Contact:
Elsie Flemings, Healthy Acadia
207-288-5331
elsie@healthyacadia.org
“Healthy Acadia &
Partners Offer Grants to Increase Access to Oral Health”
Healthy
Acadia and the Downeast Community Transformation Collaborative are
pleased to offer competitive grants to organizations to increase
access to oral healthcare for children in Hancock and Washington
Counties. Non-profit organizations as well as private practices are
eligible to apply, and they must provide dental screening, oral
health education, and dental sealants to children through a
school-based or school-linked program, in order to bring about
lasting changes to children’s oral health.
“Oral
health is a critical part of the overall health of children and
adults, and these grant opportunities can make a significant
difference in the health of our community members,” said Elsie
Flemings, Community Relations & Development Director for Healthy
Acadia. “Lack of preventive care can lead to serious dental
disease, causing significant distress, poor physical health and high
treatment costs. 43.2% of adults in Washington and Hancock Counties
have tooth loss due to gum disease or tooth decay. Increasing access
to oral health education and services, including dental sealants,
reduces tooth decay and enhances overall health.”
Grants
of up to $10,000 are available. Organizations, including private
dental practices and non-profit organizations, with the ability to
serve children in regions of Maine’s Washington and Hancock
Counties are eligible to apply. Oral Health Access projects must
include delivery of dental screening, delivery of oral health
education, and delivery of dental sealants to children through a
school-based or school-linked program.
School-based
oral health programs are conducted entirely in school settings, while
school-linked programs are conducted partially in schools (e.g.
patient selection or parental permission), but would generally
provide the oral care at private dental practices or other clinics
outside of schools. For this grant opportunity, Early Childhood
Education Centers are considered “schools,” along with schools
serving students between kindergarten and twelfth grade.
Grant
applications must be sent electronically or by mail by Friday,
September 13, 2013.
Awards will be announced by October 4, 2013. For more information or
to receive an application, please contact Sandie Dubay at 288-5331 or
sandie@healthyacadia.org, or visit www.healthyacadia.org.
The
Downeast Community Transformation Collaborative is coordinated by
Healthy Acadia, in partnership with the Passamaquoddy Tribal Council
at Indian Township, Washington County-One Community, Washington
County Council of Governments, the Hancock County Planning
Commission, and the University of New England. The Collaborative was
awarded a two-year Community Transformation Grant from the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve health and
reduce chronic disease throughout Washington and Hancock Counties.
Through
the Collaborative, Healthy Acadia and partners are implementing a
broad range of strategies to bring about lasting improvements in the
health of communities across Washington and Hancock Counties.
Initiatives include: increasing the number of children receiving
preventive oral exams, education and treatment, increasing access to
preventive health services, promoting active community environments,
increasing farm-to-school and healthy food experiences in schools,
working with schools to implement Coordinated School Health programs,
and increasing access to nutritious food among people experiencing
low income.
Healthy
Acadia is a non-profit community health coalition serving the
Downeast-Acadia region and is a Healthy Maine Partnership. For more
information, please visit www.healthyacadia.org.
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