Posted: 12/20/05
County retooling dental program
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
There is some bad news but mostly good news about a dental program in Houston County that helps people who canít afford dental care.
Darla Zahn, who coordinates the program, explained it to the county board on December 13.
The program had been affiliated with the University of Minnesota since it began in September 2002 with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health Dental Innovations Pool. Zahn confirmed what had been speculated at earlier meetings, that the affiliation agreement was not being renewed.
But Zahn said the program, which is funded through 2006, will continue with some changes. They wonít be able to use undergraduate students like they could under the old program because they are not licensed, and they wonít have the U of Mís liability insurance.
The new program will use graduate students and pediatric residents who are licensed. They will need to provide their own insurance, Zahn said. The U of Mís head of pediatric residency is promoting it internally and seems very supportive, Zahn said.
Commissioner Kevin Kelleher asked where the Universityís services are going. Zahn answered that there is a clinic on campus and one in Hibbing. The U of M is establishing a new one in Willmar too, she added. ìThey want to focus on these larger clinics,î Zahn said.
Another benefit that has come from the discussions with the U of M is that it might expand its UCare mobile dentistry van to Houston County. Currently it only goes as far south as Winona.
The van, which will only serve UCare patients, is basically a dental office in a a big Winnebago, public health director Linda Grupa said. It parks next to a building which can serve as a reception area. The van has its own generator.
The dental problem is huge, Grupa said, and the UCare van will help because it provides service to people of all ages. ìWe would like to really fill that van as often as possible,î she said.
Zahn wondered why the U of M was not utilizing the services of agencies of families that they are trying to reach. ìYou never hear a hint of the problem that they didnít have a full schedule and a 50 percent no-show,î she said.
Zahnís program serves children ages 0-21 for things like preventative work such as cleanings, fluoride, sealants, and exams; and restorative work for fillings, crowns, extractions. For more information, call Zahn at 507-725-5810.
In another dental item, Grupa said that a three-county region had received a four-year grant of $50,000 per year to implement an oral health program with Head Start children. It will be coordinated by the Rushford Head Start program.
Nurse pay to increase;
new position added
In other public health news, county commissioners voted to add $3 per hour to three classifications: two levels of nurses and the home care supervisor.
Personnel director Tim Comstock said it is intended to make the county more attractive in recruiting nurses.
Nursesí pay will now range from $18.78 to $25.35 per hour depending on their certification, what step they are at, and board discretion. These figures are assuming that the board approves a 3 percent cost of living adjustment that is part of the 2006 budget.
The homecare supervisor wage will run from $21.61 to $27.83 per hour depending on experience.
The board also approved a request by Grupa to add a full-time position to cover the transition to a program called Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO). The job will involve mostly data entry, Grupa said.
MSHO is a health care program that combines separate health programs and support systems into one health care package. It is for people ages 65 and older who are eligible for Medical Assistance (MA) and enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B or who have MA only. People can choose to join MSHO or stay in their current MA program.
Grupa said the 30 MSHO cases came to the county in December and another 35 will be transferred in January, along with about 50 nursing home people and an unknown number of community well people.
ìThe volume of work is tremendous the next eight weeks,î Grupa said. Itís a hectic time, she said. Grupa praised the work that Jan Lochner has been doing on MSHO.
Personnel items
Three public health personnel items were approved too.
ï Jennifer Williams was hired as a home health aide at $9.78 per hour.
ï Sarah Heckmann and Matt Schellsmidt were hired as roster Home health aides to be used to fill in when there are gaps in the schedule. They will be paid $9.78 per hour.
ï Kelli Tornstrom, public health nurse, was moved from 4/5-time to 3/5-time.
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