208532 A unique collaborative including Los Angeles County-Department of Public Health (LAC-DPH), a school district, and community clinics providing a flu immunization program and a model for community disaster response

Monday, November 9, 2009

Suzanne Gero, RN, BSN, PHN , Community Liaison - Service Planning Area 2, Los Angeles County-Department of Public Health, North Hollywood, CA
Nandini Sodhi, MD, MPH , Area Health Officer, Service Planning Area 1 and 2, Los Angeles County-Department of Public Health, North Hollywood, CA
Janis Lake, RN, PHN, MS , Organization Facilitator, Los Angeles Unified School District, District 1, Van Nuys, CA
Karen Proctor, RN, CPNP , Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, CHDP Program, Los Angeles Unified School District, Canoga Park, CA
Shafeeq Shamsid-Deen, MD , Medical Director, El Proyecto del Barrio, Inc., Arleta, CA
Background:

The Los Angeles County Immunization Program (LACIP) previously supplied a limited amount of vaccines to local school districts to be given to at risk students. In 2008, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended annual flu immunizations for all children up to eighteen years of age to prevent propogating flu outbreaks. School sites serve as efficient venues for the large-scale immunization of school age children, parents and the community. Columbus Middle School (CMS) and Kennedy High School (KHS), located in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), have school-based clinics provided by LAUSD and El Proyecto del Barrio, Inc.

Methods:

This project provided flu immunizations for students, siblings, family and staff members at school clinic visits and during nine "Flu Prevention Events". Implementation was accomplished without additional staffing or funding. Vaccines (nasal spray and injections), supplies and training were provided by LACIP, Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, and LAC-DPH.

Results:

Forthcoming pre/post data, school/work absenteeism, patient surveys, and LA County flu surveillance documentation will show to what degree the immunization efforts were effective during the 2009 flu season.

Conclusion:

Following the new ACIP recommendations for children, both school-based clinics demonstrated the ease of vaccinating large numbers of children and adults to prevent disease and reduce school/work absenteeism. This program serves as a low cost, efficient Point of Dispensing (POD) model for mass population prophylaxis in the event of disaster.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify barriers and bridges involved in the implementation of a cost efficient, innovative model program to prevent the spread of influenza in a school setting. 2. Explain how a model program integrated effective communication, cultural competence, health education, and innovative clinic practices at the school site without requiring additional clinic staff. 3. Identify measures developed to evaluate a pilot immunization project for students, families, and school staff, affecting the health of over 1482 people who were immunized. 4. Demonstrate how a cost effective Point of Dispensing (POD) model, developed through an encompassing flu immunization project for students, their families and school staff at school based clinics, offers a unique opportunity to train for disaster response

Keywords: Community-Based Partnership, Immunizations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As a Public Health Nurse and Community Liaison, I have had extensive experience planning, coordinating and organizing flu immunization outreach events at senior centers and faith based organizations. In 2008, new partnerships were formed in order to expand the immunization effort and utilize the Incident Command System in partnering with cities to provide Flu Point of Dispensing (POD) events. The event I coordinated took place in a large park in the City of Los Angeles. Flu shots were also given to the public at fire stations. The unique collaboration with the two school based clinics was also new this season. With vaccines provided by LACIP and VFC, supplies provided by LAC-DPH, and the immunizations given by the two providers, Los Angeles Unified School District staff and El Proyecto del Barrio, Inc., staff at the school clinics to the expanded school community, 1482 peple were immunized and a community disaster response model was developed.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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