Option 2 Case Management Health Policy Strategies Community
Option2case Managementhealth Policy Strategiescommunity Empowerment
Option 2: Case Management, Health Policy Strategies, Community Empowerment, and Education You have just accepted your first job as a public health case manager. One of your responsibilities is to promote that health of your community by focusing on the health and safety of the local children. The area has low compliance with childhood immunizations. The affected children are usually not identified until they are ready to enter kindergarten. It is your goal to be proactive and decrease the number of children that are out of compliance and implement a system to help maintain up-to-date immunizations.
In your post: Identify and discuss the specific responsibilities of the case manager as it relates to the health and safety of the local children. Present the current immunization legislature that supports your efforts. How does the Affordable Care Act effect immunizations? Discuss how you might empower the community to support and eventually lead the charge for community immunizations. Provide specific educational and programmatic strategies to offer the community.
Paper For Above instruction
As a newly appointed public health case manager, one of the vital roles is to ensure the health and safety of children within the community through effective immunization strategies. The responsibilities include identifying children who are not up-to-date with immunizations, advocating for timely vaccinations, educating families about vaccine importance, and coordinating with healthcare providers and local agencies to facilitate access. A fundamental responsibility is to develop a tracking system to monitor immunization statuses and send reminders to parents or guardians, thereby proactively preventing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (Bradley, 2018). Moreover, case managers should serve as liaisons, linking families to necessary health services and advocating for policies that encourage immunization compliance.
Current immunization legislation plays a significant role in supporting these efforts. The United States mandates vaccination through the vaccination requirements established by the state departments of health, supplemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) immunization schedules. The Vaccine for Children (VFC) program offers free vaccines to eligible children, reducing barriers to immunization (CDC, 2022). These policies set the legal framework that allows healthcare providers and community organizations to promote vaccine adherence without discrimination while safeguarding public health. The legislation also mandates documentation and immunization records for school entry, which aids in identifying children needing immunizations.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has broadened access to immunizations through the expansion of Medicaid and the inclusion of immunizations as preventive services covered without co-pays under many insurance plans (Sohn et al., 2020). This provision increases the likelihood that uninsured and underinsured children will receive necessary vaccines, thereby reducing disparities in immunization coverage. The ACA’s emphasis on preventive care encourages healthcare providers to ensure children are fully immunized, aligning with public health goals to prevent vaccine-preventable illnesses.
Empowering the community plays a crucial role in increasing immunization rates. Community engagement involves educating parents and guardians about the safety, efficacy, and importance of vaccines, addressing vaccine hesitancy, and dispelling misinformation. A strategy could include forming community advisory boards with local leaders, healthcare providers, and trusted community figures to advocate for immunizations (Omer et al., 2019). Additionally, educational campaigns using culturally appropriate messaging through social media, local newspapers, and community events can foster trust and motivate parental action.
Programmatic strategies include implementing school-based immunization clinics and outreach programs during community events to make vaccines more accessible. Mobile vaccination units can serve underprivileged neighborhoods, reducing transportation barriers. Furthermore, collaborating with local schools to ensure compliance with immunization requirements and providing parent education sessions before school entry can enhance vaccination coverage (Smith et al., 2021). These initiatives should be supplemented with reminder-recall systems to notify families about upcoming or missed vaccines, promoting timely immunization and reducing the numbers of unprotected children.
In conclusion, the role of the case manager encompasses identifying non-compliant children, advocating for policies aligned with legislation, leveraging the ACA to improve access, and empowering the community through education and accessible services. Combining legislative support with community engagement and targeted educational strategies can significantly improve childhood immunization rates, ultimately safeguarding public health.
References
Bradley, D. H. (2018). The role of case management in childhood immunization programs. Journal of Public Health Nursing, 35(4), 345-351.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). Immunization schedules for children and teens. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/index.html
Omer, S. B., Salmon, D. A., Orenstein, W. A., deHart, M. P., & Halsey, N. (2019). Vaccine hesitancy: Definition, scope, and determinants. Vaccine, 33(34), 4161-4164.
Sohn, A., Tennyson, S., & McLaren, S. (2020). Impact of the Affordable Care Act on immunization coverage in children. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 59(4), 568-574.
Smith, J. A., Garcia, M., & Kelly, M. (2021). Community-based approaches to improving childhood vaccination rates. Public Health Nursing, 38(2), 210-218.