IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM What is the purpose of the program

IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM What is the purpose of the program? • • • • l Through collaboration with public and private providers, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders, the program works to increase immunization rates for all Georgians and decrease the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Through the federal Vaccines for Children Program (VFC), the program provides free vaccines to private and public providers to increase vaccine availability for eligible persons through 18 years of age. The Georgia Immunization Program continues statewide implementation of the Georgia Immunization Registry (GRITS) that tracks immunization information for children through age 17. Legislation was passed in 2004 expanding the registry through adulthood. Through the Immunization Action Plan Project the program provides funds to health districts, community health centers, and homeless programs for staff, education, outreach, and evaluation with a primary focus on improving the immunization rates of children ages 0-24 months. The Georgia Immunization Program oversees a number of programs aimed at preventing hepatitis B transmission o The Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination Program allows for hepatitis B vaccination of infants, children, and adolescents through 18 years of age. o The Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program works with providers and delivery hospitals around the state, recommending that all pregnant women be tested for hepatitis infection early in pregnancy, that babies born to infected mothers be vaccinated at birth, and that household and sexual contacts be tested and vaccinated. o The Hepatitis B Prevention Program provides vaccines to local health departments for household and sexual contacts of index cases of hepatitis B. The Georgia Immunization Program assists public and private immunization providers in assessing the immunization levels of their patients 24-36 months of age through the use of Clinical Assessment or CASA audits. The program gathers and transmits reports of possible adverse reactions to vaccines for the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The program provides free education on a variety of topics to health care providers. • • • How many people does the program help? In 2003, the Georgia Immunization Program provided 2,163,416 doses of 17 different vaccines to public and private VFC providers around the state. CASA assessments showed that 94% of the 24-36 month old children in the public sector were adequately immunized for age in 2003. Why is the program important? Through the services provided, the Immunization Program seeks to lower the incidence and risk of vaccine-preventable diseases by providing vaccine, monitoring of rates, and education and training programs for public and private immunization providers statewide. Who is eligible? Children aged 0 through 18 years and who meet eligibility criteria for VFC vaccine, may be immunized under this program at little or no cost. Many private insurance companies also cover the cost of immunizations, as do Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids. Some vaccines are provided to non-VFC eligible children and adults in specific risk groups and circumstances. Where are services located? Immunization services may be accessed at 358 public health facilities in the 159 counties in Georgia, plus 880 private facilities offering VFC vaccine. Outcome measures • • • Keep the rate of adequately immunized 2 year olds above 90%. Increase the percentage of delivery hospitals that offer the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine to newborns. Increase the number of hepatitis B positive mothers and their infants who are identified and the infants and household contacts immunized. Through the use of day care and kindergarten audits ensure that children 0-5 years of age are appropriately immunized. Use of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to track influenza and pneumococcal vaccination of persons over 65. • • Legislative authority Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) Sections 20-2-771, 31-12-3.1, 49-4-182, and 49-4-183 Rules of Department of Human Resources, Chapter 290-5-4 Contact: Ruth Gilmore or Diana Gaskins, Nurse Consultants, 404-657-3158 E-mail: rcgilmore@dhr.state.ga.us or dbgaskin@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us/programs/immunization/ Web: Revised 7/21/2004 Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Public Health Prevention Services Branch Immunization Section