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    Alzheimer's Association Awards Grants to 10 Local Health Departments to Promote Brain Health and Bolster Dementia Care in Local Communities

    Alzheimer's Association Awards Grants to 10 Local Health Departments to Promote Brain Health and Bolster Dementia Care in Local Communities

    Grants part of Healthy Brain Initiative aimed at advancing public health strategies to reduce dementia risk, support those affected by dementia

    CHICAGO, Jan. 30, 2025 — The Alzheimer’s Association and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) have announced the fourth cohort of the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) Road Map Strategists. This nationwide effort focuses on addressing dementia at the local level. The Road Map Strategist program increases the capacity of local health departments to address brain health in their communities.

    Through the program, 10 local health departments are selected each year through a competitive application process to receive direct funding, training and technical assistance. With these resources, they establish a part-time Road Map Strategist, a public health professional who serves as a systems change agent working to advance population health approaches related to dementia.

    “Public health is instrumental in promoting brain health, increasing access to diagnostic services, and better supporting people living with dementia and their caregivers,” said John Shean, MPH, director of the Healthy Brain Initiative. “We’re increasingly seeing local public health take up these issues and we’re excited to collaborate with these 10 new health departments as they lead the way to improving health in their communities.”

    The local public health departments selected for 2025 represent a diverse cohort in terms of health department size and structure, geography and populations served. It includes:

    • Adams County Health Department - Colorado
    • Central Health District - Idaho
    • Cuyahoga County Board of Health - Ohio
    • Farmington Valley Health District - Connecticut
    • Fort Bend County Health and Human Services - Texas
    • Garrett County Health Department - Maryland
    • Goshen County Public Health - Wyoming
    • Missoula Public Health - Montana
    • Rhode Island Department of Health - Rhode Island
    • Riverside County Department of Public Health - California

    The Road Map Strategists will work in support and coordination with public health partners, including health systems. With guidance from the Alzheimer’s Association, NACCHO and peer support, Road Map Strategists will conduct a public health needs assessment, train local officials and key community partners, and lead implementation of public health action on dementia, informed by guidance from The Healthy Brain Initiative: State and Local Road Map for Public Health, 2023-2027.

    The Road Map Strategists are funded by the HBI, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Alzheimer’s Association. The HBI has been a catalyst for securing collection of state data on Alzheimer’s-related issues, developing public health road maps to guide public health departments in addressing Alzheimer’s, and developing the first public health curriculum on Alzheimer’s for public health students and professionals. The HBI Road Map Strategist program is an important step forward in the local response to Alzheimer's and brain health across the country.

    The Healthy Brain Initiative and the Road Map Strategist Program is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $14,229,665 with 100 percent funding by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

    About the Alzheimer's Association

    The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

    About the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)

    The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

    About the Healthy Brain Initiative

    The Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) improves understanding of brain health as a central part of public health practice. The initiative is guided by the vision that everyone deserves a life with the healthiest brain possible. The HBI creates and supports partnerships, collects and reports data, increases awareness of brain health, supports populations highly impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and promotes the use of its Road Map Series. The HBI Road Map Series provides actionable steps to promote brain health, address cognitive impairment and meet the needs of caregivers.