Report Title:

Community Oral Health

Description:

Appropriates funds from the emergency and budget reserve fund for the Department of Health to hire licensed dental hygienists to provide services to underserved children. The appropriation amount is blank. (SD2)

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1430

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

H.D.2

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D.2


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO COMMUNITY ORAL HEALTH.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that, based upon the 1999 findings of the department of health, dental health division, among public elementary school children statewide, children in Hawaii have tooth decay (dental caries) rates that far exceed those documented on the United States mainland. At an average of 3.9 decayed teeth per child, the rate of dental caries among children ages five through nine in Hawaii is 2.1 times the last published United States national average of 1.9. Hawaii's dental caries prevalence rate is among the highest in the nation. The rates among Hawaii's native Hawaiians (4.2) and Filipinos (5.5) exceed the national average by 2.2 and 2.9 times, respectively.

Poor oral health among children and vulnerable adult populations is among the most widespread and pressing public health problems identified in Hawaii. Dental disease, including tooth decay, is Hawaii's silent epidemic. Affecting most Hawaii residents at one time or another, tooth decay causes pain, loss of productivity at school and work, expensive treatment, and the risk of severe, even life-threatening infection.

Moreover, the legislature finds that licensed dental hygienists are reluctant to perform services in underserved areas, especially the neighbor islands. They are also reluctant to serve underserved populations, specifically those with low-income or who are immigrants.

In the regular session of 2002, $500,000 was appropriated to the department of health to hire licensed dental hygienists to provide dental services to children in underserved areas. However, the funds were never released.

The legislature further finds that state revenues will not cover expenditures for programs essential to the public health, safety, and welfare. As a direct result of the state budgetary shortfall, the State would need to eliminate and severely cut necessary programs, services, and projects provided by hospitals, health centers, and other agencies throughout the State, especially in rural areas.

The legislature finds that the hiring of licensed dental hygienists to serve underserved areas was essential to secure the public health and welfare in 2002 but their hiring did not occur, thus jeopardizing the public health, safety, and welfare. Therefore, due to that delay, the legislature finds that an urgency currently exists to hire licensed dental hygienists to secure the public health, safety, and welfare.

The purpose of this Act is to follow through with the intent of the legislature during the 2002 regular session to improve the quality of oral health in the State and improve accessibility of dental services by appropriating funds to the department of health to provide oral health services to children in underserved areas.

SECTION 2. Licensed dental hygienists employed or contracted by the department of health shall offer comprehensive oral health services to children in public schools or in appropriate community health facilities, and to public schools in underserved areas. Services may include but are not limited to:

(1) Topical fluoride application;

(2) Oral health screening;

(3) Dental sealant application;

(4) Educational presentations to students, teachers, parents, caregivers, and community groups; and

(5) Case management and consultation for special cases.

Dental hygienists may also provide services to any preschool, private school, and community groups within the area of the complex.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the emergency and budget reserve fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for fiscal year 2004-2005, for the department of health to employ or contract licensed dental hygienists to offer comprehensive oral health services to underserved children.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.