V.O.I.C.E. of Northern Virginia

                                                                                                   en espanol:  Prince William Espanol

Washington Post, 29 June 09

Speaking Up for Oral Health-Care Funding

Letter to the Editor, Washington Post, June 29 2009

Having watched a patient suffer with severe pain from a periodontal abscess that could have been prevented if she had access to oral health care, I'm compelled to agree with the June 23 Health article "Putting Teeth in Health-Care Reform." Oral health care must be part of the health-care package Congress is debating.

Unfortunately, Virginia is among the few states that do not provide oral health care to its poorest adults, even those who qualify for Medicaid.

Since the fall of 2008, Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE), a nonpartisan coalition of more than 40 Catholic, Islamic, Jewish and Protestant congregations, has sought to change that. VOICE has convinced government officials of Alexandria, Arlington County and Fairfax County that providing funding to assist individuals in getting oral health care makes sense. The combined effort will generate services worth an estimated $350,000 to $400,000 through approximately 1,800 appointments.

While it's a good start, it's not enough. Virginia needs to join other states that provide oral health care to adult Medicaid recipients, and Congress needs to ensure that oral health care is part of an overall health care package.

THOMAS WILSON , Executive Director, Northern Virginia Dental Clinic, Falls Church

Organized 150 person VOICE Prince William Action to secure commitments from the Prince William County Board of Supervisors to include affordable housing goals in the county’s new comprehensive plan.

Organized 75 VOICE Prince William leaders to attend the County budget hearings to press for a $1.212 tax rate to preserve vital social services and to restore $100,000 to provide low-income child dental care and to allocate $25,000 to expand dental services to low-income adults in partnership with the Northern Virginia Dental Clinic.

Secured $1.212 tax rate in the FY 2010 budget vote thereby preserving vital social services for low-income persons.

Organized foreclosure prevention workshop at First Baptist Church Manassas attended by 300 persons in danger of losing their homes;  Began organizing process to address predatory lending and other exploitive practices that perpetrated the foreclosure crisis in Prince William County.

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/affordable_housing_advocates_see_victory_in_prince_william/30232/

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/community/from_you/dalecity_woodbridge_ugc/article/bocs_lets_eliminate_affordable_housing/30100/

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/thousands_of_church_members_meet_near_dumfries/22231

news of upcoming Founding Action

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/religious_leaders_to_help_launch_organization_in_dumfries/22049/

For more information about VOICE of Prince William County or if you would like to be added to the email distribution list for VOICE Prince William County email VOICEofNorthernVa@gmail.com