Lt. Governor announces $341,000 for local children’s dental initiative

BCUW will steward grant

Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton has announced Governor Jim Doyle’s plan to award grants totaling $4,251,300 from the State of Wisconsin to help improve access to dental services for low-income individuals in Wisconsin.

Included in this package is a provision for the Brown County Oral Health Partnership to receive a one-time grant of $341,000 . The funds would specifically help provide for children’s dental needs.

Funding for the grants come from federal dollar that were attained by the Department of Health and Family services in an effort to maximize the inflow of federal funds into the state.

The funding still needs to gain approval by the Joint Committee on Finance before local communities can receive the funds.

Lawton made the announcement at the Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center Oct. 13.

“Access to dental care is the most important issue in this state right now,” Lawton said. “This grant will help.”

The Brown County Oral Health Partnership (OHP), of which Brown County United Way is a member, will administer the grant. The OHP is a joint effort by Brown County human services organizations and the Rotary Club of Green Bay to improve access to local dental services.

“This would make a huge impact for the children in our community that have difficulty finding the critical dental care they need,” said OHP President Nancy Armbrust.

The Brown County United Way will donate its services as the fiscal agent for the grant, something the BCUW is pleased to do, said Community Impact Manager Sarah Inman.

One of the grant recipients would be the Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center, which would use the funds to increase its current care capacity by hiring additional support staff and purchasing new equipment, including a digital x-ray machine and other items. Educational materials would also be replenished by the grant.  This would help establish the center as the hub for emergency and special needs care for Brown County’s low-income children.

“With care among the low-income population reaching a crisis stage in Brown County, these funds couldn’t come at a better time,” said Chris Dunbar, executive director for Howe.

Other funding recipients would be:

The Green Bay Head Start and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs would purchase supplies such as sealants, fluoride treatment and timers for classroom tooth brushing. These supplies would also be used at the Howe resource center and other agencies like the Boys and Girls Club and The Salvation Army.

The OHP would also establish a fund for low-income children who need extensive dental treatment. The OHP's oral health coordinator, Carrie Stempski, would be brought up to full-time and a part-time assistant position would be hired.

Funding for this grant comes from a much larger package of $40,398,700 that will address health and human services issues across the state. The plan will be approved unless the legislature's Joint Committee on Finance files for a public hearing by October 20, 2006.

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