Bill > S1575

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the MOM Project oral health three-year pilot program (program) in the Department of Health (department) and appropriates $4,150,000. Under the bill, "community oral health center" or "center" means the following in-State entities: a federally qualified health center, a dental home, or an acute care hospital licensed by the department that provides dental services to individuals who reside in a medically underserved area. "Dental home" means a licensed dental practice that administers services in manner that is accessible, culturally-sensitive, and family-centered. A "dental home" does not include a licensed dental practice if less than 75 percent of the dental practice's patients are individuals who are low income and who reside in a medically underserved area. "Eligible mother" or "mother" means a State resident who is pregnant, low-income, and not enrolled in, eligible for, or determined presumptively eligible for coverage under any Medicaid program. "Maternal and child health consortium" or "consortium" means a nonprofit organization licensed as a central service facility by the department, and incorporated under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Under the bill, the department is to administer the program in conjunction with at least one consortium. Within 90 days following the effective date of this bill, each participating consortium is to begin to provide the following program services: (1) Each consortium is to implement an outreach plan to identify eligible mothers, who reside in the area served by the consortium, and register the mothers in the program. Upon registration and in a manner that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws, the consortium is to endeavor to collect the following information from eligible mothers: whether the mother has or had access to a dental home during a current or prior pregnancy; the mother's oral hygiene routine, including the use of fluoride toothpaste; the mother's dietary habits; and the result of previous pregnancies. (2) Each consortium is to establish an oral health education program. Prior to the commencement of the oral health education program, each consortium is to require eligible mothers to complete a pre-education assessment that includes testing the mother's understanding of oral health and oral hygiene. (3) Each consortium is to provide eligible mothers a minimum of three hours of oral health education that includes the following: oral hygiene routines for mothers, infants, and children; nutritional counseling; education regarding the correlation between cariogenic disease and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and gastric changes; the impact of tobacco, drugs, and alcohol on a mother's oral health and the unborn child; recommendations and resources for routine oral health care for mothers, infants, and children; and education regarding available educational support. Oral health education program educators are to be compatible with the language and cultural needs of the eligible mothers enrolled in the oral health education program. (4) Following the eligible mother's completion of the oral health education program, the consortium is to require the eligible mother to complete a post-education assessment that includes testing to assess the mother's understanding of oral health and oral hygiene routines. Under the bill, within 90 days following the effective date of this bill, a community oral health center seeking to participate in the MOM Project is to file an application with the department, in a manner to be determined by the department. The department is to require an eligible community oral health center to enter into an agreement with a consortium to implement the following: (1) Following an eligible mother's completion of the oral health education program, the center is to develop a customized oral health treatment plan and nutritional recommendations for the mother, infant, and child, as applicable. (2) Following an eligible mother's completion of the oral health education program, provide the mother, infant, and child, as applicable, oral health treatment for one year. The dental care shall include the following: (a) a dental visit for cleaning, cavity risk assessment, periodontal charting, and to establish a one-year treatment plan; (b) comprehensive dental care and restorative treatment as needed; (c) a cleaning and treatment plan review approximately six months and one year following the date of the initial dental visit; (d) two dental visits for the infant or child; and (e) identification of a dental home for the child or infant before the infant receives his or her first tooth. Under the bill, within 180 days following the effective date of this bill, each consortium and health center is to compile and report relevant data to the department, as determined by the department. The department is to contract with a third-party to assist with data analysis and project evaluation activities. The department and the third-party hired are to informally convene an advisory panel to design an oral health model to be potentially included in the Medicaid program. The department is to prepare and submit a report of its findings to the Governor and to the Legislature. The bill appropriates $4,150,000 to the department to effectuate the purposes of the bill, as detailed in section 4 of the bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Renee Burgess (D)*,  Shirley Turner (D)*,  Benjie Wimberly (D),  Andrew Zwicker (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document