DSHS Response to
Meningococcal Requirement in
Institutions of Higher Education
Update
Luis Valenzuela
Adult & Adolescent Immunization
Coordinator
Tony Aragon, MS
Epidemiologist, Acting Assessment,
Compliance, & Evaluation Manager
June 21st, 2012
Outline
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Background: 82nd Texas Legislature
Meningococcal Action Plan
Texas Immunization Stakeholder Working
Group (TISWG) Collaboration
DSHS Immunization Branch Response Efforts
TISWG Member Commitment Highlights
Barriers and Next Steps
Q and A
Background:
The 82nd Texas Legislature Adopted
SB 1107
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Requires all entering students to show evidence
of meningitis vaccine
Does not apply to students who are enrolled
only in online or distance education courses or
are 30 years of age or older
Legislation took effect Sept. 1, 2011
Requirement was effective Jan. 1, 2012
2011 Fall Semester Enrollment
Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board (THECB) Estimates
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2011 THECB Estimates
Estimated 652,141first-time students of all ages
 286,120 between the ages of 18 and 21
 168,228 between the ages of 22 and 29
 Total of 454,348 potentially affected by law
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Meningococcal Action Plan
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Immunization Branch developed an action
plan with two main objectives:
 Ensure
that 16 to 18 year olds receive a
booster dose of meningococcal vaccine
(medical recommendation)
 Ensure entering college students ages 19 to 29
receive an meningococcal vaccine within 5
years before enrolling in college
TISWG Collaboration
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Held break-out sessions at March 2012 TISWG
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Obtained several actionable items
DSHS Immunization Branch executed
communication plan with input from
stakeholders focusing on…
Provider education
 Education for students and
families
 Assisting institutions of higher
education
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DSHS Immunization Branch
Response Efforts
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Launched meningococcal microsite
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http://CollegeVaccineRequirements.Com
Includes information and resources
Meningococcal Vaccine Requirements
 Obtaining vaccine
 Disease information
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Approximately 2,500 visitors since going live
(5/18/12)
DSHS Immunization Branch
Response Efforts
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Microsite widely disseminated and referenced
Public health distribution lists
 Client encounters
 Professional medical societies
 School nurse network
 TEA
 Schanbaum MCV4 national media campaign
 Colleges and universities
 Direct email blast to providers via EVI
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DSHS Immunization Branch
Response Efforts
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Created informational 1-pagers for distribution
For health care providers
 For entering college students
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Widely disseminated among
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Colleges and Universities
Public health distribution lists
 Professional medical societies
 School nurse network
 TEA
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Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Clark Petty (San Antonio Metro Health)
 Made
contact with Café College and
developed relationship
 Forwarded
universities
microsite to the local colleges,
Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Kirk White (Texas Administrators of
Continuing Education, Houston Community
College)
Provided summary of TISWG meeting to President
of TACE (who has been part of the meningitis
vaccine law effort) and with HCC Meningitis Task
Force
 Available to facilitate communications with the
THECB, DSHS and Immunization Partnership on
behalf of TACE as needed
 Distributed microsite to both HCC and the TACE
membership
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Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Maureen M. Moore (The Immunization
Partnership)
Immunization Champions projects in 7 clinics were
fully briefed and encouraged to remind and recall
their adolescent patients prior to summer rush
 Information about MCV4 on The Immunization
Partnership’s website includes a video
 Website has another page dedicated to meningitis
disease information:
www.immunizeusa.org/protect-college-studentsfrom-meningitis
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Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Kate Alfano (Texas Academy of Family
Physicians)
 Promoted
the website through
electronic newsletter on May 31
 Included
presence on website
Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Alice Hallgren (Fort Bend County Clinical
Health Services)
Found local Pharmacies and Providers who cater to
adults and compiled a list from this information and
made it available to anyone seeking adult MCV4
 Instructed the staff who screen phone calls at our
offices to provide this information
 Contacted several school nurses in our district,
reminding them to inform their students who are
turning 18 to get their booster MCV4 and the
importance of signing up for IMMTRAC
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Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
Kathy Cavin, Debbie Tucker, Isabel Hargrove
(Austin/Travis County HHSD)
 Contacted all area colleges/universities
 Sent letters to 19 high school nurses about
ImmTrac and included info about MCV4 and
college, offering assistance with collegebound seniors
 Added the microsite to Travis County VFC
website
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Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Patsy Schanbaum (The Jamie Group)
 MEDIA
TOUR- referenced microsite and
informed on meningococcal disease
 Forwarded a list (with links) to media outlets
 Included microsite website thejamiegroup.org
 Will reach out to HEB
Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Daniel Acosta (Immunize El Paso)
 Conducted
vaccination campaign-target areas
is the parent education
 Continue
 Realized
to utilize media partners
need for better communication with
school officials
Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Lala Yerger, Sharon Currie, Jennifer
Sutherland, Deborah Hernandez (Corpus
Christi Nueces County Health Dept.)
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In process of creating recall/reminder
Website has been updated with links to
collegevaccinerequirements, DSHS, CDC (National
Vaccine Program), Immunization Action Coalition,
Immunization Partnership and National Network on
Immunization Information
Letters concerning vaccine (particularly MCV4)
requirements were sent to parents with students at area
high schools (distributed via CCISD cooperation and
partnership)
Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Lala Yerger, Sharon Currie, Jennifer
Sutherland, Deborah Hernandez (Corpus
Christi Nueces County Health Dept.)
 Six offsite vaccination clinics were
conducted at five high schools and one
charter school
 Insert has been completed and is
awaiting printing and distribution in July
city utility bills
Individual TISWG Member
Commitments
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Leslie Myers (Safeway)
 Provide
resources and link to pharmacists
 Educate
parents, students, and school
districts
 Work
with insurance payors to provide
pharmacy coverage for vaccines
Barriers and Next Steps
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Barriers
 Fast
timeline
 Needed a complete distribution list to send
out timely information to all stakeholders
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Next Steps
 Use
distribution lists established for updates
and to solicit feedback
 Continue to work with stakeholders
 Will continue to work with THECB and
TISWG to provide updates as needed
Questions
&
Answers
Tony Aragon
Tony.aragon@dshs.state.tx.us
Luis Valenzuela
Luis.valenzuela@dshs.state.tx.us
Conclusion
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Chose most actionable, relevant items to execute
with limited resources
All actions centered around communication plan
Can apply strategies and resources gained to
future occurrences
Will continue to work with THECB and
TISWG to provide updates as needed