PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3259 PRINTER'S NO. 3837
No. 2347 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY CAPPELLI, THOMAS, BELFANTI, BROWNE, CASORIO,
CAWLEY, CLYMER, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, EACHUS, FAIRCHILD,
FEESE, HARHAI, HERMAN, JAMES, JOSEPHS, LAUGHLIN, LEH,
LEVDANSKY, MAHER, MARKOSEK, McGEEHAN, McILHATTAN, MYERS,
NAILOR, PALLONE, PICKETT, ROSS, RUBLEY, SATHER, SAYLOR,
SHANER, SURRA, E. Z. TAYLOR, J. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRELLO,
WATERS, WATSON, WILT, YOUNGBLOOD, HENNESSEY, STEELMAN,
KAISER, MACKERETH, WASHINGTON AND G. WRIGHT, FEBRUARY 6, 2002
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MAY 6, 2002
AN ACT
1 Directing the Department of Public Welfare to resolve the
2 shortage of appropriate accessible dental care services for
3 individuals with mental retardation residing in the <--
4 community. CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. <--
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Short title.
8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Dental Care
9 for Individuals with Mental Retardation Act.
10 Section 2. Definitions.
11 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13 context clearly indicates otherwise:
14 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
15 Commonwealth.
1 "Eligible population." Individuals who are receiving <--
2 services through county mental retardation programs.
3 "ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS." INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVE SERVICES <--
4 THROUGH COUNTY MENTAL RETARDATION PROGRAMS OR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
5 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE.
6 "Health Care Quality Unit" or "HCQU." Entities established
7 through the Office of Mental Retardation in the Department of
8 Public Welfare which are responsible to county mental
9 retardation programs for the overall health status of
10 individuals receiving services in the county programs.
11 Section 3. General rule.
12 The department, in consultation with the Department of Health
13 and the Pennsylvania Dental Association, through HCQUs, shall:
14 (1) Assess the availability and accessibility of
15 appropriate dental care for eligible individuals, INCLUDING <--
16 ANY SPECIAL NEEDS OF ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS IN RURAL OR
17 MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH.
18 (2) Assess the training needs of dentists and dental
19 professionals in treating eligible individuals and develop
20 training programs as appropriate.
21 (3) Provide education and technical assistance to
22 counties to access existing State grants and other resources
23 to develop dental services for eligible individuals.
24 (4) Provide technical assistance to counties in
25 developing appropriate dental services for eligible
26 individuals.
27 Section 4. Part-time provision.
28 A part-time consulting dentist shall be included as part of
29 the recommended staffing for the HCQU serving a single county or
30 multicounty partnership.
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1 Section 5. Duty of department.
2 The department shall provide eligible individuals who reside <--
3 in the community access to dental care in State-operated mental
4 retardation centers if there is no other accessible appropriate
5 dental care available in the eligible individual's community.
6 (A) MENTAL RETARDATION PATIENTS.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL <--
7 PROVIDE MENTAL RETARDATION PATIENTS WHO RESIDE IN THE COMMUNITY
8 ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE IN STATE-OPERATED MENTAL RETARDATION
9 CENTERS IF THERE IS NO OTHER ACCESSIBLE APPROPRIATE DENTAL CARE
10 AVAILABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
11 (B) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PATIENTS.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ALSO
12 PROVIDE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PATIENTS WHO RESIDE IN THE COMMUNITY
13 ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE IF THERE IS NO OTHER ACCESSIBLE
14 APPROPRIATE DENTAL CARE AVAILABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
15 Section 6. Effective date.
16 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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