Task Force on Alzheimer’s Preparedness, Prevention and a Path Forward

Overview

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced in 2019 the creation of a groundbreaking Task Force on Alzheimer’s Preparedness, Prevention and a Path Forward (Task Force) responsible for submitting recommendations to the governor on how California can prevent and prepare for the increase in cases of Alzheimer’s disease.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) enlisted LPA to support and facilitate the Task Force in developing these recommendations and positioning California at the forefront of Alzheimer’s prevention and preparedness.

Strategic Approach

LPA set out to elevate the issue of Alzheimer’s among a broad spectrum of audiences by building an inclusive movement to design and implement innovative approaches to prepare and prevent Alzheimer’s disease in California.

This involved organizing and managing the Task Force comprised of a distinct group of consumers, caregivers, researchers, health care providers, people living with Alzheimer’s, private-sector leaders and media professionals. We also oversaw an external “Brain Trust” of diverse advisors who lent additional expertise and coordinated across various state agencies, including the Governor’s office, CDPH, Master Plan for Aging, the Future of Work Commission, the California Department of Finance and other statewide stakeholders to ensure our recommendations were streamlined and coordinated with existing policies.

Through LPA’s coordination, the Task Force held meetings and hosted regional roundtable discussions throughout the state’s diverse geographies and populations to hear from the ground up about the needs in research, caregiving, medical practices and more.

Results

The Task Force delivered the final ten recommendations to the governor. Eight out of the ten recommendations were included in Governor Newsom’s 2021-2022 proposed budget. Working groups for the implementation stage are currently underway.