SPECIAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR TEXAS, Longview, TX
Project Title: East Texas Dental/Oral Care Services Program (DOCS)
Organizational Setting:
The Special Health Resources of Texas (SHRT) is a non-profit AIDS Service Organization.
Goals/Objectives:
The goal of this project is to develop an innovative model of care that expands access to dental care services to people who are HIV+ residing within the Tyler and Texarkana health service delivery area. Objectives include:
1) enhance capacity of partner agencies to develop and implement a plan to address oral health needs;
2) increase the number of persons receiving comprehensive dental care;
3) increase agencies ability to track and assess project activities; and
4) integrate fully oral health care into primary care services for people living with HIV.
Geographic Setting:
Rural
Location:
Oral Health services will be provided at SHRT’s existing locations in the Tyler and Texarkana, Texas health service delivery areas.
Target Population:
1,181 HIV+ persons residing in East Texas; the DOCS expects to double its existing dental patient population from 150-200 to 300-400 annually.
Program Intervention/Services:
SHRT, in partnership with Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, will offer expanded oral health care including specialty care on-site in east Texas. A community coalition is being established to assist SHRT with the planning, development and evaluation of the model. This will help patients avoid the need to travel 4-6 hours round trip to Dallas, TX. There will be 2 operatories in Texarkana, 2 operatories in Tyler and 3 operatories in Longview – an overall increase of 3 operatories. All dental operatories will be located where medical care is also provided.
Program Staff:
DOCS is staffed by SHRT dental providers along with residents from Texas A&M. A case manager will be hired to assist with client retention in oral health care.
Partners & Linkages to Medical Care:
The DOCS will be linked to local SHRT medical providers and dental residents at Texas A&M Baylor University. A community coalition will be organized to promote linkages among area providers.
Consumer Involvement:
The DOCS has an existing Consumer Advisory Board that will be supplemented by a consumer committee for the project.
Contact Information
Name & Title:
Nancy Young, Special Projects Coordinator
Mailing Address:
2020 Bill Owens Parkway, Suite 230
Longview, Texas 75604
Email: [email protected]
Telephone:
903-234-0776
Fax:
903-234-9769