To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Public Health
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Approval of Memorandum of Understanding with Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District for the Facilitation of Dental Screenings for Elementary School Students
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the memorandum of understanding with Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District regarding the facilitation of dental screenings for elementary school students; and
2. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services - Public Health Director or designee thereof, to sign any and all subsequent amendments, and any other documents directly related to existing memoranda of understandings with Humboldt County elementary schools to support the facilitation of dental screenings for students, after review and approval of County Counsel, Risk Management, and County Administrative Office; and
3. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services - Public Health Director or designee thereof, to execute additional memoranda of understanding regarding the facilitation of dental screenings for students, after review and approval of County Counsel, Risk Management, and County Administrative Office; and
4. Direct the clerk of the Board to return one certified copy of the order pertaining to this item to the Department of Health and Human Services - Contracts Unit.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Public Health Funds (1175)
DISCUSSION:
Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services - Public Health (DHHS-PH) was awarded $917,090 from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2027, to expand upon the existing Local Oral Health Program (LOHP). The focus of the LOHP during this current 5-year grant period is to support the development of oral health education, prevention, and linkage to treatment for high-need populations in Humboldt County. Providing school-based oral health assessments is a key strategy used for identifying the dental needs of children and linking them to the proper care. The Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA) is required by law and plays a primary role in assessing the dental needs of first-year students (AB 1433, revised per Senate Bill 379, and established under California Education Code [EC] Section 49452.8). Although the KOHA is required, families without a dental home can struggle to find a provider that will complete the screening for their child. Moreover, there is not always a clear understanding among individual schools of how to properly fill out, file, aggregate, and report the KOHA data.
The intent of the agreement before your Board today is to approve the partnership between the LOHP and Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District that will allow each party to have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in ensuring the KOHAs are completed. The LOHP will be able to visit schools with dental professionals and offer free assessments. The children identified as having dental needs will be offered support in finding a provider and the appropriate staff will be looped in to follow up on the child’s care (care coordinators, school nurses, etc.). The agreement will solidify each party’s shared goal to improve KOHA participation rates and will result in improvements in community health, compliance with school regulations, and increased access to services to vulnerable populations.
Staff also recommends that the Board authorize DHHS- Public Health Director, or designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent memoranda of understanding and any respective amendments, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management, and the County Administrative Office, in order to avoid any unnecessary delays in the facilitation of oral health assessments for students in Humboldt County school districts.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The is no financial impact with this MOU.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by protecting vulnerable populations and providing community-appropriate levels of service.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Humboldt County Office of Education (HCOE) agrees to support in the required reporting of Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment results in the System for California Oral Health Reporting (SCOHR) Data Reporting System.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to approve the attached memorandum of understanding with Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District regarding the facilitation of dental screenings for school students. However, the alternative is not recommended since it will limit DHHS- Public Health’s ability to provide adequate support to high-need populations in the County.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Memorandum of Understanding for Oral Health
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-15; D-14
Meeting of: 03/20/2018; 09/27/2022
File No.: 18-202; 22-1240