Bill Text: HI HR33 | 2023 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Health To Convene An Oral Health Task Force To Review Information On The Status Of Oral Health In The State And Make Recommendations To Improve Oral Health Infrastructure In Hawaii.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-4)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-29 - Report adopted. referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). [HR33 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2023-HR33-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	33
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE AN ORAL HEALTH TASK FORCE TO REVIEW INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF ORAL HEALTH IN THE STATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE ORAL HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE IN HAWAII.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the State is unable to meet the dental public health needs of its residents; and

 

     WHEREAS, the adult Medicaid population in the State has limited access to dental care; and

 

     WHEREAS, statewide emergency department data analyzed from calendar years 2016-2020 shows that a significant number of the State's adult Medicaid population use emergency facilities as their "dental care home", which is an ineffective method of dental care and a misuse of resources; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2021, approximately 42,000 people of all ages and all types of health insurance were served by federally qualified health centers for dental care needs; and

 

     WHEREAS, while the Department of Health operates five small dental clinics that serve individuals who are elderly, blind, intellectually disabled, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill, the clinics are all located in the City and County of Honolulu; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State does not operate dental clinics to serve similar populations on the neighbor islands; and

 

     WHEREAS, while there are over 288,000 adults with Medicaid dental benefits, there is a lack of dental providers for this population, with only three hundred thirty-nine dentists who currently accept and treat adults on Medicaid; and

 

     WHEREAS, only eleven percent of the State's dental providers serve one hundred or more persons who receive Medicaid assistance; and

 

     WHEREAS, while the Legislature allocated over $25,000,000 in 2022 to reinstate adult Medicaid dental benefits, there is a concern that the current oral health infrastructure is insufficient to deliver oral health services to those most in need; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, that the Department of Health is requested to convene an Oral Health Task Force to review information on the status of oral health in the State and make recommendations to improve oral health infrastructure in Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to comprise 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 appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

     (6)  One representative of the Hawaii Dental Association, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

     (7)  One representative of Hawaii Dental Service, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

     (8)  One representative of the Hawaii Dental Service Foundation, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

     (9)  One representative of the Hawaii dental Medicaid insurer, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

    (10)  Two community advocates for Medicaid and oral health, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate, respectively;

 

    (11)  One representative of the Hawaii 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 appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

    (13)  One representative of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

    (14)  One representative of Papa Ola Lokahi, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

    (15)  One representative of the Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

    (16)  One representative of the County of Honolulu, who is a Department of Health employee or community oral health representative, to be appointed by the House of the Representatives;

 

    (17)  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;

 

    (18)  One representative of the County of Maui, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

    (19)  One representative of the County of Kauai, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

    (20)  One representative of the County of Kalawao, who is a Department of Health employee or community oral health representative, to be appointed by the House of Representatives;

 

    (21)  A faculty member of the University of Hawaii at Manoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing dental hygiene program, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

 

    (22)  One representative of the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to include the following in its study:

 

     (1)  A review of 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)  A review of all existing information and data relating to the Department of Health public dental health functions and program processes and recommendations regarding organizational structure, personnel needs, contracted service needs, required resources, and potential additional funding and support;

 

     (3)  A review and analysis of systemic issues in oral health services and processes statewide and recommendations on systemic changes and improvements to improve equity in oral health; and

 

     (4)  The feasibility of expanding community service licensure requirements to:

 

          (A)  Include community health centers as eligible organizations at which those with a community service license may practice;

 

          (B)  Allow dental hygiene and dental college graduates who have graduated from educational programs recognized by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation to apply for temporary or community service licenses; and

 

          (C)  Include passage of the Integrated National Board of Dental Examination within five years of the date of request as proof of eligibility for a community service license; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the task force is further requested to:

 

     (1)  Develop an oral health strategic blueprint that includes goals, objectives, specific actions, and resources needed;

 

     (2)  Act as a systemic facilitator for key oral health stakeholders so that complex and problematic issues can be discussed and addressed in a timely and effective manner;

 

     (3)  Ensure that there are agreed-upon community metrics for analyzing the development and implementation of Medicaid funding for oral health; and

 

     (4)  Make recommendations to state and county policymakers regarding systemic actions recommended to improve oral health in Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the oral health task force is requested to submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature no

later than December 1, 2024; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health is requested to submit a final report of the oral health task force’s findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, no later than December 1, 2025; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health; Director of Human Services; Superintendent of Education; Mayors of the counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai; Dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine; Dean of the Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing; Chair of the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Chair of the Hawaii Oral Health Coalition; President of the Hawaii Dental Association; President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Dental Service; Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Primary Care Association; Chief Executive Officer of Papa Ola Lokahi; and President of the Hawaii Dental Hygienists Association.

 

 

 

Report Title: 

Oral Health Task Force