DSHS Response to Meningococcal Requirement in Institutions of Higher Education Update Luis Valenzuela Adult & Adolescent Immunization Coordinator Tony.

DSHS Response to DSHS Response to Meningococcal Meningococcal Requirement in Requirement in

Institutions of Higher Institutions of Higher Education UpdateEducation Update

Luis ValenzuelaAdult & Adolescent

Immunization CoordinatorTony Aragon, MS

Epidemiologist, Acting Assessment, Compliance, &

Evaluation Manager

June 21st, 2012

Outline

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 Requires all entering students to show evidence Requires all entering students to show evidence

of meningitis vaccineof meningitis vaccine Does not apply to students who are enrolled only Does not apply to students who are enrolled only

in online or distance education courses or are 30 in online or distance education courses or are 30 years of age or olderyears of age or older

Legislation took effect Sept. 1, 2011Legislation took effect Sept. 1, 2011 Requirement was effective Jan. 1, 2012Requirement was effective Jan. 1, 2012

2011 Fall Semester Enrollment2011 Fall Semester EnrollmentTexas Higher Education Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board (THECB) Coordinating Board (THECB) EstimatesEstimates

2011 THECB Estimates2011 THECB Estimates Estimated 652,141first-time students of Estimated 652,141first-time students of

all ages all ages 286,120 between the ages of 18 and 21286,120 between the ages of 18 and 21 168,228 between the ages of 22 and 29168,228 between the ages of 22 and 29 Total of 454,348 potentially affected by Total of 454,348 potentially affected by

lawlaw

MeningococcalMeningococcal Action Plan

Immunization Branch developed an Immunization Branch developed an action plan with two main action plan with two main objectives:objectives: Ensure that 16 to 18 year olds receive Ensure that 16 to 18 year olds receive

a booster dose of meningococcal a booster dose of meningococcal vaccine (medical recommendation)vaccine (medical recommendation)

Ensure entering college students ages Ensure entering college students ages 19 to 29 receive an meningococcal 19 to 29 receive an meningococcal vaccine within 5 years before enrolling vaccine within 5 years before enrolling in collegein college

TISWG CollaborationTISWG Collaboration Held break-out sessions at March 2012 Held break-out sessions at March 2012

TISWGTISWG Obtained several actionable itemsObtained several actionable items

DSHS Immunization Branch executed DSHS Immunization Branch executed communication plan with input from communication plan with input from stakeholders focusing on…stakeholders focusing on… Provider education Provider education Education for students andEducation for students and

families families Assisting institutions of higher Assisting institutions of higher

educationeducation

DSHS Immunization Branch Response Efforts Launched meningococcal micrositeLaunched meningococcal microsite

http://CollegeVaccineRequirements.Com

Includes information and resourcesIncludes information and resources Meningococcal Vaccine RequirementsMeningococcal Vaccine Requirements Obtaining vaccineObtaining vaccine Disease information Disease information

Approximately 2,500 visitors since Approximately 2,500 visitors since going live (5/18/12)going live (5/18/12)

DSHS Immunization Branch Response Efforts

Microsite widely disseminated and Microsite widely disseminated and referencedreferenced Public health distribution listsPublic health distribution lists Client encountersClient encounters Professional medical societiesProfessional medical societies School nurse networkSchool nurse network TEATEA Schanbaum MCV4 national media Schanbaum MCV4 national media

campaigncampaign Colleges and universitiesColleges and universities Direct email blast to providers via EVIDirect email blast to providers via EVI

DSHS Immunization Branch Response Efforts

Created informational 1-pagers for Created informational 1-pagers for distributiondistribution For health care providersFor health care providers For entering college studentsFor entering college students

Widely disseminated amongWidely disseminated among Colleges and UniversitiesColleges and Universities Public health distribution listsPublic health distribution lists Professional medical societiesProfessional medical societies School nurse networkSchool nurse network TEATEA

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Clark Petty (San Antonio Metro Clark Petty (San Antonio Metro Health)Health)

Made contact with Café College Made contact with Café College and developed relationshipand developed relationship

Forwarded microsite to the local Forwarded microsite to the local colleges, universitiescolleges, universities

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Kirk White (Texas Administrators of Kirk White (Texas Administrators of Continuing Education, Houston Continuing Education, Houston Community College)Community College) Provided summary of TISWG meeting to Provided summary of TISWG meeting to

President of TACE (who has been part of President of TACE (who has been part of the meningitis vaccine law effort) and the meningitis vaccine law effort) and with HCC Meningitis Task Force with HCC Meningitis Task Force

Available to facilitate communications Available to facilitate communications with the THECB, DSHS and Immunization with the THECB, DSHS and Immunization Partnership on behalf of TACE as neededPartnership on behalf of TACE as needed

Distributed microsite to both HCC and Distributed microsite to both HCC and the TACE membershipthe TACE membership

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Maureen M. Moore (The Maureen M. Moore (The Immunization Partnership)Immunization Partnership) Immunization Champions projects in 7 Immunization Champions projects in 7

clinics were fully briefed and encouraged clinics were fully briefed and encouraged to remind and recall their adolescent to remind and recall their adolescent patients prior to summer rushpatients prior to summer rush

Information about MCV4 on The Information about MCV4 on The Immunization Partnership’s website Immunization Partnership’s website includes a videoincludes a video

Website has another page dedicated to Website has another page dedicated to meningitis disease information: meningitis disease information: www.immunizeusa.org/protect-college-www.immunizeusa.org/protect-college-students-from-meningitisstudents-from-meningitis

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Kate Alfano (Texas Academy of Kate Alfano (Texas Academy of Family Physicians)Family Physicians)

Promoted the website through Promoted the website through electronic newsletter on May electronic newsletter on May 3131

Included presence on websiteIncluded presence on website

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Alice Hallgren (Fort Bend County Alice Hallgren (Fort Bend County Clinical Health Services)Clinical Health Services) Found local Pharmacies and Providers Found local Pharmacies and Providers

who cater to adults and compiled a list who cater to adults and compiled a list from this information and made it from this information and made it available to anyone seeking adult MCV4available to anyone seeking adult MCV4

Instructed the staff who screen phone Instructed the staff who screen phone calls at our offices to provide this calls at our offices to provide this informationinformation

Contacted several school nurses in our Contacted several school nurses in our district, reminding them to inform their district, reminding them to inform their students who are turning 18 to get their students who are turning 18 to get their booster MCV4 and the importance of booster MCV4 and the importance of signing up for IMMTRACsigning up for IMMTRAC

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Kathy Cavin, Debbie Tucker, Isabel Kathy Cavin, Debbie Tucker, Isabel Hargrove (Austin/Travis County Hargrove (Austin/Travis County HHSD)HHSD)

Contacted all area Contacted all area colleges/universitiescolleges/universities

Sent letters to 19 high school nurses Sent letters to 19 high school nurses about ImmTrac and included info about ImmTrac and included info about MCV4 and college, offering about MCV4 and college, offering assistance with college-bound seniorsassistance with college-bound seniors

Added the microsite to Travis County Added the microsite to Travis County VFC websiteVFC website

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Patsy Schanbaum (The Jamie Patsy Schanbaum (The Jamie Group)Group) MEDIA TOUR- referenced MEDIA TOUR- referenced

microsite and informed on microsite and informed on meningococcal diseasemeningococcal disease

Forwarded a list (with links) to Forwarded a list (with links) to media outletsmedia outlets

Included microsite website - Included microsite website - thejamiegroup.orgthejamiegroup.org

Will reach out to HEBWill reach out to HEB

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Daniel Acosta (Immunize El Paso)Daniel Acosta (Immunize El Paso)

Conducted vaccination campaign-Conducted vaccination campaign-target areas is the parent educationtarget areas is the parent education

Continue to utilize media partnersContinue to utilize media partners

Realized need for better Realized need for better communication with school officialscommunication with school officials

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Lala Yerger, Sharon Currie, Lala Yerger, Sharon Currie, Jennifer Sutherland, Deborah Jennifer Sutherland, Deborah Hernandez (Corpus Christi Nueces Hernandez (Corpus Christi Nueces County Health Dept.)County Health Dept.) In process of creating recall/reminderIn process of creating recall/reminder Website has been updated with links to Website has been updated with links to

collegevaccinerequirements, DSHS, CDC collegevaccinerequirements, DSHS, CDC (National Vaccine Program), Immunization (National Vaccine Program), Immunization Action Coalition, Immunization Partnership Action Coalition, Immunization Partnership and National Network on Immunization and National Network on Immunization InformationInformation

Letters concerning vaccine (particularly Letters concerning vaccine (particularly MCV4) requirements were sent to parents MCV4) requirements were sent to parents with students at area high schools (distributed with students at area high schools (distributed via CCISD cooperation and partnership)via CCISD cooperation and partnership)

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Lala Yerger, Sharon Currie, Jennifer Lala Yerger, Sharon Currie, Jennifer Sutherland, Deborah Hernandez Sutherland, Deborah Hernandez (Corpus Christi Nueces County (Corpus Christi Nueces County Health Dept.)Health Dept.)Six offsite vaccination clinics were Six offsite vaccination clinics were

conducted at five high schools and conducted at five high schools and one charter schoolone charter school

Insert has been completed and is Insert has been completed and is awaiting printing and distribution awaiting printing and distribution in July city utility billsin July city utility bills

Individual TISWG Individual TISWG Member CommitmentsMember Commitments

Leslie Myers (Safeway)Leslie Myers (Safeway)

Provide resources and link to Provide resources and link to pharmacistspharmacists

Educate parents, students, and school Educate parents, students, and school districtsdistricts

Work with insurance payors to Work with insurance payors to provide pharmacy coverage for provide pharmacy coverage for vaccinesvaccines

Barriers and Next Steps BarriersBarriers

Fast timelineFast timeline Needed a complete distribution list to Needed a complete distribution list to

send out timely information to all send out timely information to all stakeholdersstakeholders

Next StepsNext Steps Use distribution lists established for Use distribution lists established for

updates and to solicit feedbackupdates and to solicit feedback Continue to work with stakeholdersContinue to work with stakeholders Will continue to work with THECB Will continue to work with THECB

and TISWG to provide updates as and TISWG to provide updates as neededneeded

Questions Questions & &

AnswersAnswers

Tony AragonTony Aragon

[email protected]@dshs.state.tx.us

Luis ValenzuelaLuis Valenzuela

[email protected]@dshs.state.tx.us

ConclusionConclusion

Chose most actionable, relevant items Chose most actionable, relevant items to execute with limited resourcesto execute with limited resources

All actions centered around All actions centered around communication plancommunication plan

Can apply strategies and resources Can apply strategies and resources gained to future occurrencesgained to future occurrences

Will continue to work with THECB and Will continue to work with THECB and TISWG to provide updates as neededTISWG to provide updates as needed