Alzheimer’s is one of the nation’s most pressing public health challenges, affecting nearly seven million Americans—a number expected to nearly double by 2050. Over the past two decades, coordinated federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal efforts have transformed the public health response to dementia, emphasizing risk reduction, early detection, safety, quality care, and caregiving.
The Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI), established in 2005, provides the framework for mobilizing the public health field to address brain health, dementia, and caregiving. Guided by the HBI Road Map Series, health departments implement expert-developed actions aligned to the Essential Public Health Services. Collectively, health departments and their partners have expanded data collection, strengthened the workforce, and advanced policy and practice across the country.
Building on this foundation, the Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (BOLD Act) of 2018—implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—has distributed funding to state, local, territorial and tribal public health departments; created three BOLD Public Health Centers of Excellence to translate and disseminate the latest science and evidence on dementia risk reduction, early detection of dementia, and dementia caregiving; and increased the timely collection and analysis of data.
With the BOLD Reauthorization Act of 2024 and every state now maintaining its own Alzheimer’s plan, public health systems are better positioned than ever to reach diverse and priority populations. This Momentum session will explore the last two decades of public health action on dementia and look forward to the challenges still ahead to ensure all people, in all communities, can live with the healthiest brain possible.
Sponsored by Alzheimer's Association.