G-2104-16940

National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) is a non-partisan organization that convenes policymakers in state governments to learn about and implement innovative solutions to health policy challenges. NASHP is seeking $138,448 in funding to build on their previous grant year, to assess, compile and disseminate opportunities for states to address social determinants of health (SDOH) factors in Medicaid dental contracts. As part of NASHP’s grant last year, they conducted an audit of all state Medicaid policies to determine which states included SDOH factors in their medical and dental contracts. Thirty-seven states were identified as having language around SDOH in their medical contract, and fifteen states were included language around SDOH in Medicaid dental contracts. With this information, NASHP built a workplan around engaging state officials in conversation about SDOH in oral health. NASHP will continue to use the findings of their state Medicaid contract audit from last year along with periodic updates to the audit in the upcoming grant year.

First, they will create a listserv of state officials who participated in NASHP’s “roundtable” conversation last year about SDOH in oral health, and continue to share resources around SDOH and encourage folks to ask questions. They will then create a Medicaid policy workgroup with state officials from twelve states who will participate in monthly calls to share examples of successful models for incorporating SDOH in state Medicaid dental contracts. The Medicaid policy workgroup will also have the opportunity to learn from SDOH subject matter experts. Toward the end of the grant period, NASHP will host another roundtable conversation with state officials which would involve the Medicaid policy workgroup members, state officials outside of that group, and federal officials. The goal of the roundtable is for state officials to share progress and changes in their Medicaid program’s approach to SDOH in oral health with a broad group of other states.

NASHP will synthesize and disseminate lessons learned in this roundtable through a few avenues: as part of the NASHP conference, with publication of up to four fact sheets or blogs, and submission of an abstract to a national conference. All products are intended to give state officials concrete options toward incorporating SODH factors in their Medicaid dental contracts. All products, including the results of the Medicaid contract audit, will be promoted through a variety of NASHP’s networks, including the OPEN Network and CMS’s oral health advisory group.

The majority of the budget is allocated toward staff time at $100,000. The rest of the budget is related to administrative costs of the project. The overall project represents 3% of the organization’s overall budget.