There is also no doubt that for many people, there will be longer drives and longer waits for dental care once the Fernald-based clinic does close.
Earlier this year, the administration informed Tufts University that there would be no money in the state budget to continue operating the Fernald clinic after June 30. The clinic, which has operated at the Fernald site for 34 years, is the largest of seven Tufts clinics in the state for persons with special needs. According to the Department of Developmental Services, the Fernald clinic serves between 1,700 and 2,100 patients a year.
The loss of dental services to those patients would be devastating because few private dentists have the training or experience needed to treat patients with mental retardation and other medical issues that often accompany it.
Gail Grossman, an assistant commissioner at the Department of Developmental Services, said a recent analysis by Tufts indicates that there is unused capacity in at least some of its six remaining Tufts dental clinics, and that Fernald clinic patients could be sent to at least some of them. In the meantime, she said, those patients will be able to use the Fernald clinic past June 30.
If and when power is shut off on the Fernald campus, the plan is to keep the Fernald clinic operating with a temporary electrical, plumbing, and heating system, Grossman said.
Grossman said the latest Tufts analysis showing unused capacity at the remaining clinics supercedes a previous analysis that indicated that those clinics were at or near full capacity.
The operational problems at the Fernald clinic became acute in the current fiscal year, with the reduction in the state's budget for dental care for persons with developmental disabilities from $2.4 million to $1.4 million — a 40 percent cut. The Tufts clinic funding comes from that line item.
Governor Patrick's proposed budget for the coming fiscal year beginning July 1 contains no funding in the dental services line item, but rather consolidates it into a catch-all line item labeled “Health Promotion, Violence Prevenation, and Workforce Expansion.” The House Ways and Means Committee budget proposal restores the dental care line item and would effectively level-fund the dental services at the current-year amount.
The House Ways and Means budget plan would appear to provide the minimal amount of funding needed to continue dental services to the current Tufts clients.
is a bit of good news. I’m not sure how they can operate with a 40% cut in their budget.
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p>I’m confused about their contingency plan. I’ve heard of temporary heat and electricity but I’ve never heard of temporary plumbing. Can anyone help me with that?
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p>Its interesting that there is suddenly “excess capacity” at other locations. Now we will have to wait and see if there is enough funding in transportation accounts to take people to where the “excess capacity” is.
Gail Grossman, Assistant Commissioner, suggests that when the Fernald Power Plant is closed, the department of Developmentaal Services will consider providing temporary heat, water, electricity and plumbing for the Dental Clinic in Withington Hall. Sounds good but temporary sounds very expensive.
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p>If DDS had a plan, the engineering drawings would be complete and the construction documents would be issued for bids today.
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p>An alternate idea is the fact that the Department plans to keep the Marquardt Skilled Nursing Facility after Fernald closes. It is located across Cherry Lane about 500 yards from the Tufts Dental Clinic and contract drawings are complete and the contract may be issued for bids or a contract awarded as I write this comment.
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p>DCAM Contract Number,DMR 0906 HC2, calls for three new package boilers in the north corner of the ground floor, a new kitchen on the first floor and a new dinning room on the second floor. 75% of the ground floor will not be used and no work is indicated on these drawings.
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p>I spoke with Diane Enochs, Assistant Commissioner for Facilities, and she said that DDS had other uses for the unoccupied area. She listed dead storage, a pharmacy and offices as three possible uses. I suggested that all three functions could be located at Malone Park, another cluster of buildings that the Department plans to keep after Fernald closes as an intermediate care facility.
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p>This unused ground floor is a perfect location for Tufts Dental. Modification of the Marquardt contract before they are issued and the work started would be the least expensive alternative if the Department was serious about keeping a dental clinic in the Waltham area for 2100 patients.
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p>A quick answer to another comment about “temporary plumbing.” The only type of temporary plumbing that I am aware of are two or three Johnny-on-the-Spots.
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p>Mav
All the above comments only show how little thought went into the announced closing of Tufts on Fernald grounds by the department of disabilities. I guess they never heard the comment “stop and think before you act”!
would suggest there was a plan. Their actions indicate otherwise.