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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Begaye

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/22/2007

HB 102

SHORT TITLE RURAL NAVAJO ORAL HEALTH CARE PLAN SB

ANALYST McOlash

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$3,000.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Indian Affairs (DIA)

Department of Health (DOH)

Health Policy Commission (HPC)

Department of Higher Education (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 102 appropriates $3.0 million from the General Fund to the New Mexico Higher De-

partment for San Juan College for expenditure in FY 2008 through FY 2012 to establish and

maintain a dental hygiene intervention and prevention program for Navajo children less than four

years of age.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $3.0 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General

Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 2012 shall revert to

the General Fund.

House Bill 102 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

While oral disease may be the most preventable health condition affecting the US population, the

oral health of minorities and the underserved remains poor. Tooth decay is the most common

childhood disease and is five times more common than asthma. Among American Indian chil-

dren, dental caries are even more prevalent. According to the 1999 Indian Health Service (IHS)

Oral Health Survey, 76% of all 2- to 4-year-old American Indian and Alaska Native children

have experienced dental decay, compared to 18% of all 2- to 5-year-olds nationally (Healthy

People 2010 database). In New Mexico, the decay experience rate for American Indian and

Alaska Native 2- to 4-year- olds drops to 63%, but is still far higher than the overall national av-

erage.

This request was not on the list of priority projects submitted by San Juan College to the New

Mexico Higher Education Department for review and was not included in the Department's fund-

ing recommendation for FY 2008.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

NM HED

In order to implement this program, significant planning would have to occur and measurable

goals created. Outreach to the parents of Navajo children would be required. Finding adequate

space at San Juan College would have to be addressed.

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