0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 21
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                           MANNY M. ARAGON
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION TO CONDUCT
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0012|     A STUDY OF PRIMARY ORAL HEALTH CARE ACCESS INITIATIVES TO
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0013|     INCLUDE AN INVENTORY OF EXISTING SERVICE DELIVERY PROGRAMS AND
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0014|     SITES AND THE SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PRIMARY ORAL HEALTH
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0015|     CARE PROVIDERS.
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0016|     
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0017|          WHEREAS, oral health care is an integral component of
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0018|     primary health care; and
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0019|          WHEREAS, the prevalence of oral disease is universal and
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0020|     negatively impacts the overall health status of New Mexicans;
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0021|     and
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0022|          WHEREAS, access to oral health care services should be
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0023|     available to all New Mexicans; and
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0024|          WHEREAS, the number and distribution of oral health care
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0025|     providers and facilities are essential to ensure access; and
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0001|          WHEREAS, perceived barriers to access to oral health care
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0002|     services for New Mexicans exist; and
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0003|          WHEREAS, a comprehensive assessment of the primary oral
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0004|     health care delivery system has never been performed and is
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0005|     essential to determine access barriers and establish
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0006|     opportunities for equitable access to oral health care for New
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0007|     Mexicans;
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0008|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0009|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy
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0010|     commission conduct a comprehensive assessment of access to
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0011|     oral health care services in New Mexico and make
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0012|     recommendations regarding issues of access to oral health care
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0013|     services, including the following:
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0014|          A.  the adequacy of the supply, capacity and distribution
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0015|     of oral health care services, providers and facilities;
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0016|          B.  access standards for oral health care services for
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0017|     New Mexico;
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0018|          C.  the adequacy of educational and training programs to
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0019|     meet New Mexico's needs for oral health care;
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0020|          D.  existing resources to improve the supply and
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0021|     distribution of oral health care providers and services;
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0022|          E.  current publicly funded programs to enhance access to
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0023|     oral health care services and determine their efficiency and
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0024|     effectiveness;
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0025|          F.  barriers, including adequacy of privately and
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0001|     publicly funded reimbursement, to accessing oral health care
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0002|     services and evaluation of the effectiveness of existing
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0003|     publicly funded initiatives;
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0004|          G.  the options used nationally and by other states to
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0005|     improve access to oral health care services and assess their
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0006|     applicability to New Mexico;
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0007|          H.  perceived barriers to retention of health care
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0008|     providers, especially in rural areas, and development of
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0009|     specific strategies to remove barriers;
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0010|          I.  publicly funded incentives to provide oral health
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0011|     care services in underserved areas of the state and to other
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0012|     underserved populations; and
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0013|          J.  options, based on findings, and recommendations to
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0014|     cost-effectively improve access to oral health care services. 
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0015|     These recommendations should address the supply and
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0016|     distribution of oral health care providers in the state and
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0017|     the use of existing resources and initiatives; and
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0018|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an interim report of
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0019|     recommendations developed as a result of the efforts by the
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0020|     New Mexico health policy commission be presented to the
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0021|     appropriate interim legislative committee by May 15, 1999 and
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0022|     a final report be presented to the appropriate interim
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0023|     legislative committee by October 1, 1999; and
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0024|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
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0025|     sent to the chairman of the New Mexico health policy
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0001|     commission.
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0002|                                  
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0003|          
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