House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #498 ACORN Dental Clinic
Requester:	Frank A. Catalanotto, D.M.D.		Organization:		University of Florida Health Science Center -- College of Dentistry
Project Title:	ACORN Dental Clinic		Date Submitted:		01/14/2000 10:59:39 AM
District Member:	Cynthia Chestnut		Service Area:		County
Counties Affected:	Alachua
Recipient:	University of Florida College of Dentistry		Contact:		Frank A. Catalanotto, D.M.D.
	1600 SW Archer Road		Contact Phone:		(352) 392-2911
	Gainesville 32610
Project Description:
Alachua County Organization for Rural Needs, Inc. (ACORN) Clinic, a not-for-profit 501c(3) organization, serves the needs of Alachua, Bradford and Union Counties. Currently, the clinic delivers a variety of services through approximately 8,300 patient visits annually. The patient demographics are as follows: 96% of patients are below the 150% of Federal poverty guidelines, 65% Caucasian, 30% African-American, 5% Hispanic, 16% are children, 20% elederly, 64% middle-aged with multiple chronic health issues. The clinic is funded by United Way of Alachua County, Suwannee River Area Health Education Center and related philanthropic gifts. In 1997, ACORN received two prestigious awards: A Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leader Award, one of ten in the United States and the first place Mutual of America Community Partnership Award. In 1998, ACORN was awarded the National Rural Health Association's Outstanding Rural Health Program of the Year. By building a new dental clinic, the dental capacity can be increased by three chairs. Thus ACORN will be better prepared to meet the 20% increased anticipated demand each year for the next five years. By supplementing the current teaching program in dentistry from two days per week to four days per week (adding pediatric dentistry and prosthodontic care), a larger segment of those patients needing specific dental care can be met. A non-recurring legislative request for building is made in the amount of $321,900 and recurring cost for education programs to deliver patient care is made in the amount of $197,160 to support additional personnel.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
There are a large number of patients in Florida in both rural and urban locations who do not receive regular oral health care because of financial or access problems. These funds will be used to support predoctoral and postgraduate dental students, supervising faculty and support staff from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in delivering oral health care to indigent/low income low-access patients in community based settings, in this case the ACORN Clinic. We will use the Department of Health guidelines in providing such care such that approximately $100 in care will be provided per patient, thus $100,000 in support will provide care to approximately 1000 patients (note that since the college teaching programs call for comprehensive care, fewer patients may be seen but each will be provided more care, i.e., $200 for 500 patients, etc.). The major benefits to the state include better oral health care to the underserved citizens of the state and enhanced educational opportunities for the state's future dentists.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
This is a collaborative partnership model between the University and the Department of Health to increase access to dental care for low income, low-access patients.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$519,060
Total cost of the project:		$665,000

Request has been made to fund:			Operations and Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?					Yes
	Cash Amount:	$145,740
Was this project previously funded by the State?					No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?					Yes
	Amount:	$197,160
	Purpose for future year funding:			Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?				Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?					No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?					No
Is there a documented need for this project?					Yes
	Documentation:	Large number of Low Income Low -Access patients as described in "Project Description"
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?					Yes
	Hearing Body:	Marion County Delegation, Public Hearing
	Meeting Date:	01/11/2000