Policy Scan Webinar Introduction October 17, 2012 Marcy Frosh Children’s Dental Health Project

1. Policy Scan Webinar Introduction October 17, 2012 Marcy Frosh Children’s Dental Health Project

2. Status of Resources: Oral Health Policy • 50-state database on comprehensive oral health policies is NOT yet available • Newly-enacted legislation is identified for some topic areas by a organizations such as: - Nat. Assoc. of Comm. Health Centers - American Dental Hygienists Association

3. What NCSL 50-State Database Captures for Environmental Health Environmental Health Legislation Database Search Results 137 bills in 24 different states Return ColoradoConnecticut Bill Text LookupCT H 6539 Environmental Health 2009Status:Enacted - Public Act No. 220 Date of Last Action:07/08/2009 - Enacted*Author:Joint Public Health Topics: Children's Environmental Health| Indoor Air Quality| Indoor Air Quality – Radon Summary: Concerns environmental health, eliminates the December 31, 2008, deadline for the Commissioner of Public Health to establish and define categories of discharge that constitute alternative on-site sewage…

4. States can create their own oral policy scan that goes beyond laws on the books Maryland will describe how they adapted a CDHP template that includes: • Professional policies – (e.g., 8-Week Mini-Pediatric Dentistry course for GP DDS) • Public policies in laws, regulations, other (e.g., statewide fluoridation mandate) • Programmatic policies (e.g., MOU with your Dept. of Environment)

5. Why capture any or all? • New partners are unlikely to be aware of existing policies (particularly important for integration activities) • Long-standing partners may not be clear on nature and extent of policies • Planning/Education/Outreach/Evaluation requires up-to-date information • Historical knowledge is preliminary to policy assessment (e.g., Oral Health Policy Tool)

6. Already worried that it’stoo much to tackle? Keep in mind that you can start with just one category and build to three categories - - Maryland will describe all three! • Professional policies – (e.g., 8-Week Mini-Pediatric Dentistry course for GP DDS) • Public policies in laws, regulations, other (e.g., statewide fluoridation mandate) • Programmatic policies (e.g., MOU with Dept. of Environment)

7. TIPS on research methodsand resources will follow! You may already know that citationsand content are easily accessible from: • FLUID database for state / local policies on community water fluoridation (www.fluidlaw.org) • State Board of Dental Examiners for Dental Practice Acts • CDHP Policy Brief on State laws requiring certification of an exam, screening, or assessment for school entry (www.cdhp.org)

8. MARYLAND • Attended a CDC Workshop that introduced the CDHP Policy Scan template • Took it home and adapted it • Now able to crosswalk public, programmatic, and professional policies! Let’s hear more!

9. Maryland Policy Scan NjeriThuku, M.A. Health Policy Analyst Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Oral Health October 17, 2012

10. MARYLAND POLICY SCAN • Background • Methods • Challenges • Outcomes

11. MARYLAND POLICY SCAN • Comprehensive listing of adopted policies: • Public policies in law, regulation, other • Programmatic policies • Professional policies

12. Maryland Approach: Background • Finding information to populate tracking sheet • Original tracker in use • Policy white papers • Maryland General Assembly website • Dental Action Committee (DAC) recommendations

13. Maryland Approach: Methods • Need for user-friendly tool: • Organize past legislation • Update easily • Identify instances of public/programmatic/professional overlap

16. Maryland Approach: Methods • Created a crosswalk in Excel • View all “line-listing” categories simultaneously • List policy goals/categories vertically • Key information to include (date, policy/regulation name, brief description) • Identify overlap more clearly • Determine best fit in line-listing • Hyperlink bill/regulation text if available • “At-a-Glance” only – not intended to be in-depth summary

19. Maryland Approach: Challenges • Deciding which legislation/regulation fell under which policy line listing category • Tool helped clarify policies and determine best fit, including appropriate overlap • Tracking bills from a single year • Developed complementary tool for single year analysis

21. Maryland Approach: Outcome • Reference tool • Ability to track policies/programs over time • Identify policy gaps • Use in conjunction with the Maryland Oral Health Plan to evaluate progress and determine future priorities

22. Contact Information Marcy Frosh mfrosh@cdhp.org 202.417.3599 Njeri Thuku Njeri.Thuku@Maryland.gov 410.767.3082 This webinar was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 5U58DP001695-05 to ASTDD and Cooperative Agreement Number 5U58DP002285-04 to the Children’s Dental Health Project from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. CDC/HHS award recipients are prohibited from using federal funds for lobbying related to the enactment of proposed or pending legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before the U.S. Congress or any state government (June 2012). 

23. Thanks Questions?