Immunization Program

Grants to Nebraska nonprofit organizations and public health clinics for vaccination programs. Funding is intended to increase vaccination service access, to develop and implement system- or provider-based interventions, and to increase demand for vaccinations from within communities.

The purpose of this Request for Application (RFA) is to identify those eligible entities most qualified to successfully meet both the federal and state objective to reduce and ultimately eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases by increasing and sustaining high immunization coverage. Emphasis is placed on populations at highest risk for under-immunization and disease and those eligible for receipt of publicly purchased vaccine especially children at easily accessible walk-in locations.

The intent of this RFA is to reinforce the importance of a medical home while also recognizing that public clinics still provide a role to ensure access to vaccination services, especially local health departments and public clinics involved in outbreak response.

DHHS seeks competition through this RFA and degrees of preference will be commensurate with the degree to which proposed activities has been demonstrated to be effective, and the degree to which progress in meeting required objectives and performance measures has been demonstrated.

DHHS will consider geographic access in making final funding decisions.

Priority Objectives and Activities:

While many immunization activities will be allowed under this CDC funding source, there are certain priority activities of both the Nebraska Immunization Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Applicants that are able to address one or more of these priority activities will be given preference.

Improve and Sustain Immunization Coverage Levels

- Review available data sources, and develop a plan designed to improve immunization coverage levels that focuses on low or lagging vaccination coverage among children, adolescents, adults, special populations relevant to the applicant’s jurisdiction, or any combination thereof. A focus should be on identifying communities or geographic clusters with lower vaccination coverage levels or higher incidences of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) or both, especially within the pediatric population. A particular focus should be placed on improving vaccination coverage levels for HPV in targeted populations. A focus should also be placed on areas where Nebraska overall is lagging compared to the US and the HHS Region VII.
- Prioritize the application of achievable activities that the best available evidence indicates will improve and sustain vaccination coverage levels in these areas of greater need. Include the rationale for choosing the priority, achievable, and affordable activities over other possible activities that may improve vaccination coverage levels.
- Conduct, implement, and monitor the outcome of one or more of the prioritized activities.

Enhancing Access to Vaccination Services

- Enhancing access to vaccination services to children 0 through 18 years of age in accordance with the current ACIP immunization schedule. Ensuring ease of access for example providing walk-in and nurse only visits to serve the public. Continuing to provide access in conjunction with Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program settings or at minimum having a strong referral relationship with the WIC setting.
- Continuing to provide access to adults when able or developing a strong specific referral to an accessible location for adult vaccination services.

Increasing Community Demand for Vaccinations

- Strong bundled recommendations for on-time vaccination according to ACIP
- Reminder and Recall Systems
- Work with new and existing partners to increase demand for seasonal influenza vaccine to improve preparedness for an influenza pandemic.

Provider- or System-Based Interventions
- Having standing orders that are updated, accessible, and utilized.
- Assessing the Nebraska Immunization Information System (NESIIS) as required by the VFC program and meet the requirement to report to NESIIS immunizations of patients served manually or by data exchange as noted in Attachment A. Additional priority activities with NESIIS include: Use NESIIS to look up prior records; use NESIIS to enter in missing historical records; use NESIIS for provider assessment of immunization coverage.

Utilizing Existing Educational Resources – Supporting Staff Education (Learning, Using, and Teaching)

- Accessing CDC on-line educational resources
- Accessing Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) on-line educational resources
- Accessing American Cancer Society (ACS) HPV Vaccination Roundtable online educational resources
- Attendance at the 16th Annual Immunize Nebraska Conference.