Sunset gets $500,000 grant, plans dental van

A mobile dental van will be coming to Yuma County soon, thanks to a big federal grant.

Sunset Community Health Center has received $500,000 to support its School Health Care Program from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education.

David Rogers, the center's CEO, said the bulk of the funds — around $300,000 — will be used to purchase a mobile dental van as an addition to Sunset's school-based health program.

“It will be our first attempt to kind of do dental care in the schools.”

Although there is still much work to be done with bringing superintendents and principals on board with the concept, Rogers believes that with the purchase of the mobile van and four dentists already on board with the program, the school-based clinics and the care provided at them will be greatly augmented.

A portion of the funds will also add a school-based clinic site in Somerton, which is the only school district in Yuma County without one.

Rogers said the health center will now begin the process of meeting with the school system in Somerton to figure out which school is best suited to host the clinic.

A third component of the grant, about $50,000, will be used to provide the software and hardware necessary to integrate and automate all of the additional school-based sites into Sunset's practice management system, Rogers said.

Rogers said the remaining funds from the grant would be placed toward the school-based clinic in Somerton.

Rogers said the center applied for the grant in January, after the grant opportunity was discovered in December, noting it could not have come at a better time for the program.

“It was actually pretty perfect timing, because this was about the point in time we were finalizing our agreement with the foundation and with the hospital for the transition of the existing school based clinic program from the hospital to Sunset.”

Rogers said Sunset submitted a grant request to fund three aspects that would improve the overall program. Based on the many funding cuts at the federal level, he did not expect a favorable response.

“Everything just kind of worked together. This was actually a pleasant surprise when we received this.”

Rogers predicts that the planning and procuring process of goods could take up to six months.

According to AHAnews.com, the monies were funded by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Sunset's grant was part of a $95 million award to expand 278 school-based health centers nationwide.

For more information, visit wwww.sunsetcommunityhealthcenter.com.