35-5-8. Responding to at-risk individuals facing emergencies; training.

(a) The Georgia Public Safety Training Center shall create and maintain an at-risk adult training course available to all peace officers, emergency medical personnel, and behavioral health co-responders relating to responding to at-risk adults, including those individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. (b) Such training course shall, at a minimum, provide training in: (1) Investigating criminal violations involving benefits trafficking and related offenses; (2) Investigating criminal violations involving the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a disabled adult or elder person; (3) Responding to reports of missing persons; (4) Interacting with victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation in a victim centered and trauma informed way; and (5) Certain aspects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and cognitive impairment, including; (A) Instruction in interacting with persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia; (B) Techniques for recognizing the behavioral symptoms and characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia; (C) Techniques for effective communication with persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia; (D) Techniques for employing alternatives to physical restraints; and (E) Protocols for contacting caregivers when an individual with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia is found wandering or during an emergency situation. (c) The training course provided for in this Code section shall be developed by the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in collaboration with the Forensic Special Initiatives Unit of the Division of Aging Services of the Department of Human Services. (d) The number of hours and specific curriculum required for the training course provided for in this Code section shall be approved by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.