KU Medical Center to receive $5 million from state legislature to build Kansas Brain Health Assessment Network

The University of Kansas Medical Center will receive $5 million from the state to build the Kansas Brain Health Assessment Network, housed at KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The funding, which supporters intend to be annual, subject to the state’s appropriation process, was approved by the Kansas Legislature this spring. The program, which will begin in July 2026, will bring specialist-level dementia diagnostic capabilities into primary care practices across Kansas. It will have a particular focus on rural communities facing the most acute shortages of dementia specialists.

KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center is one of 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers designated by the National Institutes of Health and one of eight institutions in the world participating in the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative.

“Kansas has a unique responsibility here. Our geography creates barriers that other states don’t face the same way. We built the tools to address this at KU — and the legislature recognized that these proven care models should be implemented to benefit all Kansans across our state,” said Jeffrey Burns, M.D., co-director of KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

More than 55,000 Kansans are living with dementia, and that number is growing. Yet most rural Kansans face months-long waits for specialist appointments — if they can access one at all. Burns noted that there are 196 neurologists practicing in Kansas, but they are clustered near metropolitan areas, such as Kansas City and Wichita. Delayed diagnosis means delayed care, missed clinical trial opportunities and families navigating a crisis without support. It also means Kansans may miss the window for treatments that work best when Alzheimer’s disease is caught early. 

This funding arrives at an extraordinary moment in Alzheimer’s research, according to Burns. For the first time, clinicians have access to blood-based biomarker tests that can accurately detect Alzheimer’s disease without invasive procedures. Treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can now measurably slow disease progression in patients identified early. And prevention strategies — proven to meaningfully reduce dementia risk — are ready to be implemented at scale. 

“This initial investment reflects a thoughtful investment in both innovation and accessibility,” said Kansas State Sen. Jeff Klemp (R-Lansing), who supported the funding. “This investment leverages the strength of the University of Kansas Medical Center and extends that expertise across Kansas into our rural hospital network. This opportunity makes meaningful progress in how we approach brain health and ensures these advancements are available to all Kansans, not just those near major medical centers.”

The Kansas Brain Health Assessment Network will build on the work of the Cognitive Care Network, a team of dementia-trained social workers working in practices and communities across Kansas. Established by KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in partnership with The University of Kansas Health System in 2016, the Cognitive Care Network has championed early detection and built community trust and practice relationships.

“The Kansas Brain Health Assessment Network builds on this foundation, expanding our reach to new partners and increasing access to timely brain health evaluation and care,” said Michelle Niedens, director of the Cognitive Care Network. “Early detection can open the door to a broader range of treatment options and help individuals and families respond in ways that extend quality of life — something every Kansan deserves.”

Recently, the Brain Health Care Accelerator and ACE-AD (Accelerated Clinical Evaluations for AD) pilot programs tested a new care model in Kansas City and Salina. This program involved a registered nurse conducting a comprehensive two-hour dementia assessment in a primary care setting, with results ready for a clinician to deliver a diagnosis within one week. The pilot proved the network could work — and the trained nurses in those practices are already using blood-based biomarkers and connecting patients to clinical trials that were previously out of reach. 

Primary care practices across the state will provide the care — using staff they already have, who will be trained and supported by KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The memory clinic at The University of Kansas Health System is a partner for this initiative, and KU specialists also will provide protocols and guidelines and be available for consultation and to review diagnostic reports when needed.

Key components of the Kansas Brain Health Assessment Network are: 

• Eight regional diagnostic hub centers across the state that provide access to comprehensive dementia evaluations — including blood biomarker testing
• Expanded Cognitive Care Network for care navigation and family support 
• Compensated training programs for registered nurses, primary care providers and community health workers 
• Access to FDA-approved disease-modifying treatments, clinical trials and telemedicine consultation for rural Kansans 
• Rigorous evaluation infrastructure to measure outcomes and demonstrate return on investment 

“This model not only strengthens access to early diagnosis and care but also provides a responsible way to increase billable services for rural providers that are facing real financial pressures,” Klemp said. “More importantly, it positions them as the first line of defense, improving outcomes through earlier intervention.”

"We are at an inflection point. The tools to detect, slow, and ultimately prevent Alzheimer’s disease are arriving faster than the care systems capable of delivering them,” said Burns. “This investment builds the infrastructure Kansas needs to keep pace — not just for what exists today, but for the wave of innovation we know is coming."