Network News — July 27, 2023

Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

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Coalition News, Top Stories, and Events

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions highlights the California Immunization Coalition!

The California Immunization Coalition (CIC) is dedicated to achieving and maintaining full immunization protection for all Californians to promote health and prevent serious illness, disability, and death.  The coalition began in 1998 as a childhood immunization coalition following a measles epidemic. In 2008, it merged with the California Adult Immunization Coalition to become CIC.  It primarily focuses on education for immunization providers and private and public health professionals to ensure they have the resources and information to stay up to date on immunizations. CIC also ensures that California has and maintains the strongest immunization policies possible. CIC has been successful in both and is particularly proud of the partnerships developed and maintained over the years that enabled it to pass landmark legislation around school vaccination requirements and immunization registry requirements. It now works to protect those policies and ensure there is funding to continue important public health work.

One of the key priorities for CIC is support for its local immunization coalitions. CIC coordinates quarterly meetings of immunization coalition leaders to strategize on ways it can support their shared mission of improving vaccination rates across the lifespan. CIC meets online to discuss strategies for improving vaccination rates in their area, opportunities for collaboration, sharing resources and contacts, and obtaining technical assistance to develop and sustain their organization.

Examples of partnerships include:

  • Two webinars for school nurses working with the Ukrainian immigrant population that CIC is cosponsoring with its state department of public health and California School Nurses Organization
  • Partnership with the California HPV Roundtable  on ”Vaccinating Against HPV Starting at 9″
  • Emerging Issues Committee sponsors webinars throughout the year. During the COVID pandemic, CIC held “COVID Conversations” which was developed quickly depending on what was in the news and needed to be shared with vaccination providers. After 13 of these events, CIC switched its name to “Emerging Issues Conversations” to reflect additional topics that also need a rapid response/attention. View past webinars on CIC’s YouTube channel.

CIC just held its thirteenth annual statewide summit in May. It hosted over 340 attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers over two days in Riverside, California.

For more on CIC, visit its website at www.immunizeca.org.

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Immunize Kansas Coalition shares perspectives on identifying and meeting the immunization needs of diverse communities in southwest Kansas

Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) and partners are working to better identify, understand, and meet the diverse needs of communities in southwest Kansas. About half of the population in the southwest region is composed of Hispanic/Latino persons, with three of the largest counties averaging 57.8% Hispanic/Latino. An IKC member and school nurse who lives in the region shared that over 30 languages are represented in the Finney County school system, the largest county in the southwest Kansas region. To better understand the barriers to vaccination within these counties, IKC’s Community Health Specialists, who are all bilingual in Spanish and English, have engaged in grassroots educational outreach.

IKC’s Community Health Specialists (CHS) have hosted many local events working to reach the diverse and multicultural communities within their regions.  Community Health Specialists have worked to create engaging and creative outreach events to connect with different communities to provide education and protect them against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Visit IKC’s Community Outreach page and social media for updates on the work their Community Health Specialists are doing across Kansas.

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Virtual: VaxWell NH Coalition hosts webinar “Hepatitis B Virus and Vaccine: Prevention, Treatment, and Clinical Recommendations” on July 31

VaxWell New Hampshire Coalition will host a webinar titled Hepatitis B Virus and Vaccine: Prevention, Treatment, and Clinical Recommendations, 4:00–5:00 p.m. (ET) on July 31. In this webinar, the speaker will discuss the epidemiology of the hepatitis B virus and the clinical recommendations for the hepatitis B vaccine. This session will also orient attendees to hepatitis B vaccine resources for patients and healthcare providers. There will be time for questions.

Register for the webinar.

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Virtual: Indiana Immunization Coalition offers two webinars in August

The Indiana Immunization Coalition will hold two webinars in August:

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Meeting Updates will be held at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on August 3. In this webinar, John Christenson, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Associate Medical Director, Pediatric Infection Prevention, Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, will provide updates from the most recent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. CME, Pharmacy, and Continuing Nursing Education will be offered for live view only.

Register for this webinar.

A Personal Account of COVID-19 will be held at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on August 10. This webinar will include a personal experience with COVID-19 along with information about COVID-19 vaccines. The presenters are Maria Young, Associate Director of Advocacy, Novavax, and Jacqueline Jourjy, Medical Science Liaison, Novavax. Maria is one of many amazing medical success stories to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maria will share her story and her fight to live, as well as why she advocates for patients to be vaccinated. Jacqueline Jourjy will answer questions related to COVID-19 vaccination and the available vaccines. No continuing education will be offered.

Register for this webinar.

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Virtual: Montgomery County Immunization Coalition hosts Ask the Experts event with a focus on back-to-school vaccinations on August 15

The Montgomery County Immunization Coalition (MCIC) will host its second Ask the Experts webinar titled Back-to-School Vaccines, 7:00–8:00 p.m. (ET) on August 15. With so many questions about vaccines, it can be hard to know who or what to believe. Join a panel of healthcare experts to get answers to your questions on back-to-school vaccines.

Register for the webinar.

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Other News, Educational Opportunities, and Events

Colorado passes a bill authorizing Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by community health workers

On April 26, SB23-002, Medicaid Reimbursement for Community Health Services, passed the Colorado House floor with a strong bipartisan vote of 62–3. The bill previously passed the Colorado Senate on April 10 with a vote of 31–4. The bill was signed into law by the governor on May 10.

SB23-002 sets up a process to enable some of the services provided by Community Health Workers, like health education, health navigation, and referral to community-based resources, to be reimbursed by Medicaid. Colorado’s Health Care Policy and Finance (HCPF), the state Medicaid department, will conduct a stakeholder process to work through the finer details of what will be included in the State Plan Amendment (SPA), which is the federal authority needed from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for state Medicaid to start reimbursing these important services. HCPF will apply for this federal authority no later than July 2024.

Community Health Worker (CHW) is an umbrella term for public health workers who may go by many names (Patient Navigators, Promotores de Salud); the names are as diverse as the communities, sites, and roles in which CHWs serve. CHWs typically deliver health education on topics including preventive services and chronic disease management, support patients in navigating the healthcare system, and access community-based services to address social determinants of health. CHWs link communities to health and social programs to promote access to services and improve the quality and cultural responsiveness of care delivery.

Evidence shows that CHWs can help improve healthcare access and outcomes, strengthen healthcare teams, and enhance the quality of life for people in low-income, underserved, and diverse communities. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recognizes that CHWs can play an integral role in achieving health equity and categorizes their use in various disease prevention and control programs as evidence based. Many interventions that integrate CHWs into healthcare delivery and public health systems are associated with reductions in chronic illnesses, better medication adherence, increased patient involvement, improvements in overall community health, and reduced healthcare costs.

Despite the robust data to show the effectiveness of CHW interventions, many CHW positions are funded through short-term, time-limited grants. SB23-002 allows for one sustainable financial pathway to expand access to Community Health Workers across Colorado.

SB23-002 has been supported by many different individuals and organizations ranging from Children’s Hospital Colorado, the Colorado Alliance of Community Health Workers, Patient Navigators, Promotores De Salud, Rural Health Centers, Colorado Community Health Network, the Chronic Care Collaborative, Julissa Soto Latino Health Equity Consulting, Healthier Colorado, and more. SB23-002 provides a step towards sustainably expanding access to CHWs, improving health outcomes, and realizing cost savings for Coloradans. These organizations and advocates look forward to engaging in the next steps SB23-002 has set up related to the stakeholder process and implementation of the bill.

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In-person: National Foundation for Infectious Diseases hosts Flu Awareness Night during the September 8 game between the Washington Nationals and the LA Dodgers and the NFID 50th Anniversary Gala on September 14; both events take place in Washington, DC

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will host its Flu Awareness Night on September 8 in Washington, DC, as the Washington Nationals take on the LA Dodgers. NFID will be recognized as the nonprofit of the night and will spread flu awareness ahead of the upcoming flu season. A portion of each ticket sold through the dedicated link will be donated to support the important work of NFID.

View Flu Awareness Night event page.

Celebrate 50 years of education, prevention, and impact, recognizing the work of NFID and the inspirational public health heroes who have helped protect the lives of millions. NFID will hold its 50th Anniversary Gala on September 14 in Washington, DC, to celebrate and recognize all past NFID awardees for their significant and lasting contributions to public health through scientific achievement, philanthropy, and/or policy work.

View NFID 50th Anniversary Gala event page.

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In-person: Save the date for the Association of Immunization Managers’ “AIM Leadership in Action Conference” to take place December 5–7 in Houston, TX

Mark your calendar! The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) will hold its 2023 “AIM Leadership in Action Conference” on December 5–7 in Houston, Texas. More information will be shared soon.

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Resources

Immunize.org’s “Hepatitis B-Gone! Implementing Universal Screening and Vaccination Recommendations. Your Practical Questions Answered.” now available for on-demand viewing     

On July 13, Immunize​.org hosted a live, 1-hour webinar, Hepatitis B-Gone! Implementing Universal Adult Screening and Vaccination. Your Practical Questions Answered., featuring Carolyn Wester, MD, MPH, Director of CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis, and Immunize​.org’s Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH. The webinar addresses the value of universal adult hepatitis B screening and vaccination. Panelists also answer viewers’ questions about the unique practical considerations for healthcare providers when implementing the 2022 recommendations for universal catch-up adult hepatitis B vaccination through age 59 and the 2023 CDC guidelines for universal adult screening for hepatitis B infection in their practice.

The webinar video is now available on our website for on-demand viewing. Please view and share this important webinar with your colleagues. Immunize​.org will release a summary question-and-answer clinical resource companion to this webinar soon. Look for an announcement in IZ Express.

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CDC releases its official 2023–2024 ACIP influenza vaccination recommendations ahead of MMWR publication and offers digital media toolkit for the 2023–2024 flu season

On June 27, 2023, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, adopted the 2023–2024 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations on annual influenza vaccination for everyone six months and older in the United States. A CDC web spotlight posted on June 29 summarizes the recommendations.

CDC continues to recommend that everyone age six months and older get an annual flu vaccine, with rare exceptions. There were small changes to the annual recommendations around flu vaccination, including an acknowledgment of the updated flu vaccine composition for the 2023–2024 flu season and a change in the recommendations for vaccination of people with egg allergies.

Dr. Walensky’s adoption of the ACIP recommendations makes them official CDC policy, which will be published in an upcoming Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Recommendation Report (MMWR) later this summer. Providers should begin vaccinating patients according to CDC’s recommended timing, which remains the same as last season. This timing allows for early vaccination of some patients beginning in July or August. Attached are key points summarizing that information. In addition, please find attached sample social media resources on the topic of early vaccination for some groups of people. CDC has also released the latest FluView report.

CDC has stated that influenza planning doesn’t have to wait for the publication of the influenza recommendations in the MMWR and has released its flu resources a month earlier than in previous seasons to enable partners to begin preparations.

CDC’s seasonal flu vaccination campaign materials are available to assist partners in communicating about the importance of vaccination. This digital toolkit includes details on events/activities, sample social media and newsletter content, graphics, web assets, and media prep material. This material is downloadable, shareable, and some of the material is customizable.

Visit the CDC influenza communication resource center to view CDC’s digital resources.

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Immunize.org congratulates NFID on 50 years of excellence in education and advocacy. NFID celebrates by unveiling enhanced website.

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has been educating and engaging with the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases for five decades.

NFID celebrated its 50th anniversary by unveiling its updated website, featuring a sleek new look and improved user experience. The improved design helps visitors explore and find timely and accurate information on specific diseases, upcoming events, the latest news, and tools and resources.

 

Explore NFID’s improved website, and share with friends and colleagues.

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Association of Immunization Managers shares new episode of REACHing for Vaccine Equity podcast and webinar recordings

The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) posted a new episode, Building Vaccine Trust in the Rural South – The Wellness Coalition, on its REACHing for Vaccine Equity podcast. The podcast offers ideas on increasing vaccine access by creating systemic and local changes. In this episode of REACHing for Vaccine Equity, learn from a community health leader who addressed generational mistrust of vaccines with education and compassion in rural Alabama. Hear Na’Sha DeRamus, REACH COVID and flu vaccination coordinator for The Wellness Coalition, share how her team boosted trust in COVID-19 and flu vaccines through outreach and education. This project works to reach African American adults in Macon, Montgomery, and Lowndes Counties in Alabama to improve vaccine access and increase vaccine confidence.

Listen to the podcast on the REACHing for Vaccine Equity web page or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This series of informative webinars complement the iREACH 2023 podcast series, REACHing for Vaccine Equity, discusses the accomplishments and challenges of working in racial and ethnic minority communities to increase flu and COVID-19 vaccination rates, explores how these activities intersect with traditional REACH work on decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in chronic diseases, and promotes healthy behaviors.

These webinars take place every fourth Wednesday of the month at 2:00 p.m. (ET). Webinars feature a panel including a REACH recipient, an expert clinician, a patient advocate or a community-based organization/partner, and an iREACH subject matter expert.  The recording from the July 26 webinar on rural health and vaccines will be available soon.

View past archived REACHing for Health Equity archived webinars:

Related Links

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Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is recruiting for a study that evaluates a tool to improve online conversations around vaccines

The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is recruiting for a study evaluating a tool to improve online conversations around vaccines. The tool, called the Analysis and Response Toolkit for Trust (ARTT) Guide, aims to help users assess the credibility and source of vaccine-related posts while also providing guidance in developing appropriate responses.

The tool is being developed by Hacks/Hackers and the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington through financial support from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The designers want to understand the useability and acceptance of the ARTT Guide at this point during the development process, so that the tool ultimately becomes a robust mechanism for supporting positive engagement in online conversations about health and scientific topics, like vaccines. The results of the study will directly inform the next version of the tool and the broader application of ARTT to other topics in the future.

Together with the research team, researchers at CHOP are recruiting individuals to evaluate a web-based tool designed to facilitate more effective communication about vaccines online.

Participation would consist of:

  • Completing two 15- to 20-minute surveys (one at the start of the study and one at the end of the study)
  • Trying the web-based tool over a period of four weeks when you are using your social media
  • Optional participation in a small, one-hour focus group session about your experience (after completion of the second survey)

You will learn how to use the tool, and the team will reach out to you via text messaging during the four-week testing period to check if you have used it and get feedback on a couple of brief poll questions. The text messages will also include a link should you wish to journal about your experience during this time. Answering the poll questions and journaling are optional.

Participation is voluntary, and you can drop out of the study at any time. Modest compensation in the form of a Visa gift card will be provided based on which activities (surveys, journaling, focus group) you complete.

To qualify for participation, you must be 18 years of age or older and have had at least one social media account open for six months or longer.

If you are interested in joining, please begin this survey.

The VEC would be most grateful if you could share this recruitment request with your networks and listservs in the next few days. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out by responding to this email or using the VEC’s primary email address, vacinfo@chop.edu. For emails sent to the VEC email box, please use “ARTT study” in the subject, so it can reach the study team most efficiently.

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Voices for Vaccines releases podcast with Twitter personality, The Real Truther, discussing the pursuit of the “real truth” about vaccines 

Voices for Vaccines (VFV) posted a new entry in its Vax Talk podcast series: The Real Truth about Vaccines featuring Twitter personality, The Real Truther. A description from the VFV web page appears below.

Lately, Twitter has become a cesspool of the worst humans spreading the worst misinformation. Except for one bright spot: The Real Truther. We invited The Real Truther to our podcast to discuss his noble pursuit of The Real Truth and to talk with RFK Jr. (or a proxy for RFK Jr.).

Related Links

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CDC promotes back-to-school vaccination catch-up campaign, now through September; digital assets available to share 

CDC data show that kindergarten vaccination coverage steadily declined for all vaccines over the past two school years, from 95% to 93% nationally. At least 250,000 kindergarteners in 2022 were potentially unprotected against measles, mumps, and rubella. This is the lowest U.S. kindergarten routine vaccination coverage in the last decade. Undervaccinated and unvaccinated children are at risk for serious illness and can propagate community outbreaks of disease.

As part of the response to the pandemic-related declines in routine vaccination, CDC launched a nationwide Back to School with Routine Vaccines: Let’s Catch Up campaign running through September.

The digital ads aim to keep routine child vaccinations top of mind among parents of children age 4–12 years. All communication assets, such as flyers and social media posts, are downloadable and adaptable so partners can disseminate them through websites, offices, and social media channels.

Visit CDC’s Back to School with Routine Vaccines: Let’s Catch Up campaign main page.

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CDC to launch "Bridge Access Program" this fall to provide free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults 

On July 13, HHS issued a press release announcing plans to launch the Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 vaccines this fall. The program will help millions of uninsured and underinsured American adults continue to have access to no-cost COVID-19 vaccinations. Access to COVID-19 vaccines at no cost is made possible for other adults through Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial insurance. Children have access through commercial insurance or the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. A portion of the press release appears below.

The pandemic highlighted longstanding barriers to adult vaccination, including lack of accessibility, lack of availability, and lack of confidence. Under the management and oversight of CDC, the Bridge Access Program – for a limited time – will allow adults who are uninsured or underinsured to receive free COVID-19 vaccinations. . . .

CDC will purchase COVID-19 vaccines and allocate them, along with the funding needed to implement this new program, through CDC’s established network of state and local immunization programs. These partners will then facilitate distribution of these vaccines to participating community-based providers, including local health departments and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-supported health centers. In order to broaden access, CDC is also working closely with select national pharmacy chains, as well as vaccine manufacturers, to enable uninsured adults to receive free COVID-19 vaccines at participating retail pharmacy locations. . . .

It’s important to note that the Bridge Access Program serves as a “temporary bridge” and is scheduled to end in December 2024. A longer-term solution is the Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program, proposed in both the FY 2023 and 2024 Presidential Budgets, which would create a permanent initiative modeled after the successful Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, and would cover all recommended vaccinations at no cost for uninsured adults. This proposal has not yet been enacted into law.

Related Links

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Coalitions in the News

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Announcements

Announcements from the National Network of Immunization Coalitions

The National Network of Immunization Coalitions reminds you of the important ways every coalition can plug into the power of our network:

  • Bookmark National Network of Immunization Coalitions’ Calendar of Events on its website, immunizationcoalitions.org, to learn about upcoming national, regional, state, and local conferences; workshops; and virtual educational opportunities
  • Subscribe to IZ Express, the free weekly e-newsletter produced by Immunize.org, for immunization-related news, new and updated recommendations, educational materials, and educational opportunities
  • Urge your coalition members to sign up for IZ Coalitions Network News, the monthly e-newsletter for the National Network of Immunization Coalitions that features news of interest to immunization coalitions and nonprofit organizations. To subscribe, send a request to info@immunizationcoalitions.org asking to be included.
  • Be sure that your coalition is listed and information is up to date on the National Network of Immunization Coalitions website. To add your coalition or make updates, please email info@immunizationcoalitions.org.
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