Oral Health Access for Kittitas County

1
Oral Health Access for Kittitas County

• Access to Oral Health Care
• in
• Kittitas County

2
The Troubled History

• Chronic access problems experienced by low-income
  folks with Medicaid or no dental insurance.
• Health and social service providers have
  traditionally had to call many local and out of
  county dental offices
• People have had to travel or be driven out of
  county for services
• Sporadic volunteer (ILS, Health Dept., KCVH,
  KCAC) efforts at rotating referral to local
  dentists limited success.

3
Current Facts

• 2001 Telephone survey 43 of Kittitas County
  adults do not have ANY dental insurance.
• There are 10 dentists and one orthodontist.
• DOH Office of Community and Rural Health has
  applied for a Low-Income, Migrant Farm Worker,
  Homeless Dental Care Health Professional Shortage
  Area (HPSA) for Kittitas County.
• The HPSA designation looks good on grant
  applications but has no practical benefits to the
  county beyond that at present.

4
Current Facts (cont)

• Mobile Unit (Yakima Valley Farmworkers,
  Smilesavers) visits to county are
• sporadic subject to cancellation due to weather
  and personnel issues,
• unable to provide restorative work and continuity
  of care,
• are being reduced due to heavy demand elsewhere.
• Farm Workers are looking at possibility of having
  a permanent dental chair or chairs here.

5
Year One - Oral Health Access Program - April
2001-present

• Funds for 1st year - 33,000 from Washington
  Dental Service Foundation 2,000 - State
  Department of Health 1,200 - Comprehensive
  Health Education Foundation. Medicaid Match -
  outreach/linkage.
• .5 FTE Coordinator Christie Waddington
• Built relationships with all dental practices
  dentists more willing to take clients referred by
  oral health coordinator
• Worked with 4 outside organizations to deliver
  services in Kittitas County over 400 clients seen

6
Year one (cont)

• Smile Survey and Sealant program in schools
  assessed 350 kids sealants on 150 kids
• 7 presentations to 80 service providers
•   Just for Grins program in schools oral
  health education presentations and toothbrushes
  to 755 2nd and 3rd grade students
• 5 fair and health fair booth appearances
• Responded to over 250 client phone calls from
  people needing access or advocacy
•  Progress made toward initiation in Kittitas
  County of ABCD program(Access to Baby and Child
  Dentistry enhanced Medicaid reimbursement for
  children 0-6 )

7
Status of Health Department Oral Health Access
ProgramWhats Next?

• Grant request for Year 2 to Washington Dental
  Service Foundation and Washington Health
  Foundation was 39,754. In kind support from KCHD
  and other community partners estimated 10,000
• Washington Health Foundation awarded 40,000 -
  June 2002-June 2003.
• Grantors will not continue to fund at this level
  and need to see substantial support from
  partners and a plan for long-term sustainability
  of program

8
Potential Funding Sources Under Development

• Dept of Health Oral Health Program - 3,000
  minimum
• ABCD If we become an ABCD county in 2003, we
  will get funds from WDSF and DSHS to help with
  coordination of that program.
• MAA outreach and linkage match could bring in
  5,000/year if that source remains viable.

9
The Future long term sustainability

• More than ½ the funds (20,000) need to come from
  a local partnership and a granting entity.
• Thoughts, suggestions ?????