GRANT00023

Continued funding to Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA) to support the statewide Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC) to create systems-level policy change and promote evidence-based practices to improve the oral health of Kentuckians. Since its inception in 2010, KOHC has progressed steadily through the engagement of a steering committee, adoption of operating principles, and creation of initial membership structure. KYA has demonstrated their ability to support and grow the statewide oral health coalition and its role as an oral health policy leader in Kentucky. Continued support will allow KYA and KOHC to work toward its objectives of 1) Sustainability; 2) Marketing and outreach; 3) Maintaining collation member involvement; and 4) Advancing coalition priorities, including expanding school-based oral health services and increasing oral health literacy and education, and to continue to effectively mobilizing stakeholders to address access to care issues in Kentucky.