HARRISBURG – PA will have a full-time state agency dedicated to supporting dementia initiatives under a measure that was signed into law as Act 54 of 2024. House Bill 2310, which makes numerous changes to the state’s Fiscal Code, includes language that would create a permanent Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Related Disorders Office within the state Department of Aging. The ultimate goal is to coordinate across state agencies, advocate policy, and leverage resources to better respond to the unique and complex needs of those living with dementia disorders and the systems that support them. There are more than 280,000 people in PA suffering from Alzheimer’s, dementia, and related disorders. By 2025, the number of Pennsylvanians living with Alzheimer’s is expected to increase to 320,000, with the total Medicaid costs to care for them expected to increase by over 10%.
