Pursuant to Code of Virginia § 51.5-154, the Virginia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Commission (Commission) must submit to the Governor, General Assembly, and Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) a report regarding the recommendations and activities of the Commission. The Commission, chaired by Lory Phillippo, develops and oversees the implementation of the Commonwealth's plan for meeting the needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders and their caregivers.

In December 2011, the Commission released the first Dementia State Plan, and this was updated in 2015. The Commission is pleased to present a newly updated Dementia State Plan 2020-2024: Building a Dementia-Capable Virginia. The plan maintains a focus on coordinated care through a network of memory assessment clinics and connections to public health initiatives. The plan guides legislators, other public officials, health and human services professionals, advocates, and other interested people on best practices and specific strategies for dementia-focused data collection, care, training, and research.

The five goals of the Virginia Dementia State Plan are:

1. Coordinate quality dementia services to ensure dementia–capability,

2. Use dementia-related data to improve public health,

3. Increase awareness and create dementia-specific training,

4. Provide access to quality coordinated care in the most integrated setting, and

5. Expand resources for translational research and evidence-based practices.

Virginia’s Dementia State Plan 2020-2024, working in tandem with the National Alzheimer’s Plan, provides the best opportunity for responding to dementia and providing support to the estimated 190,000 Virginians expected to be living with Alzheimer’s disease by 2025, a 27% increase from 2019. This rapid growth highlights the importance of the Plan and the Commission’s ongoing efforts.