Bill Text: HI HB617 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Oral Health.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 34-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2024-03-25 - Received notice of discharge of all conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457). [HB617 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB617-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
617 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 2 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO ORAL HEALTH.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's oral health program is not meeting the needs of residents. Unlike forty-two other states, the State's department of health does not have dedicated oral health staff to assess and monitor the population's oral health status, community needs, and assets; inform and educate people about oral health; mobilize community partners to leverage resources; develop, champion, and implement policies, laws, and plans that support oral health efforts; reduce barriers to care; assure a competent and skilled public and private oral health workforce; and improve public oral health functions through ongoing evaluation and continuous quality improvement.
The legislature further finds that the adult medicaid population has limited access to dental care. While there are over 288,000 adults with medicaid dental benefits, there is a lack of dental providers for this population. Additionally, while federally qualified health centers in each county are a critical medical and oral health safety net, in 2021, about forty-two thousand people of all ages and covered by all types of health insurance were served by the health centers.
The legislature additionally finds that while the department of health operates five small dental clinics and serves individuals who are elderly, blind, intellectually disabled, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill at the Hawaii state hospital, all clinics are located in the city and county of Honolulu. The State does not operate dental clinics to serve similar populations on the neighbor islands. The legislature notes that three hundred thirty-nine dentists in the State currently accept and treat adults on medicaid.
While the legislature allocated over $25,000,000 in 2022 to reinstate adult medicaid dental benefits, the legislature is concerned that the current oral health infrastructure is insufficient to deliver oral health services to those most in need.
The purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Establish an oral health task force to review information and data on the status of oral health in the State and make recommendations to improve the State's oral health infrastructure; and
(2) Appropriate funds to help facilitate the work of the oral health task force.
SECTION 2. (a) There is established an oral health task force to be placed within the family health services division of the department of health for administrative purposes.
(b) The oral health task force shall:
(1) Review all existing information and data relating to oral health status in Hawaii, including the Hawaii Oral Health Coalition 2022-2023 environmental scan, for evidence of key oral health issues and evident areas for action;
(2) Review all existing information and data relating to the department of health's oral health program functions and processes and make recommendations regarding organizational structure, personnel needs, contracted service needs, required resources, and potential additional funding and support;
(3) Review and analyze systemic issues in oral health services and processes statewide and make recommendations on systemic changes and improvements to improve equity in oral health;
(4) Develop an oral health strategic blueprint that includes goals, objectives, specific actions, and resources needed;
(5) Act as a systemic facilitator for key oral health stakeholders to ensure that complex and problematic issues are discussed and addressed in a timely and effective manner;
(6) Ensure that there are agreed-upon community metrics for analyzing the development and implementation of medicaid funding for oral health; and
(7) Make recommendations to state and county policymakers regarding systemic actions recommended to improve oral health in Hawaii.
(c) The oral health task force shall consist of the following members:
(1) One representative of the family health services division of the department of health, to be appointed by the director of health;
(2) One representative of the developmental disabilities division of the department of health, to be appointed by the director of health;
(3) One representative of the med-QUEST division of the department of human services, to be appointed by the director of human services;
(4) One representative of the student services branch of the department of education, to be appointed by the superintendent of education;
(5) One representative of the Hawaii Oral Health Coalition, to be invited by the president of the senate;
(6) One representative of the Hawaii Dental Association, to be invited by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(7) One representative of the Hawaii Dental Service, to be invited by the president of the senate;
(8) One representative of the Hawaii Dental Service Foundation, to be invited by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(9) One representative of a Hawaii dental medicaid insurer, to be invited by the president of the senate;
(10) Two community advocates for medicaid and oral health, one each to be invited by the speaker of the house of representatives and president of the senate, respectively;
(11) One representative of the state council on developmental disabilities, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(12) One representative of the Hawaii Primary Care Association, to be invited by the president of the senate;
(13) One representative of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems, to be invited by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(14) One representative of Papa Ola Lokahi, to be invited by the president of the senate;
(15) One representative of the Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, to be invited by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(16) One representative of the county of Hawaii, who is a department of health employee or community oral health representative, to be appointed by the president of the senate;
(17) One representative of the county of Maui, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(18) One representative of the county of Kauai, to be appointed by the president of the senate;
(19) A faculty member of the university of Hawaii at Manoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch school of nursing's dental hygiene program, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(20) One representative of the university of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine, to be appointed by the president of the senate; and
(21) One dentist from each county, to be invited by the chairperson of the task force.
(d) The representative of the family health services division of the department of health shall serve as the chairperson of the task force. If the representative of the family health services division of the department of health is unable to serve as the chairperson of the task force, the members of the task force shall select a chairperson from among the remaining members.
(e) The oral health task force shall submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than December 1, 2024. The department of health shall submit, pursuant to section 321-63, Hawaii Revised Statutes, a final report of the oral health task force's findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than December 1, 2025.
(f) The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2026.
(g) The family health services division of the department of health may contract for the services of a consultant to facilitate the work of the oral health task force, including drafting the interim and final reports required pursuant to subsection (e).
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the family health services division of the department of health to administer a contract to hire a consultant to facilitate the work of the oral health task force, including completing the interim and final reports required by subsection (e) of section 2 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the establishment of one permanent full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program specialist IV position and one permanent full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program specialist V position within the family health services division of the department of health to oversee the contract to hire a consultant to facilitate the work of the oral health task force to strengthen the oral health program in the State.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050; provided that sections 3 and 4 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2051.
Report Title:
Oral Health; Task Force; Department of Health; Positions; Reports; Appropriations
Description:
Establishes an oral health task force to review the status of oral health in the State and make recommendations to improve the State's oral health infrastructure. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050 and 7/1/2051. (SD2)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
