stanford, UC San Francisco-Fresno (only rural Center), UCLA Olive View Site (30% of UCLA clients no longer served)

Martinez VA Facility will lose more than $1 million in federal funding.

The Alzheimer’s Day Care Resource Centers provide key home based care; someone with Alzheimer's disease costs Medi-Cal 2.5 times what it costs to provide care to someone without dementia—most of this difference is accounted for by nursing home expenditures.

Currently less than 6% of people with Alzheimer's live in a nursing home—more than 70% live at home, cared for by family

Elimination of the Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Centers, which receive no federal funding, will rapidly escalate Medi-Cal costs—this runs counter to your budget balancing strategy.