School Immunization Program

The primary goal of the School Immunization Program (SIP) is to lower the risk of vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) in the organized learning environments of the early childhood and school-age populations of Macomb County. The leading way to achieve this goal is through children receiving the required childhood and adolescent vaccines. The SIP provides education, support and consultation to local families, programs and schools to achieve and maintain the childhood and adolescent immunization rates at 95% or higher. The SIP works in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan Childhood Improvement Registry (MCIR) in meeting or exceeding immunization requirements.

In Michigan, all children who enroll in and attend the following programs and schools are required by law to be vaccinated in accordance with the Michigan Public Health Code Act 368 of 1978  Part 92  Immunizations. The entities include:

• Licensed childcare centers
• Head Start programs
• Preschool programs
• Public, private, charter academies, special education, alternative education, adult education, homeschool partnerships and virtual schools enrolling kindergarten through 12th-grade students.

Also required by the Public Health Code, all early childhood programs licensed by the MDHHS and school-age programs registered by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), are required to report the immunization status of specific student populations. These populations include:

• Newly enrolled in a childcare center, Head Start or preschool program
• All kindergarten, including developmental kindergarten students
• All 7th-grade students
• All students who enroll as new-to-district entrants in grades 1-6 and 8-12 through 18 years of age

For programs and schools to complete their reporting, parents, legal guardians, foreign exchange students’ host families or 18-year-old students must present a written immunization record indicating the current vaccine status of the child to the program or school. A minimum of one dose of each required vaccine is needed for school or program entry. All required vaccines are needed for continued school or program attendance.

 

Parents/Guardians

Medical Waiver: For children who cannot receive vaccines for a valid medical contraindication, a Medical Contraindication Form completed by the child's M.D. or D.O. must be given directly to the school or program office for submission to the Health Department. The Macomb County Health Department Medical Director reviews all medical waivers.

Nonmedical Immunization Waiver: For children who do not receive vaccines for religious or other objections to vaccines, an Immunization Waiver Form, certified by a Michigan Local Health Department (LHD) following a waiver education session, is required to be submitted to the child's school or program. 

• By appointment only, and provided at the Macomb County Health Department located in Mount Clemens (43525 Elizabeth Road, Mount Clemens, MI 48043).
• For families that reside in or attend Macomb County schools or programs.
• For more specific information, please see How to Obtain a Nonmedical Waiver.

Call the School Immunization Program at (586)466-6840, for an appointment for nonmedical waiver education services, Mon-Fri, 8:30 -5:00, except holidays.

Failure to meet vaccine or waiver requirements, as set by the Public Health Code, requires the school principal, administrator or program director to EXCLUDE a child from the school or program attendance.

Kindergarten Entry Booklet

In 2014, the Kindergarten Entry Requirements Booklet was developed in collaboration with the Macomb Intermediate School District, Great Start Macomb, Great Start Collaborative, Head Start and the Macomb County Health Department. It includes requirements, information and resources for families preparing to enroll children in kindergarten and developmental kindergarten programs.

Michigan's Kindergarten Entry Requirements booklet is administered by and available on the Macomb Intermediate School District website.

For additional information:

State of Michigan FAQ on Immunization Waivers

Macomb County Health Department  Q&A for Parents and 18-Year-Old Students

Macomb County Health Department Immunization Clinic Hours

Statement of Varicella Disease (Chickenpox) Form

An Important Message for Parents/Guardians of future Kindergarten or Developmental Kindergarten Students

An Important Message for Parents/Guardians of future 7th Grade Students

 

 

Schools and Childcare Centers

Macomb County has approximately 555 childcare and school sites, and collectively, the program and school staff must review the immunization records of approximately 45,000 children each year. The MCIR system is used by the school staff to complete and send their site’s immunization report to the SIP. All school districts/charter academies/private schools must have a completed, waived or provisional immunization record (compliance) for at least 90% of their students for the November IP-100 report, and 95% compliance for the February IP-100 report. All early childhood programs must have an immunization compliance record for at least 90% of their students for the October IP-101 report. Go to www.mcir.org > School & Childcare, for additional information and resources

Resources:

MCIR Forms 

Reporting Immunization Program Status

 

How did Macomb County Schools and Childcares do in the 2018-2019 School Year?

Click on the following links to view county wide immunization compliance rate totals for schools and childcares.

Childcare Compliance Rates

School Compliance Rates

County Quarterly Immunization Report Card

Immunization Report Card 

 

Vaccines in the News

Study Linking Vaccine to Autism Declared a Fraud

Please visit the National Association of County and City Health Officials web site for more information on the media coverage of this important development.

• NACCHO web article on MMR vaccine and Autism

 

Statewide Vaccine Shortages Affecting School and/or Child Care Program Immunization Requirements

Current Shortages:

 None at this time; reviewed August 30, 2019

 

Resources:

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Immunization Waiver Information