Local Partnership Brings the Promise of More Dental Services to Champaign-Urbana’s Low-income Communities
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2007
Contact
Lori A. Holmes, Public Relations
(217) 531-2927
Claudia Lennhoff, CCHCC
217.352.6533
Allison McLaughlin, Carle Foundation Hospital
217.383.4602
Local Partnership Brings the Promise of More Dental Services to Champaign-Urbana’s Low-income Communities
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, Champaign County Health Care Consumers, and Carle Foundation Hospital have combined their efforts and resources to create the “Adult Dental Access Partnership”.
Champaign, IL –
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC) and Carle Foundation Hospital have joined together to address the crisis of adults without dental care in Champaign and Urbana. The alliance, titled Adult Dental Access Partnership, will work to secure funding, manage referrals, optimize volunteer hours, and case manage clients who receive the services.
Starting April 4, 2007, the Adult Dental Access Partnership will be slowly accepting a limited number of referrals for adult dental patients. Phase I of this plan, which will be operational for six to eight months, will begin with eight dental service hours per week at the CUPHD location at 710 N. Neil Street, Champaign. Appointments will only be accepted if referrals are made through the Cunningham Township Office, The East Central IL Care Consortium, or the Champaign County Health Care Consumers. Persons referred through CCHCC must be residents of either Champaign or Urbana, and must have a current Medicaid card.
“Phase I only serves as the beginning point for addressing this overwhelming community crisis,” said Vito Palazzolo, Administrator of CUPHD. “Phase II is contingent upon funding to hire staff for an adult dental program. Carle Foundation Hospital has certainly helped with a significant contribution of nearly $100,000. This paid for our new mobile unit, and allowed us to purchase portable dental equipment for the mobile, and equipment to build two additional operatories at our new facility at 201 Kenyon Road.”
The Adult Dental Access Partnership is looking for additional partners in the ChampaignUrbana community to assist in making this program a reality, including local dentists who will volunteer time, oral surgeons and specialists who will accept a limited number of uninsured clients or clients with Medicaid referred to them through this program. The Adult Dental Access Partnership is an exciting necessary program, and CUPHD and CCHCC are committed to its successful expansion. “We are hopeful that other local businesses will take Carle Foundation Hospital’s lead in providing financial support so that this program will thrive,” added Mr. Palazzolo.
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has a long history of providing dental services to children in Champaign and Urbana. Additionally, CUPHD offers other services to children and their parents. “Programs such as Women, Infants , and Children (WIC) and Family Case Management serve approximately 4,000 at-risk clients per year. The children are eligible for dental services, but at this time, the pregnant women and parents of these children are not.” said Julie Pryde, Director of Infectious Disease Management at CUPHD. “Staff from the WIC and Family Case Management programs sees countless women with obvious dental decay which is a concern as periodontal disease has been linked with negative pregnancy outcomes, such as low birth-weights.” Although CUPHD has recently doubled the number of service hours offered, the need in the Champaign-Urbana community is still not being adequately addressed.
Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC) operates the Consumer Health Hotline that provides information, referral, assistance and advocacy services to Champaign County residents who are experiencing problems with the health care system. CCHCC’s hotline receives over 400 phone calls per month, over half of which are related to concerns about dental care and dental access from low-income adults and adults with Medicaid.
“The Adult Dental Access Partnership program affords CCHCC and CUPHD the opportunity to combine resources to serve a larger population of the Champaign-Urbana Community.” said Claudia Lennhoff, Executive Director of CCHCC. “The mission of CCHCC is to provide quality health care for all, and there is a growing need in our community for adult dental care.”
Carle Foundation Hospital’s support has been indispensable. The Hospital’s generous $100,000 donation has provided $47,000 to fund the CUPHD mobile unit and 53K for dental and vision equipment. “Every day our local emergency departments see patients with severe dental needs—needs that can best be addressed in a dentist’s chair rather than in an emergency room bed,” said James C. Leonard, M.D., president and CEO, The Carle Foundation. “We at Carle Foundation Hospital are committed to ensuring everyone in our community has access to quality health care. Dental care is an important component of a person’s good health.”
Carle Foundation Hospital, a 305-bed regional care hospital located in Urbana, Ill., offers a higher level of clinical service and technology than any area hospital, and serves as the area's only Level I Trauma Center and Co-Perinatal Center. With more than twenty-five departments including surgical, cardiovascular and neonatal ICUs, Carle Foundation Hospital joins with the Carle Clinic Association to provide services through the Carle Heart Center, Carle Spine Institute and Carle Cancer Center. A full range of healthrelated organizations complete the Hospital system.
Carle Foundation Hospital and its parent organization, The Carle Foundation, are not-forprofit organizations that take an inclusive approach to medicine serving everyone, everywhere in every way. In 2006, The Carle Foundation provided $43.7 million in community benefits ranging from education to air medical transport to the Community Care Discount Program, which helped more than 4,000 patients receive free or discounted care at a cost of $4.9 million. The Carle Foundation has also financially supported with community organizations such as Frances Nelson Health Center, Champaign County Christian Health Center, and Champaign County Health Care Consumers, to ensure everyone in this community has access to high quality, affordable health care.
The Adult Dental Access Partnership will go a long way towards helping to fill a tremendous need in the Champaign-Urbana community. CUPHD, CCHCC and Carle Foundation Hospital have recognized and responded to this need and are “creating something to SMILE about…..together.”
For more information about the Adult Dental Access Partnership program, please contact the following:
CUPHD – Julie Pryde, Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Management; (217) 239-5369
CCHCC – Claudia Lennhoff, Executive Director; (217) 352-6533
Carle Foundation Hospital - Allison McLaughlin, Specialist; (217) 383-4602
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