BACKGROUND:
Every year thousands of children are excluded from attending classes due to their school shots not being up to date. Their exclusion impacts our community fiscally as well as the medical services provided by public health and private providers. It also impacts this large inner city school system’s absenteeism, student’s ability to learn, stay in school or catch up. In an effort to reduce the number of exclusions, representatives from the Mayor’s Office, public health, private providers, public schools and faith community decided to partner.

OBJECTIVE:
Increase immunizations in public schools and reduce the number affected by school exclusions

METHOD:
Efforts were kicked off during National Infant Immunization week in April and continued through National Immunization Awareness Month in August in order to maximize attention & media coverage. The City’s Mayor, Council Members & other elected officials took part in an event to kick-off the action-based “Hot Shot” campaign to boost immunization rates in areas of the city where rates are currently among the lowest. Neighborhood-based clinics near area schools that with children behind in their immunizations were expanded by the projects community partners. Strategies implemented included bill boards, info packages to over 1000 physicians and hundreds of area churches, poster distribution, door hangers and back to school brochures delivered to 25,000 homes, media coverage in print, television & radio, newsletter to area providers, agencies & churches and promotion of incentives to Columbus City Schools

RESULT:
Number of children excluded from school was reduced by approximately 60%.

CONCLUSION:
Partnerships with school systems, agencies, public health private provider, community leaders and school nurses can significantly impact our community by reducing immunization barriers.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To illustrate how partnerships reduce school exclusions and increase immunization rates, coalitions assist schools reducing school exclusions, how school nurses are key in successful partnerships.