Networks for Oral Health Integration within the Maternal and Child Health Safety Net

Description

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Networks for Oral Health Integration within the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Safety Net Program (referred to here as the NOHI Program). The purpose of this program is to improve access to and delivery of comprehensive, quality oral health care[1] for children, 0–17 years of age, by testing and establishing models of care utilizing three collective strategies: (1) enhanced integration of oral health care within MCH safety net services (Section IV, Table 1); (2) increased knowledge and skills among health care providers (including dental, non-dental clinical, and non-dental support service providers) for delivering optimal dental services; and (3) increased knowledge and awareness of preventive oral health practices among parents/caregivers to increase adoption of these behaviors including use of needed dental services. Achieving the program purpose requires testing and validating replicable models of care to integrate oral health into MCH safety net services. The MCH safety net services are comprised of providers, payment programs (e.g., Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program) and facilities that provide clinical, nonclinical and support services. A “model of care” [2] broadly defines the delivery of health services, outlining best care practices and services for a person, population group, or patient cohort as they progress through the stages of a condition, injury, or event. It aims to ensure people get the right care, at the right time, by the right team, and in the right place. The NOHI Program will provide funding to three distinct Networks that will each develop, implement, and evaluate a model of care that enables the integration of optimal oral health services within one of the MCH safety net settings specified in Table 1 (Section IV). Oral health integration in a clinical MCH safety net setting should include each of the following components: anticipatory guidance[3], oral health education to children and their families, oral health risk assessment of children or adolescents[4],[5], structured referrals for appropriate oral health services, tracking of referrals to determine receipt of needed oral health services, provision of preventive oral health services[6] by dental or non-dental personnel, and referrals for restorative dental services, if needed.

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