1712-13615

This investment supports the Marshall University Research Corporation to expand the reach of the West Virginia Oral Health Coalition (WVOHC) by strengthening and broadening the capacity of community-based oral health coalitions; elevating the network’s leadership in oral health dialogue and public policy advocacy in the state; and identifying and recruiting new partners not yet engaged in the oral health movement. Building on previous work, the coalition has shown success in improving oral health access and outcomes for West Virginians. Specifically, Marshall will grow the WVOHC by providing six mini-grants to grassroots and grassmiddle organizations in the state. These grantees make progress integrating oral health into their work by participating in an intensive two-day oral health bootcamp which includes training in messaging, organizational assessment, implementation planning, and evidence-based programming based on OH2020 principles; executing and oral health-related program or project; and sharing learnings throughout the WVOHC. The grant will also support Marshall’s efforts to bring the resources and tools of the Oral Health Nursing Education and Practice (OHNEP) to West Virginia, through collaboration with Oral Health 2020 colleagues in New York. By focusing on community, policy, and care, Marshall’s work contributes to the OH2020 goal of inserting oral health into health dialogue and public policy, especially in a rural state where 49 of the 55 counties are designated fully or in part as Health Professional Shortage Areas and/or Medically Underserved Areas. $125,000 will be used to support pass-through grants for grassroots partners and nursing programs, staff time, travel and meeting expenses, a convening of statewide allied nursing programs, office operations, and other indirect costs associated with the implementation of this project.