G-1812-14641

This purpose of this grant is to support Kentucky Youth Advocates, which houses the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition, in maintaining recent policy infrastructure while deepening the capacity and engagement of local, regional, and statewide oral health networks and being the leading voice in the state for oral health. This project builds on successful past work to provide leadership to state government during the crafting and litigation of the states 1115 Medicaid Waiver, to galvanize the voice of youth and the broader community as a key stakeholder in oral health policy, and to diversify funding streams for oral health within the state. Specifically, this work includes leveraging national expertise and producing state-specific policy briefs on oral health and Medicaid, continuing to convene and strengthen the capacity of regional oral health networks across the state, and to engage youth as leaders in advocating for policies related to the social determinants of oral health. This project aligns with the OH2020 goals of shifting the public perception of oral health as a part of overall health as well as including an adult dental benefit in publicly funding health coverage. The budget for this is $60,800 and primarily goes to support staff salaries as well as travel and meeting costs.