Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This strategic plan presents the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research’s (NIDCR’s) plans to pursue its mission of seeking fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and applying that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The 2026 version was reviewed and updated to ensure that it aligns with administration priorities and complies with executive orders. Topics include NIDCR’s statutory authority and brief history; COVID-19 and lessons learned; intramural research program; extramural research program; strategic plan; strategic priorities; outcome assessment; and predictions.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Cultural diversity, Disease transmission, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Research, Strategic plans, Virus diseases

Annotation: This fact sheet provides information on the state of North Carolina kindergarteners’ oral health following the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact sheet includes background on the issue and presents statistical information in figures on the increased incidence of untreated tooth decay and less-treated tooth decay and on the decreased incidence of never experiencing tooth decay in this population. Also included is information on efforts the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Oral Health Section, is making to reverse these trends.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Dental caries, Kindergarten, North Carolina, Oral health, State information, Trends

Annotation: This brief presents lessons learned and recommendations for maintaining and building on community health worker (CHW) deployment during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. It discusses who CHWs are and what they do and provides information about the policy landscape, taking into consideration the American Rescue Plan Act’s allocation of funds for the public health workforce to support pandemic-relief efforts.

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Keywords: , COVID-19, Community health centers, Community health workers, Disease transmission, Financing, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Public policy, Virus diseases

Annotation: This brief offers information about community members’ attitudes in several states about oral health. It discusses how important it is to community members to get a dental check-up, compared with a medical check-up; how important it is to parents that their child has good oral health; and how institutional and structural factors limit community members’ access to clear information about oral health. Also discussed are community members’ understanding of the importance of oral health to overall health and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their attitudes about getting oral health care.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Attitudes, COVID-19, Communities, Disease transmission, Health information, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Underserved communities, Virus diseases

Annotation: This plan focuses on how different factors affect health equity in Texas. The plan contains four sections that examine which population groups are more likely to have poor access to health care, including oral health care. The sections look at the challenges faced by those living in rural areas of the state, mental and behavioral health and the ability of the state’s behavioral health care workforce to address these issues, and the role that telehealth can play in addressing health disparities. Additionally, each section considers how COVID-19 has impacted health care in Texas.

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Keywords: Access to health care, Behavioral medicine, COVID-19, Disease transmission, Infectious diseases, Mental health, Oral health, Oral health equity, Rural health, State information, Strategic plans, Texas, Virus diseases

Annotation: Recorded on October 7, 2022, this webinar discusses the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Participants include representatives from AMCHP, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Kentucky Division of Maternal and Child Health (Medicaid and Title V Services). They discuss how registration for Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) increased during the pandemic, and what states have to look forward to when federal funding ends, including increased applications to state health programs. The Kentucky representatives present their plans for dealing with the change in funding and how they will meet the demands, including increased caseloads and the renewal process. Also incuded is a list of resources available for Maternal and Child Advocates from AMCHP.

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Keywords: Telemedicine, Covid-19, Kentucky, Medicaid, MCH programs, State Children's Health Insurance Program, Disaster planning, Title V programs,

Annotation: In March 2022, the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) held this session on telehealth policy updates, focusing on changes made during COVID-19 and beyond. It details Medicare and Medicaid policy changes, including waivers for geographic limitations, expanded provider lists, and additional service codes. The presentation outlines the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule updates, which include significant changes to mental health services via telehealth, Remote Therapeutic Monitoring codes, and other modifications. It also covers state-level policies, noting that as of Fall 2021, all 50 states and DC reimburse for live video telehealth in Medicaid, 22 states reimburse for store-and-forward, 28 states cover remote patient monitoring, and 22 states allow audio-only services. Additionally, it mentions that 43 states and DC have private payer telehealth laws, with 20 states having payment parity requirements. Slides from the presentation are available for download.

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Keywords: Telemedicine, Health policy, Disaster planning, Pandemics, Covid-19

Annotation: AMCHP outlines its guidance on utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for Maternal and Child Health initiatives in this report from 2022. It showcases innovative state-level programs funded through COVID-19 relief, particularly focusing on telehealth services, and includes examples from multiple states such as Alaska's Virtual Home Visiting Summit and Massachusetts' Community Telehealth Kiosk. The document also provides comprehensive resources from various organizations about ARPA implementation, including funding breakdowns, policy guidance, and strategic planning tools for maximizing the impact of federal relief funds on children and families.

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Keywords: MCH programs, Staff development, Government financing, Covid-19, Telemedicine,

Annotation: This report provides information on the role that oral health professionals can play in COVID-19 vaccine delivery and policy recommendations. It discusses the state policy landscape as it relates to oral health professionals administering COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine-delivery strategies developed by health center oral health programs, policy recommendations to increase the role of oral health professionals as vaccinators, and vaccine-specific policy recommendations.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Disease transmission, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Public policy, Vaccination, Vaccines, Virus diseases

Annotation: These best practices are a compilation of regulations, guidance, and practice tips related to infection control in dental clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Part I discusses preparing the dental clinic before patient appointments. Part 2 discusses delivering safe patient care. Selected topics included policies and procedures, dental team preparation and screening, dental operatory procedures for patient care, personal protective equipment, and infection control. A checklist for preparing the dental clinic for patients and staff is included.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Disease transmission, Guidelines, Infection control, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Regulations, Virus diseases

Annotation: This toolkit includes COVID 19–related oral health teaching resources for health professions faculty to use in classroom, simulation, and clinical settings. Resources include a case study of individuals across the life span with oral health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, a fact sheet about caring for teeth during the pandemic, a fact sheet about addressing problems with braces during the pandemic, a reference list of peer-reviewed articles and open-source publications that highlight the links between oral health and COVID-19, and a slide deck for integrating a COVID-19 oral-systemic health perspective into presentations.

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Keywords: , COVID-19, Disease transmission, Educational materials, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Orthodontics, Virus diseases

Annotation: This brief highlights way in which the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated oral health inequities. It discusses racial disparities in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths; persisting oral health disparities; and factors that contribute to having unmet oral health care needs. Other topics include the impact of racism and discrimination on oral health care use, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on oral health professionals of color and those serving underserved communities, and the importance of addressing inequities in oral health to achieve lasting change.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Disease transmission, Health care utilization, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Racial factors, Virus diseases

Annotation: This report provides information about teledentistry. It explains what telehealth and teledentistry are, and discusses the increasing use of teledentistry across the country since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Statistical information is provided on the percentage of dentists using telehealth and the percentage planning to use it in the near future, services provided via telehealth or another virtual platform, telehealth modalities, and patients’ attitudes toward teledentistry. Snapshots about how telehealth is being used in several states are included.

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Keywords: Attitudes, COVID-19, Disease transmission, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Public health, Service delivery, Teledentistry, Virus diseases

Annotation: This report describes a learning community whose goal is to strategize about solutions to emerging COVID 19 pandemic–related problems. The report discusses implementing a three-domain framework designed to increase efficiency and boost patient outcomes, adapting to practice interruption with teledentistry, emphasizing minimally invasive care, coaching the change experience, and opportunities for oral health transformation. Guidelines for implementing a new level of infection control are included.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Disease transmission, Infection control, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Teledentistry, Virus diseases

Annotation: This guide provides an overview of teledentistry and how it is being used in community health center (CHCs) oral health programs. It discusses the increased use of teledentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides tools for implementing teledentistry. Promising practices from the field are described, and a summary of federal and state policies related to teledentistry is included. The guide also presents an introduction to the National Network for Oral Health Access’s Teledentistry Learning Collaborative, which is composed of 11 CHC oral health programs across the United States.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Community health, Disease transmission, Infectious diseases, Oral health, Policy, Teledentistry, Virus diseases

Annotation: This report provides information about a pilot program in Nevada in which parents apply fluoride varnish to their children’s teeth under virtual supervision from a licensed oral health professional using teledentistry. The purpose of the program is to prevent oral disease in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report presents an overview of the program, describes program services and the types of oral health professionals involved, and discusses early lessons and recent activity.

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Keywords: COVID-19, Disease transmission, Fluoride, Infectious diseases, Nevada, Oral health, Public health, Service delivery, State programs, Teledentistry, Virus diseases

Annotation: This brief presents lessons learned that can help states build, sustain, or expand partnerships with community health workers (CHWs). It discusses engaging CHWs and other community-based stakeholders in policymaking to inform CHW programs and identify communities’ needs and strengths, leveraging experience from the COVID-19-pandemic response, and transitioning work with CHWs to advance other policies and financing approaches. It also discusses investing in CHWs to ensure sustainability, including through reimbursement of services, building career paths, and strengthening CHW networks.

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Keywords: Access to health care, COVID-19, Community Health Workers, Community health, Disease transmission, Financing, Health services, Infectious diseases, Public policy, Reimbursement, Virus diseases

Annotation: This discussion paper seeks to examine the public health sector's experience during COVID-19, exploring how legacy systems and policies shaped the sector's capacity to respond, highlighting health departments' key contributions and challenges during the pandemic, and identifying priority areas and policy considerations to enable the health care sector to be better prepared to meet population health needs in the 21st century.

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Keywords: Access to health care, COVID-19, Community health, Disease transmission, Infectious diseases, Public policy, Virus diseases

Annotation: In this recording from April 2021, AMCHP's Global Health Workgroup provides information on the growth of vaccine hesitancy as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic and introduces guest presenters from global and domestic organizations that address vaccine hesitancy in their practice. Guest presenters provide context and examples from their COVID-19 responses and explain their strategies in combating vaccine hesitancy in their communities. Special guests include Anne Zink, MD, FACEP, Chief Medical Officer for the State of Alaska; Cecelia Thomas, JD, Senior Government Relations Manager, Trust for America's Health; Bruce Gellin, MD, MPH, President, Global Immunization, Sabin Vaccine Institute. Length: 1 hour, 17 minutes.

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Keywords: Global health, Covid-19, Alaska, Vaccines, Immunization programs

Annotation: This video was created by the Western States Regional Genetics Network (WSRGN) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help families navigate the transition to telehealth. WSRGN initially produced the video in English and Spanish, and later extended the series to include Vietnamese, Samoan, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Tagalog with support from AMCHP through its CARES Act funding. WSRGN is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This video was created as a collaboration of the staff of the Hawaii Department of Health, Western States Regional Genetic Network, and Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center.

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Keywords: Covid-19 [suggested keyword], Telemedicine, Consumer education, Confidentiality, Medicare