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Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring their children are up-to-date with immunizations and providing accurate immunization records to schools. Health care providers administer vaccines and provide documentation. School administrators are responsible for excluding non-compliant students and may delegate immunization record duties. Local health jurisdictions work to prevent disease outbreaks and the Department of Health monitors immunization levels statewide.

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48 views3 pages

Manualchap2 2

Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring their children are up-to-date with immunizations and providing accurate immunization records to schools. Health care providers administer vaccines and provide documentation. School administrators are responsible for excluding non-compliant students and may delegate immunization record duties. Local health jurisdictions work to prevent disease outbreaks and the Department of Health monitors immunization levels statewide.

Uploaded by

Alisa Flores
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Who and What?

Many organizations and individuals have responsibilities for immunizing children or students
in Washington State. The specific responsibilities are as follows:

Parents/Guardians
Parents, including foster parents and guardians, are responsible for a child’s compliance
with immunization regulations. Parents should keep accurate and up-to-date
immunization records for their children. Accurate records are needed in order to
complete the Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) when a child enters school,
preschool, and/or a child care facility.

The immunization dates on the CIS must come from a written record, such as a personal
immunization record, baby book, or records from a clinic or health care provider. A
parent, guardian, or other designated adult is responsible for informing the school nurse
or designated staff whenever a child has had an immunization so the CIS can be
updated.

Health Care Providers


Licensed medical doctors (MD), doctors of osteopathy (DO), naturopathic doctors (ND)*,
licensed Physician’s Assistants (PA), and Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) with prescriptive
authority are authorized to prescribe and administer vaccines. They are expected to
immunize patients according to the Recommended Immunization Schedules and to
educate parents and guardians about communicable diseases and immunizations by
providing a current Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) for each vaccine administered.
They are also expected to give parents and guardians up-to-date documentation of their
child’s immunization history. See Chapter 5, Resources for RCW reference.

Health care providers may share a child’s immunization information with other health
care providers without parental consent as long as the exchange is being done to assist
in providing health care, according to the 1991 Uniform Health Care Information Act.
Immunization information can also be exchanged between a licensed health care
provider and a school nurse or designee. Any signed parental consent for disclosure of
immunization information to individuals other than health care providers is valid for only
90 days.

Administrators of Schools, Preschools, and Child Care


Facilities
The director, principal, or program manager has the ultimate responsibility for
immunization matters, but may delegate many immunization matters to a staff
member(s) (see below). The administrator or his or her designee excludes children from
school, preschool, or child care if they are not in compliance with state immunization
requirements. Students whose immunization status is “conditional” become out-of-
compliance if they fall more than 30 days behind schedule in getting immunized,
and are to be excluded.

School Manual, Chapter 2: Who is Responsible for What?


Designated Health Care Staff at Schools, Preschools,
and Child Care Facilities
The program director or principal has the ultimate responsibility, but may delegate
immunization duties to a nurse, health assistant, secretary, clerk, or volunteer. Duties
include:
• Collecting, verifying, and assessing immunization information for accuracy and
completeness.
• Notifying parents when follow-up is needed.
• Keeping an up-to-date list of children who are not adequately immunized.
• Submitting timely annual immunization status reports to the Washington State
Department of Health.
• Reporting (immediately) communicable diseases to the local health jurisdiction,
school or preschool administrator, child care director, and parents.
• Cooperating with local health jurisdiction officials and the school/preschool
administrator or child care facility director to prevent and contain the spread of a
disease when an outbreak threatens or occurs.
• Establishing a system for storing and maintaining the CIS. Washington State
immunization law requires each student to have a completed CIS on file. A
systematic file system makes it easier to:
• Update your records.
• Identify students who, according to your records, have skipped immunizations or are
due for more.
• Identify and keep a list of susceptible students, to be used in the event of a vaccine-
preventable disease outbreak.
• Keep completed CISs together, arranged alphabetically by grade level and last name,
in a folder.
• Keep a separate alphabetical list of students who are not completely immunized.
• Compile the annual status report that is required by the Washington State
Department of Health.
• Be sure immunization-tracking software (if being used) will separate immunization
records into “complete,” “conditional,” “exempt,” and “out-of-compliance” categories; list
which immunizations a student needs and when they are due; and produce annual
status reports.
• Educating coworkers and parents about the importance of immunizations. School
nurses, health assistants, and secretaries can help protect students against serious
diseases by encouraging full and timely immunization. School personnel are an
important and trusted source of information about immunization. Take advantage of
enrollment and Kindergarten Round-Up to communicate with parents about their
children’s CIS, state immunization laws, and school requirements, and the
importance of immunizations. Help parents understand that:
• Each child’s immunization status must be legally documented on a CIS.
• Immunizing on time is important. Reading the Recommended Immunization
Schedules will show when vaccines are due.
• Various immunizations are required for school attendance.
• Communicable diseases have not been eliminated.
• Keeping up-to-date records at home and school is vital.
• Community resources offer low-cost immunizations and that some health care
providers have convenient evening and weekend hours.

School Manual, Chapter 2: Who is Responsible for What?


Local Health Jurisdictions
Most local health jurisdictions (LHJs), often called county health departments or districts,
administer immunizations. Some distribute Certificates of Immunization Status and
other immunization forms, as well as educational materials about communicable disease
and immunization regulations. Public health officials take steps to contain and prevent
disease outbreaks, and investigate them when they do occur. They also work to achieve
and/or maintain high immunization levels in their respective communities.

State Agencies
Department of Health
The Washington State Department of Health Immunization Program CHILD Profile is
responsible for monitoring immunization levels statewide. The program works closely
with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Department of Social and
Health Services, local health jurisdictions, child care facilities, and private health care
providers. The program helps other agencies and organizations by answering questions,
making referrals, and serving as an information clearinghouse about vaccines and
vaccine-preventable diseases. School, preschool, and child care facility records may be
reviewed by public health staff for compliance with state regulations.

Board of Health
The Washington State Board of Health adopts regulations regarding immunization
requirements and communicable disease control.

Department of Early Learning


The Department of Early Learning enforces license regulations for licensed child care
providers.

Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction


The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction develops regulations for
immunization record verification, consults with school districts on health issues, and
helps the Department of Health inform schools and the general public about
immunization issues. Questions about individual student immunization records are
referred to the student’s health care provider or local health jurisdiction.

School Manual, Chapter 2: Who is Responsible for What? DOH Pub# 348-124

For persons with disabilities, this document is available on request in other formats. To submit a
request, please call 1-800-525-0127 (TDD/TTY 1-800-833-6388).

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