G-2105-16982

Grant Project Title
Supporting and Strengthening Implementation of an Adult Medicaid Dental Benefit by Creating Equitable Oral Health and Dental Care Pathways within the Provider Network in Collaboration with the Grassroots Disability Community and Stakeholders.
Grantee Address

New Hampshire Public Health Association (NH Oral Health Coalition)
4 PARK ST STE 403
CONCORD, NH
United States

New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition is a group of organizations, agencies, and individuals concerned about the impact of oral health issues facing New Hampshire. New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition, through fiscal sponsor New Hampshire Public Health Association, is seeking $145,120 in support for further progress toward an Extensive Medicaid Adult Dental Benefit in New Hampshire. This benefit was authorized in recent legislation, however funding for the benefit has not yet been included in the state budget.

Building on advocacy work in past grant periods, New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition will provide testimony, develop communications and advocacy tools, and work with department and government agencies to rally for adequate funding for an Extensive MADB with a target implementation date for the benefit of January 2023. This work is already in progress, and as of May 18, the New Hampshire Senate Finance Committee voted unanimously to support funding for an Extensive MADB as part of the budget. Beyond funding, New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition will advocate for care coordination and wrap-around services to be incorporated into the benefit.

New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition recognizes that in its current state, the oral health provider network is unable to meet even the need of current Medicaid beneficiaries, with NH ranking low nationally in terms of Medicaid program participation by providers. New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition will first assess the Medicaid oral health provider network in the state, in collaboration with the American Dental Assocation, New York University, University of New Hampshire Institute on Policy and Health Practice, Department of Oral Health and Human Services, and other academic partners, including how many oral health providers accept “special populations” in the state.

In the short term, New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition, in collaboration with a disability advocacy organization - ABLE NH - will offer training to providers around serving the disability community, positing that the adult Medicaid population includes many folks with disabilities. Continuing education credits will be provided to dentists and medical professionals who participate in these trainings.

ABLE NH and NHOHC will also establish a collective definition of “special populations” for use in Medicaid advocacy for the disability community moving forward. Lastly, NHOHC and ABLE NG will develop a joint policy agenda about oral health in special needs populations aimed at the Department of Health Human Services, Legislature, and the Governor.

New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition also included continued participation in OPEN Public Perception and Disability NRTs as part of their workplan, ongoing consumer presentations by their staff, and continued oral health awareness messaging through social media, newsletters and other avenues.

CareQuest Institute has funded New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition in the amount of $823,023 since 2013. New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition’s has been a strong advocacy partner, and their prior-funded work has impacted the positive progress toward an Extensive MADB so far in the state. Budget items for 2021 include staff time, event supplies, a partnership fee with ABLE New Hampshire and fiscal sponsor fees. Funding requested represents 44% of the organization’s overall budget. This calculation may be skewed as it was calculated using New Hampshire Public Health Association’s budget from 2018, the most recent data available.

Grant Date
-
Grant Amount
$120000.00