1512-11679

The National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE), in partnership with the Morehouse School of Medicine and the National REACH Coalition, is request general operating support from the President's Fund in the amount of $25,000 for the Health Equity Leadership Exchange Network (HELEN). HELEN is a national network designed to bolster leadership and the exchange of ideas and information among communities of color and other vulnerable populations relative to the advancement of health equity in laws, policies, and programs. HELEN seeks to strengthen health equity leadership and increase the number of sustainable campaigns that play an important role in offering community education and mobilization. HELEN includes members of various organizations, coalitions and associations committed to the elimination of health disparities, and serves as a national forum for health equity champions to share information about timely, relevant, and pressing policy issues impacting health equity. HELEN will organize and convene a national roundtable discussion with a diverse group of governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to explore the intersection of oral health policy and health equity. Additionally, they will stage at least two webinars in 2016 that focus on oral health disparities and the potential for policy and regulations to reduce barriers to good oral health for all. In partnership with the National Collaborative for Health Equity, HELEN will produce and widely disseminate online resources examining federal oral health policies including the implementation of health care reform. Finally, attention will be focused on raising awareness among HELEN members of the Oral Health 2020 goals, and highlight the National Interprofessional Initiative on Oral Health as a resource to members.