Macomb County health department seeks funding for kindergarten oral health assessments, approves key‑scan upgrades

The Macomb County Health and Human Services Committee voted 11‑0 to send several health‑department items to the full Macomb County Board, including security upgrades at a county health center and funding to implement a state‑mandated kindergarten oral health assessment program.

Andrew, introduced in the meeting as director with the Macomb County Health Department, asked the committee to approve a Motor City Electric Technologies contract for additional badge scanners and related access equipment at the Southwest Health Center in Warren. He said the scanners will be installed in space vacated by the state health department and that the equipment "can be repurposed" if the department later relocates. Andrew said the purchase will be paid from emergency preparedness grant dollars. The committee recommended the contract to the full board by an 11‑0 vote; the motion was made by Commissioner Romano and supported by Commissioner Van Sickle.

The committee also considered two budget amendments. The first is for the Health Department grant fund: an MDHHS comprehensive planning, budgeting and contracting amendment for $411,992. The committee moved that amendment to the full board and voted 11‑0.

The second budget item concerns implementation of a state law requiring a kindergarten (or first‑grade) oral health assessment. Andrew said this is the program's third year and that the state funding is limited: "One of the big downfalls of the state is that they don't adequately fund this program," he said, noting the state's grant contribution of about $169,000. He told the committee the health department "anticipates this program needing just over $500,000 to administer," and plans to cover the difference by reallocating savings from the county's hearing and vision program and by using recently approved local public health dollars. The program will contract licensed dental hygienists and support staff who will be housed in the health department; Andrew said the county chose contractual, in‑house staff so the program can be scaled back if grant dollars end. He added that the assessment is a visual inspection by a licensed dental hygienist and does not by itself provide treatment.

Commissioners asked about compatibility and oversight of the badge‑reader system; Andrew said the county verified compatibility and that county IT has access to logs, but he was not able to fully describe whether the readers report to a single central console. Several commissioners also asked about education and follow‑up for families; Andrew said the program will include education materials and referrals to no‑cost county dental programs where appropriate. The committee recommended both budget amendments and the key‑scan purchase to the full board by voice vote, 11‑0. Each item will return to the full Macomb County Board for final action.