On January 8, 2021, Governor Newsom released his January 2021-22 budget proposal. Included in this budget are several investments in Alzheimer’s care, education, and research:

• $5 million one-time General Fund for a public education campaign on brain health
• $4 million one-time General Fund for new training and certification for caregivers
• $2 million one-time General Fund for expanded training in standards of care for health providers
• $2 million one-time General Fund for grants to communities to become dementia-friendly.
• $4 million one-time General Fund for research to strengthen California’s leadership on disparities and equity in Alzheimer’s
• $3 million to increase diversity in our geriatric care workforce
• $7.5 million for expanding “No Wrong Door” networks to serve the entire state. These centers provide families with one-stop telephone and online portals to assistance with aging, disability, and Alzheimer’s.

Also included in the budget is the appointment of a senior advisor on Aging, Disability, and Alzheimer’s to advance cross-Cabinet initiatives and partnerships. This came from a recommendation included in the Master Plan for Aging.

We were also pleased to see funding maintained for Caregiver Resource Centers, Multipurpose Senior Service Programs, and the Community-Based Adult Services. The budget also included $410 million in General Fund to avoid the 7-percent across the board reduction to IHSS service hours in the 2020-21 budget and the extension of the back-up provider system to avoid disruptions to caregiving.

For more information, read the budget summary from Justice in Aging.