dqf2019023

Continued support to Oral Health Kansas to begin the Implementation Phase of the Oral Health 2014 Initiative, and to realize their vision of impact that: Kansas will have new or expanded oral health service delivery and financing models that are replicable and sustainable. Activities during implementation will include: the catalysis of community networks for social change that will improve access to oral health prevention and care by leveraging community resources to design programs that align with community need and are sustainable; the strengthening and support for the existing oral health workforce in the state by weaving support networks for oral health professionals; and advocating for coverage modification and improvement by mobilizing key stakeholders at the state and community levels impacted by the existing systems. Kansas’ activities over the next two years align with the Foundation’s focus on the inclusion of oral health in publicly funded health insurance by supporting improvements in the Medicaid oral health benefit available to underserved Kansans. Grant funds will support staff guidance of the implementation plan, overhead costs related to the execution of the plan, and consultant support to facilitate to the community and state-level network-weaving efforts.