D.C. Mayor Launches Child Health Assessment and Immunization Compliance Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Mayor Anthony A. Williams today announced the launch of a comprehensive community outreach campaign to encourage annual child health assessments and immunizations.  This effort is designed to increase compliance with routine primary care preventive practices, ensuring age-appropriate vaccinations and comprehensive physical examinations for District schoolchildren.

Our goal is to make certain that all District children receive regular, preventive health care, said Williams. And this year, we hope to have all schoolchildren immunized by the start of school in the fall.

Currently, approximately 5,600 public school students are living without age-appropriate vaccinations.  In an effort to expand compliance with childhood vaccinations and child health preventive screening requirements, the Department of Health, in partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and healthcare providers, will ensure timely student record review, provide parents with immunization information, encourage parents to obtain comprehensive health and dental services, increase access to immunization services, and ensure a seamless transfer of information to the community.

The Districts efforts will include an aggressive media campaign with a No Shot No School theme in conjunction with Childrens National Medical Centers Its Wise to Immunize theme.  Childrens National Medical Center will offer backpacks filled with school supplies to students who made well-child visits prior to July 15, 2004.  School health nurses will continue to conduct extensive outreach activities; managed-care providers will provide extended hours for clinic operation; and DCPS will utilize its automated calling system to remind parents of immunization requirements.

Although parents have the ultimate responsibility for accessing and ensuring age-appropriate regular and routine healthcare of their children, we very much appreciate the help of our community partners in this effort, said Williams.

Source: D.C. Department of Health