BILL NUMBER: AB 648	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 11, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Low

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2015

   An act to add Section 104755.5 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to oral health, and making an appropriation therefor.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 648, as amended, Low. Community-based services: Virtual Dental
Home program.
   Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health and
sets forth its powers and duties, including, but not limited to, the
administration of a state oral health program known as the Office of
Oral Health for the purposes of, among other things, establishing
community dental disease prevention programs for schoolaged children.

   This bill would establish the Virtual Dental Home  grant 
program to expand the virtual dental home model of community-based
delivery of dental care to the residents of this state who are in
greatest need, as prescribed. The bill would  authorize the
administrator of the program to, among other things, encourage
development and expansion of the delivery of dental health services
in community clinics and school programs,   require the
program to facilitate, coordinate, and encourage development and
expansion of the delivery of dental health services through use of
the Virtual Dental Home model by providing grants to, among other
things, develop training modules and establish community-based
learning collaboratives,  as prescribed.
   The bill would appropriate $4,000,000 to the department for the
purposes of this program.
   Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 104755.5 is added to the Health and Safety
Code, to read:
   104755.5.  (a) The Virtual Dental Home (VDH)  grant 
program is hereby established to expand the virtual dental home model
of community-based delivery of dental care to the residents of this
state who are in greatest need.
   (b) The  administrator of the program shall be the dentist
appointed   grant program shall be administered by the
dentist appointed to the State Department of Public Health, Oral
Health Unit,  by the director pursuant to Section 104755.
   (c) The VDH  program shall do all of the following to
facilitate and expand the delivery of community-based dental health
services:   grant program shall facilitate, coordinate,
and encourage development and expansion of the delivery of dental
health services through the use of the Virtual Dental Home model by
providing grants to do all of the following:  
   (1) Facilitate and encourage development and expansion of the
delivery of dental health services in schools, head start and
preschool programs, and community clinics as set forth in Section
1910.5 of the Business and Professions Code.  
   (2) Encourage utilization of the teledentistry model described in
subdivision (b) of Section 14132.725 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code.  
   (3) 
    (1)  Develop  related training modules.
  training modules and Web-based technical assistance.
 
   (4) 
    (2)  Establish community-based learning collaboratives.

   (5) Provide grants to fund 
    (3)     Fund  essential VDH technology
and equipment. 
   (4) Develop and fund other services, as determined by the grant
administrator, as required to meet the requirements of this section.

   (d) The  administrator shall seek to secure  
program administrator may seek additional private or public 
funds to expand access to the VDH  program that can be used
along with other private and public funding opportunities. 
 program.
   (e) The VDH program shall be focused on providing needed services
in geographic areas of highest need, as determined by the 
director after a thorough assessment, and in consultation with the
administrator and oral health stakeholders.   program
administrator.  
   (f) The program administrator may grant funds directly to public
and private educational institutions or nonprofit entities as
required to meet the requirements of this section. 
  SEC. 2.  The sum of four million dollars ($4,000,000) is hereby
appropriated from the General Fund to the State Department of Public
Health for the purposes of the Virtual Dental Home (VDH) program
established pursuant to Section 104755.5 of the Health and Safety
Code.