Goal:

Increase immunization rates and reduce preventable infectious diseases.

Strategy Description:

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends home visits to increase childhood immunization rates. The recommendation is based on strong evidence of home visitatation providing effectiveness in increasing vaccination rates as a result of home visitors completing  activites that include home visitors assessing clients' vaccination status, discussing the importance of recommended vaccinations, and referring to primary care providers (The Community Guide, 2016). In addition to the above activites, Healthy Families Garrett County provides assistance to families by arranging or providing transportation to medical appointments for immunizations as needed. The program also provides verbal and written vaccine education to families, provides immunization tracking books to families and collaborates with providers, along with families as needed, to discuss and schedule necessary appointments. Healthy Families Garrett County collects data on the following measures to evaluate effectivenss of home vistitation services in increasing immunization rates for children enrolled in program services: % of Enrolled Healthy Families children up-to-date with immunizations between 19 and 35 months % of Enrolled Healthy Families children between 12 and 23 months up-to-date with immunizations required for 6 months of age; and children 23 months up-to-date with immunizations required for 18 months of age # of families enrolled in Healthy Families provided education on immunizations (education incudes information on the importance of immunizations, the America Academy of Pediatrices recommended immunization schedule, what to expect when receiving immunizations, child care after immunizations, tracking immunizations received, etc.) % of Children enrolled in Healthy Families up to date with well child visits per the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations  

Level of Change:

Programs

Primary Focus Area:

Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health

Data Category Tag:

GCHD Early Care Programs

Strategic Planning Alignment:

Estimated Implementation Date:

2000-07-01

Estimated Completion Date:

2022-06-30

Estimated Ease of Implementation:

Very Easy

Estimated Cost of Implementation:

Very Low

Potential Community Benefit:

Very High

Health Equity:

Research:

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends home visits to increase childhood immunization rates. The recommendation is based on strong evidence of home visitatation providing effectiveness in increasing vaccination rates as a result of home visitors completing activites that include home visitors assessing clients' vaccination status, discussing the importance of recommended vaccinations, and referring to primary care providers (The Community Guide, 2016).