HB375 • 2026

Adult Protective Services; Department of Human Resources required to create dementia training, certain employees and contractors required to complete

Education Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Wadsworth
Last action: 2026-02-05
Official status: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill passed the legislature but was later re-referred to a committee, so its current legal status is uncertain despite having an effective date listed.

HB375: Dementia Training for Adult Protective Services Staff

This bill requires the Department of Human Resources to create a dementia training program and mandates that specific employees and contractors complete this training.

What This Bill Does

Requires the department to develop a training program on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Mandates two hours of initial training for new staff or contractors who investigate adult care complaints upon starting their work.
Requires these same individuals to take two hours of continuing education every two years.
Includes instruction on identifying dementia, safety risks like wandering, falling, and neglect, and communication strategies.
Allows the department to create rules about how the training curriculum and schedules will work.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Human Resources
Employees who investigate complaints about adults needing care or protection
Contractors hired by the department for these investigations

Terms To Know

Dementia training programming: A course that teaches staff how to identify dementia, handle safety risks like wandering and falling, and communicate with affected individuals.
Continuing education: Required refresher classes taken every two years for employees or contractors who investigate adult care complaints.

Limits and Unknowns

The specific details of the training curriculum are not listed in this text.
The law does not state what happens if an employee fails to complete the required training.
This act becomes effective on October 1, 2026.

Bill History

2026-02-05 House
Re-referred to Committee in House of Origin
2026-02-03 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-02-03 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on State Government

Official Summary Text

Adult Protective Services; Department of Human Resources required to create dementia training, certain employees and contractors required to complete

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB375 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB375
G3WHLC6-1
By Representative Wadsworth
RFD: State Government
First Read: 03-Feb-26
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G3WHLC6-1 01/15/2026 GP (L)lg 2026-273
Page 1
First Read: 03-Feb-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, the Department of Human
Resources arranges protective services for adults in
need of care and protection.
This bill would require the department to
develop a dementia training program about how to
identify individuals with Alzheimer's or other
dementias, common safety risks, and best practices for
servicing those individuals.
This bill would require individuals who are
employed by or contracted with the department to
investigate complaints about adults in need of care and
protection to complete a dementia training program upon
the start of employment or contract assignment, and
would require continuing education relating to dementia
for those individuals every two years.
This bill would also authorize the department to
adopt rules.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to Adult Protective Services; to add a new
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HB375 INTRODUCED
Page 2
Relating to Adult Protective Services; to add a new
Section 38-9-12 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to require the
Department of Human Resources to develop dementia training
programming; to require certain employees or contractors of
the department to undergo dementia training; and to authorize
the department to adopt rules.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 38-9-12 is added to the Code of
Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
§38-9-12
(a) The department shall develop and implement dementia
training programming. The programming shall include
instruction on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and
include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Identification of individuals with Alzheimer's
disease or other dementias.
(2) Common safety risks, including wandering, falling,
and neglect.
(3) Communication impairments and behavioral changes.
(4) Best practices for interacting with and providing
services to individuals with dementia, including
considerations for preventing abuse and neglect.
(5) For programming offered to newly hired or
contracted individuals, all of the following:
a. General information about Alzheimer's disease and
other dementias.
b. Safety risks for individuals with Alzheimer's
disease and other dementias.
c. Communication strategies and behavior management
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HB375 INTRODUCED
Page 3
c. Communication strategies and behavior management
strategies for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other
dementias.
(b) Each individual who is employed by or contracted
with the department and is responsible for seeking out adults
in need of care and protection pursuant to Section 38-9-4(b)
shall complete dementia training as follows:
(1) Upon his or her start of employment or contract
assignment, two hours of training.
(2) Every two years of employment or contract
assignment, two hours of training for purposes of continuing
education.
(c) The department may adopt rules to administer and
implement this section, including, but not limited to, rules
to develop curriculum, training schedules, and documentation
requirements.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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