Dear ,

The General Assembly has agreed on a final budget for the next two years, after an extended legislative session.

The budget restores funding for the next two years to the health safety net, the Virginia Health Care Foundation, the Virginia Association of Free Clinics and the Virginia Community Healthcare Association. The budget also restores funding to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) dental clinics for one year. 

In addition to educating policy makers about the impact the VDH dental clinics, and the entire safety net, have on the underserved in our state, the Coalition worked with the Senate Finance Committee to help craft budget language that was included with the restoration of funding. This language directs the VDH to convene a broad stakeholder group (which will include the Virginia Oral Health Coalition) to evaluate the sustainability and efficiency of the clinics and create a plan for the operation of the clinics moving forward.

Advocacy efforts by the Coalition and our partners were integral in restoring this funding to Virginia's health safety net, and ensuring that a broad group of stakeholders will have an opportunity to help determine the future path of the state-sponsored dental clinics in Virginia.

The budget will now go to Governor McDonnell for approval.

View the final budget language

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