KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – The University of Kansas Medical Center is set to receive $5 million from the state to build a new network aimed at improving dementia diagnostic capabilities.

Officials at the University of Kansas Health System said the funding — which supporters intend to be annual if the state’s appropriation process allows — will help build the Kansas Brain Health Assessment Network.

The network will be located at KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and will begin this July. It will bring specialist-level dementia diagnostic capabilities into primary care practices across Kansas.

“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.

Burns said the funding comes as, for the first time, clinicians have access to blood-based biomarker tests to accurately detect Alzheimer’s disease without an invasive procedure.

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

KU Medical Center said 55,000 Kansans are living with dementia and Wednesday’s announcement of funding will help specifically rural Kansans, who face months-long waits for specialist appointments.

“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.”