HRSA Awards $2.7 Million to States to Increase Access to Oral Health Care

	U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration HRSA NEWS ROOM http://newsroom.hrsa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 11, 2008

CONTACT: HRSA PRESS OFFICE
301-443-3376

HRSA Awards $2.7 Million to States to Increase Access to Oral Health Care

HRSA has awarded 16 new grants to states totaling $2.7 million to enhance efforts of a current program to provide oral health care among medically underserved Americans.

In fiscal year 2008, Congress appropriated nearly $3 million more dollars for HRSA's Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities program, which began with $2 million in FY 06.

The new awards are part of a one-year initiative to help grantees develop more plans for oral health projects in communities with the greatest need. The initiative develops dental disease prevention efforts in communities designated as dental health professional shortage areas in 16 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Grantees will be:

assessing statewide oral health needs to pinpoint priorities;
identifying partners within communities or regions;
convening partners at strategy meetings;
developing implementation plans;
locating additional sources of funding to ensure sustainability;
beginning plan implementation; and
submitting a final report to HRSA.

“For years HRSA has worked hard to expand access to oral health care through many of our agency's programs,” said HRSA Administrator Elizabeth Duke. “These grants continue that full-court press to make sure more dental care is available to people who need it.”

The grant program is administered by HRSA's Bureau of Health Professions.

FY 2008 Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities

Organization	City	State	Amount
Alaska Department of Health and Social Services	Juneau	Alaska	$125,000.00
Arizona Department of Health Services	Phoenix	Ariz.	$129,118.00
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services	Dover	Del.	$200,000.00
Florida Department of Health	Tallahassee	Fla.	$200,000.00
Indiana Department of Health	Indianapolis	Ind.	$185,691.00
Kansas Department of Health and Environment	Topeka	Kan.	$200,000.00
Maine Department of Human Services	Augusta	Maine	$123,816.00
Massachusetts Department of Public Health	Boston	Mass.	$144,331.00
Michigan Department of Community Health	Lansing	Mich.	$183,420.00
Minnesota Department of Health	Saint Paul	Minn.	$190,069.00
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services	Jefferson City	Mo.	$200,000.00
New Hampshire Bureau of Community Health Services	Concord	N.H.	$175,087.00
Ohio Department of Health	Columbus	Ohio	$85,665.00
University of Puerto Rico	San Juan	P.R.	$140,898.00
South Dakota Department of Health	Pierre	S.D.	$174,615.00
Washington Department of Health	Olympia	Wash.	$200,000.00
Total:			$2,657,710.00

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The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.