G-1811-14613

This investment supports the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) to analyze and synthesize innovative state policy options for integrating oral health into primary care models, with a focus on workforce innovations. In 2018, NASHP explored policy options for integrating oral health into care for chronic or high-cost medical conditions in order to broaden and enrich effective solutions to integrate oral health into overall health. However, some of the challenges that were mentioned by key stakeholders pointed to workforce shortages and other challenges that inhibit access to oral health care overall, and the implications of those shortages for integrating oral health into statewide payment and delivery reform. The proposed work will build upon this. Specifically, NASHP will conduct a targeted environmental scan of oral health workforce innovations supported by Medicaid agencies; conduct interviews with a several state policymakers in two states with emerging or promising workforce innovations; synthesize key state policy options and considerations in two fact sheets (one per state), including implications for payment and delivery reform; host a 2019 NASHP conference session about oral health policy innovations; and publish a blog post highlighting session themes and findings. $46,800 will support personnel time, travel, and administrative costs associated with the implementation of this work.