South Dakota’s Healthy Brain Coalition, part of South Dakota’s Department of Health, is using a public health approach to address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) in South Dakota. Part of the state plan is to increase the knowledge of current and future workforce. April has many opportunities for training our current healthcare professionals:
- Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care ECHO® Program: Primary Care Practices - Begins April 16 | This 12-session, biweekly series is designed to support primary care teams to receive best-practice guidance for dementia detection, diagnosis and management. The next cohort of this series launches on April 16, 2026, meeting 12:00 PM-1:00 PM CT via Zoom. Participants will leave with evidence-based practices for diagnosis, treatment, and care management, which will help them enhance their clinical skills and leadership in dementia care. Each session includes a short, expert-led presentation, followed by interactive case discussions. Participating teams are welcome to present de-identified cases for group feedback. Up to 12 free CME credits are available to those who attend. To register, all interested care teams should contact Rachel Goldberger at rbgoldberger@alz.org. This program is best suited for clinics with recurring patients, and care teams are encouraged to attend together to maximize learning and practice-wide impact.
- Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care ECHO® Program: Brain Health - Begins April 17 | This 5-session, biweekly series is designed to support primary care in promoting brain health across the lifespan using practical, evidence-based strategies that can be integrated into routine clinical workflows. The pilot cohort launches April 17, 2026, meeting 11:00 AM–12:00 PM CT via Zoom. Participants will leave with actionable tools and expert guidance to support healthy behavior adoption, identify early cognitive changes, and strengthen connections to community-based resources for patients and families. Each session features a brief, expert-led presentation followed by interactive, case-based discussion. Participating teams are encouraged to present de-identified cases for group feedback. Up to 5 free CME credits are available for those who attend. To register, please have all interested care teams contact Rachel Goldberger at rbgoldberger@alz.org. This program is best suited for clinics with recurring patients, and care teams are strongly encourage to attend together to maximize learning and practice-wide impact.
- Early Detection of Dementia: What to Do Now – National Resources to Plan, Partner, and Act –BOLD Public Health Center of Excellence-April 13 | The BOLD Public Health Center of Excellence on Early Detection of Dementia is offering a webinar to share new resources, including two new resource guides — one for community-based organizations and one for health departments who are interested in promoting early detection of dementia within and across sectors. They will discuss how to leverage the Center’s resources to assess needs and assets; identify goals and next steps; build and sustain partnerships; and measure and communicate your impact. Register here for the Apr 13, 2026 12:00 PM webinar. Access the toolkit and resource guides here.
- Lifestyle Approaches to Promote Brain Health and Maintain Cognition – April 15 | Curious how to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment, like MCI or dementia? Join AMA Board Chair David Aizuss, MD, for a panel discussion on lifestyle factors that impact dementia risk and ways physicians can help patients better maintain cognitive health at different stages of life. April 15, Noon CT. Learn more and register
- Best Practices in Hospice Care for Advanced Dementia – April 14 | SDAHO member exclusive. Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are now among the top reasons people are admitted to hospice care in the United States. This program focuses on the challenges hospice and end-of-life care providers encounter while caring for this population. Beyond exploring the role of hospice in dementia care, the program explores how interdisciplinary teams can best support patients, their care partners, and staff in caring for persons with dementia and educating communities about the services hospice and palliative care can offer. Register Here
