An Act To Improve the Oral Health of Maine's Children Further amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting in its place the following: Sec. I. 20-A MRSA §6454 is enacted to read: §6454. Oral health assessments The commissioner shall cooperate with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services in implementing a grant program developed in accordance with Title 22, section 2128 to increase the provision of oral health assessments for children entering elementary school. A child whose parent objects in writing to an oral health assessment on religious grounds may not be assessed. Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §2128 is enacted to read: §2128. Grant program to promote oral health assessments and care for children Page l-LR2670(2) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1936
Committee Amendment CA_A_S498 (Senate)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6454, 22 MRSA §2128

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. A .. to S.P. 737, L.D. 1936, Bill, "An 
Act 
To 
Include 
Oral 
Health 
Assessment with Other 
Preschool 
Testing for Maine's Children" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting 
the following: 
'An Act To Improve the Oral Health of Maine's Children' 
Further amend the bill by striking out everything after the 
enacting clause and before the summary and inserting in its place 
the following: 
'Sec. I. 20-A MRSA §6454 is enacted to read: 
§6454. 
Oral health assessments 
The commissioner shall cooperate with the Commissioner of 
Health 
and 
Human 
Services 
in 
implementing 
a 
grant 
program 
developed in accordance with Title 22, section 2128 to increase 
the provision of oral health assessments for children entering 
elementary 
school. 
A child whose parent objects in writing to 
an 
oral health 
assessment 
on 
religious 
grounds 
may 
not 
be 
assessed. 
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §2128 is enacted to read: 
§2128. Grant program to promote oral health assessments and care 
for children 
Page l-LR2670(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A " to S. P. 737, L . D . 1936 
The commissioner, in consultation with the Commissioner of 
Education, 
shall administer 
a 
grant program to promote oral 
health assessments of children entering elementary school and 
facilitate the provision of care for those students identified as 
in need of dental services. 
1. Eligibility for grants. 
A nonprofit organization may 
apply for a grant by submitting an application as requested by 
the commissioner to demonstrate that the applicant: 
A. 
Has entered into a memorandum of understanding with a 
school 
administrative 
unit 
to 
provide 
oral 
health 
assessments; 
B. 
Is able to provide dental care or secure dental care 
through 
an 
identified dental 
care 
provider 
to 
a 
child 
identified as needing dental care within 6 months of the 
assessment date; and 
C. 
Has the capacity to record and compile data identified 
by the commissioner as necessary to monitor and evaluate the 
grant program. 
2. Chi ldren served. 
A recipient of a grant shall contract 
with 
a 
school 
administrative 
unit 
to 
provide 
oral 
health 
assessments 
to children entering kindergarten or as 
soon as 
practicable upon a child's 
initial enrollment in an elementary 
school. 
A recipient of a grant shall provide assessments and 
necessary dental 
services 
to 
children who 
are eligible 
for 
MaineCare or members of MaineCare and to children who do not have 
insurance for dental care. 
3. 
Duties 
of 
commissioner. 
The 
commissioner, 
in 
consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall develop: 
A. 
A process for reviewing applications and selecting grant 
recipients; 
B. 
Criteria for prioritizing geographic areas to be served; 
C. 
Standards for oral health assessments conducted under 
this 
section, 
including. 
but 
not 
limited 
to. 
the 
qualifications of the dental professional conducting the 
assessment and the equipment used and steps included in an 
assessment; 
D. 
Guidelines 
for 
the 
types 
of 
dental 
disease 
or 
abnormality that when detected indicate a need for dental 
care within 6 months of the assessment date; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
JI" 
... , 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. A 
.. to S.P. 737, L.D. 1936 
E. 
A 
prevention 
and 
educational 
component 
to 
be 
incorporated into the assessments; and 
F. 
A program evaluation process and measures for assessing 
the impact and effectiveness of the grant program. 
4. 
Administration. 
The 
commissioner 
may 
contract 
for 
administration of the grant program or components of the grant 
program. 
5. 
Fund established. 
The Maine School Oral Health Fund is 
established 
as 
a 
dedicated, 
nonlapsing 
fund 
within 
the 
department. The commissioner may accept funds from any public or 
private 
source 
for 
the 
purposes 
of 
awarding 
grants 
and 
administering the grant program under this section. 
6. Rulema);ing. 
The commissioner, 
Commissioner of Education, 
may adopt 
section. 
Rules adopted in accordance 
routine technical rules as defined 
subchapter 2-A. 
in consultation wi th the 
rules to implement this 
wi th this subsection are 
in Title 5, 
chapter 375, 
Sec. 3. Commissioner of Education and Commissioner of Health and 
Human Services to convene task force. 
The Commissioner of Education 
and the Commissioner of Health and Human Services shall convene a 
task force to assist in developing the grant program under the 
Maine 
Revised 
Statutes, 
Title 
22, 
section 
2128. 
The 
commissioners shall invite representatives of the following to 
participate in the task force: the Maine Dental Association; the 
Maine Dental Hygienists' Association; the Maine Association of 
School Nurses; the Maine School Management Association; the Maine 
Principals' 
Association; 
the 
Department 
of Health 
and 
Human 
Services, 
Office 
of 
MaineCare 
Services; 
and 
organizations 
providing dental services to low-income children. 
1. 
The task force shall recommend a model or models for the 
provision of dental health assessments in schools or facilitated 
by school administrative units and a system for referrals when 
dental disease or abnormality is detected. 
The model or models 
must 
include 
recommendations 
for 
the 
following: 
the 
qualifications 
needed 
by 
the 
professional 
conducting 
the 
assessments; the equipment to be used in making the assessment; 
the steps included in an assessment; a prevention and educational 
component; and measures used to evaluate outcomes. 
2. The task force shall advise the Commissioner of Education 
and 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Health 
and 
Human 
Services 
on 
the 
development of the grant program. 
The task force shall recommend 
criteria for selecting nonprofit agencies to receive grants and 
school administrative units to participate. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~fII 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. A .. to S.P. 737, L.D. 1936 
3. 
The Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of 
Health and Human Services shall report back to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education 
matters no later than February 15, 2007 on the grant program. 
The 
report must 
include 
a 
description of 
the grant program 
developed under this Act, 
the 
number of grants awarded, 
the 
geographic 
areas 
being 
served, 
the 
number 
of 
assessments 
completed and a summary of dental care provided. 
Sec. 4. Transfer. 
Beginning in fiscal year 2006-07, the State 
Controller shall transfer $150,000 annually at the beginning of 
each fiscal year from General Fund undedicated revenue to the 
Maine School Oral Health Fund within the Department of Health and 
Human Services for oral health assessments and dental services to 
eligible elementary school children. 
Sec. 
5. 
Appropriations 
and 
allocations. 
The 
following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DRS) 
Maine School Oral Health Fund 
NEW 
Initiative: 
Allocates funds for a grant program to provide oral 
health assessments and dental services to eligible elementary 
school children. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2005-06 
2006-07 
All Other 
$0 
$150,000 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
$0 
$150,000' 
SUMMARY 
This 
amendment 
replaces 
the 
bill. 
It 
directs 
the 
Commissioner of Health and Human Services, in consultation with 
the Commissioner of Education, to develop' and implement a grant 
program to award funds to nonprofit organizations to provide oral 
health assessments and dental services to eligible children. 
It 
directs the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of 
Health and Human Services to convene a task force to assist in 
developing and implementing the grant program. 
The task force is 
charged with 
advising 
the 
commissioners 
on 
models 
for 
the 
provision of oral health assessments in the schools or that are 
facilitated by school administrative units and criteria to use in 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 737, L.D. 1936 
grants 
and 
schools 
to 
required to report 'back to 
the 
Legislature 
having 
The amendment also adds an 
selecting 
among 
applicants 
for 
participate. 
The commissioners are 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee 
of 
jurisdiction over education matters. 
appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03114/06 ;tvac::.. 
LD 1936 
LR2670(02) 
An Act to Include Oral Health Assessment with Other Preschool Testing for Maine's Children 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations! Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Transfers 
General Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
2005-06 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2006-07 
$150,000 
$150,000 
($150,000) 
$150,000 
Projections 
2007-08 
$150,000 
$150,000 
($150,000) 
$150,000 
Projections 
2008-09 
$150,000 
$150,000 
($150,000) 
$150,000 
The bill authorizes annual transfers of$150,000 from the General Fund to a new Maine School Oral Health Fund to 
provide grants for oral health assessments and oral health care of children entering school. Additional costs to the 
Department of Health and Human Services to administer the program would be funded utilizing funds provided in the 
bill or absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. Costs to the Department of Education associated with 
consulting with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and implement the Maine School Oral 
Health Program can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. 
LR2670(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1