Networks for oral health integration within the maternal and child health safety net - healthefficient is requesting maternal child health - improving oral health integration (MCH-IOHI)…

Networks for oral health integration within the maternal and child health safety net - healthefficient is requesting maternal child health - improving oral health integration (MCH-IOHI) demonstration project funding to support its "transforming oral health for communities (TOHC)" proposal. Building on the success of healthefficient's ongoing hrsa/MCH-funded network for oral health integration (NOHI) project (2019-2024), the goal of the proposed TOHC project is to improve access to preventive oral health care and oral health equity for the target population of pregnant women and infants living in communities underserved by oral health care. Access to necessary and appropriate dental care continues to remain a problem in NY. The TOHC project will implement a "patient-centered, team-based primary oral health care" model, supported by community health workers (CHWS) and other care team members. The objectives of the TOHC project are to: 1) enhance state-level policy and/or scopes of practice aimed to increase access and use of integrated preventive oral health care; 2) increase oral health awareness among health organizations across the state, targeted for organizational oral health literacy training and outreach; 3) implement state-level oral health surveillance enhancements aimed to improve trend analysis; and 4) implement at local levels an evidence-based model of care to integrate preventive oral health care and primary care services, including: primary care clinical workflow modifications, provider training, and dental referral tracking. To accomplish these objectives, healthefficient has assembled an alliance of experienced key NY state stakeholders to develop, implement, and continuously evaluate and improve a project model to improve access to oral health services for the target population. The TOHC team, in concert with the alliance, will be responsible for carrying out the project work, including developing models and guiding implementation adhering to the three project core functions: policy and practice; outreach and ED ucation; and data, analysis, and evaluation. Using the institute for healthcare improvement's (IHI) breakthrough series collaborative model, the team will lead three 12-month learning collaborative (LC) cycles inviting alliance members and approximately 3 chcs in each cycle (for a total of 9 CHC participants during the 4-year project period). The LC cycles will be organized to provide training and improve core competencies of CHWS and chcs related to 1) evidence-based oral health practices; 2) communication and education; 3) interprofessional collaborative practice; and 4) health information technology integration and optimization of quality improvement (QI) data. In addition, the alliance will expand oral health education and outreach to community organizations via CHWS through partnerships between chcs and other organizations in NY state, including women, infants, and children (WIC) programs, family home visiting, and early head start. By the end of the 4-year demonstration project, healthefficient's TOHC plans to: • establish a state-level policy to increase the scope of practice for CHWS and similar care team members to deliver reimbursable preventive oral health services, including fluoride varnish; • improve oral health awareness among 85% of targeted health organizations within the state; • implement at least one new process and data source for use in oral health surveillance of the target population; and • implement an evidence-based model of care to integrate preventive oral health services into primary care in 100% of participating chcs. The TOHC project will enhance access to preventive oral health care and promote oral health equity for pregnant women and infants in new york's communities with barriers to oral health. We are confident that the participating healthcare organizations implementing this model of patient-centered, team-based primary oral health care will see improved oral health access and outcomes in their communities.