National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) 2023 Immunization Profile Study report
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) conducted a study of local health departments (LHDs) to determine their immunization capacity. Because the last survey was conducted in 2017, some items from the prior study were adapted to be more pertinent. Key findings included:
- While many LHDs conduct outreach activities, the use of data collection to inform this work was limited.
- While most LHDs prioritize addressing vaccine hesitancy, data collection and development of data systems related to these efforts was not prioritized.
For those working at LHDs, this report provides the evidence of what many may feel in their day-to-day work — a need for data modernization tools. Unfortunately, those tools require access, funding, staff time and partnerships.
Based on these findings, NACCHO committed to supporting LHDs in data modernization, improvements in communication capacity, and provision of trainings to develop leaders among LHD staff.
Check out the full 44-page report.
Summer training opportunities
Looking for some ways to catch up on the past few months? This month, several trainings were brought to our attention. While these trainings are available to everyone, each was designed with different intended audiences.
For clinicians
- Updates to the 2024 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule: This webinar from Pediatric Care Online covers the latest updates to the 2024 childhood and adolescent immunization schedule as well as recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) since publication of the schedule.
For community health workers, promotoras, trusted messengers and community champions
- iREACH Vaccine eLearning Modules: The Association of Immunization Managers produced a series of e-Learning modules about influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Those who complete the course will not only increase their knowledge on these topics but also learn skills to support community conversations. The modules also provide general information about vaccines and vaccine safety.
For all healthcare providers
- Fostering a Culture of Immunization in Your Practice: In collaboration with the Public Health Foundation (PHF), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a new interactive online training program for healthcare providers that includes four lessons in a self-guided course. The goal of these modules is to ensure that all members of a practice are prepared to communicate about immunizations effectively and in a standardized way. This course can be accessed on the CDC TRAIN channel.
- Increasing Immunization Confidence: The American Academy of Pediatrics partnered with Bodyswaps to offer a free 30-minute virtual reality training course that supports effective conversations about immunizations.
Toolkit for Education Professionals to Help Children Get Up-to-Date on Routine Vaccinations
This 24-page toolkit was designed by a collaboration between the PHF and the CDC for educational professionals, including superintendents, school administrators, school nurses, and other school health staff. The toolkit promotes five strategies for improving vaccination rates in schools, including promoting vaccinations in back-to-school communication, empowering trusted messengers in the school community, sending reminders to families whose children are behind on routine vaccinations, expanding access in the school to include immunization services for students, and utilizing school vaccination data to support action. For each strategy, the toolkit includes helpful resources, such as letters, handouts, digital and social media assets, and more. The toolkit will be updated throughout the summer to include additional materials.
National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) 2023 Immunization Profile Study report
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) conducted a study of local health departments (LHDs) to determine their immunization capacity. Because the last survey was conducted in 2017, some items from the prior study were adapted to be more pertinent. Key findings included:
- While many LHDs conduct outreach activities, the use of data collection to inform this work was limited.
- While most LHDs prioritize addressing vaccine hesitancy, data collection and development of data systems related to these efforts was not prioritized.
For those working at LHDs, this report provides the evidence of what many may feel in their day-to-day work — a need for data modernization tools. Unfortunately, those tools require access, funding, staff time and partnerships.
Based on these findings, NACCHO committed to supporting LHDs in data modernization, improvements in communication capacity, and provision of trainings to develop leaders among LHD staff.
Check out the full 44-page report.
Summer training opportunities
Looking for some ways to catch up on the past few months? This month, several trainings were brought to our attention. While these trainings are available to everyone, each was designed with different intended audiences.
For clinicians
- Updates to the 2024 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule: This webinar from Pediatric Care Online covers the latest updates to the 2024 childhood and adolescent immunization schedule as well as recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) since publication of the schedule.
For community health workers, promotoras, trusted messengers and community champions
- iREACH Vaccine eLearning Modules: The Association of Immunization Managers produced a series of e-Learning modules about influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Those who complete the course will not only increase their knowledge on these topics but also learn skills to support community conversations. The modules also provide general information about vaccines and vaccine safety.
For all healthcare providers
- Fostering a Culture of Immunization in Your Practice: In collaboration with the Public Health Foundation (PHF), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a new interactive online training program for healthcare providers that includes four lessons in a self-guided course. The goal of these modules is to ensure that all members of a practice are prepared to communicate about immunizations effectively and in a standardized way. This course can be accessed on the CDC TRAIN channel.
- Increasing Immunization Confidence: The American Academy of Pediatrics partnered with Bodyswaps to offer a free 30-minute virtual reality training course that supports effective conversations about immunizations.
Toolkit for Education Professionals to Help Children Get Up-to-Date on Routine Vaccinations
This 24-page toolkit was designed by a collaboration between the PHF and the CDC for educational professionals, including superintendents, school administrators, school nurses, and other school health staff. The toolkit promotes five strategies for improving vaccination rates in schools, including promoting vaccinations in back-to-school communication, empowering trusted messengers in the school community, sending reminders to families whose children are behind on routine vaccinations, expanding access in the school to include immunization services for students, and utilizing school vaccination data to support action. For each strategy, the toolkit includes helpful resources, such as letters, handouts, digital and social media assets, and more. The toolkit will be updated throughout the summer to include additional materials.