Projects
August 2011 -
School Health Conference
LINK co-sponsored a School Health Workshop with Northern
Kentucky Health Department. Topics
presented were Pneumococcal Disease and Vaccine Prevention by Dr. Chris Cunha,
the 2011 Immunization Regulation Update and School Immunization Surveys Going
Green by Sonya Moseley RN, BSN. In
attendance were school nurses, school health aides and Child Care Directors from
Northern Kentucky and the Three Rivers Health Districts.
The LINK coalition provided breakfast for the event and St. Elizabeth
Healthcare provided sponsorship for 2.75 hours of nursing continuing education.
July 2011 -
Tdap Cocooning Project
LINK partnered with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and the
Kentucky Immunization Program to reduce the incidence of pertussis, or whooping
cough, in Northern Kentucky. The new
“cocooning” program offered at St. Elizabeth’s Birthing Center provides the Tdap
(tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine free of charge to new mothers,
adult family members and caregivers in close contact with the newborn.
Immunizing those in close contact with the infant decreases the
likelihood of the infant coming into contact with pertussis, creating a “cocoon”
around the baby. LINK provided
immunization record cards to all who receive the vaccine.
March 2011 - Grant and Kenton County Health Centers Honored for Immunization
Efforts
LINK congratulates two of the Northern Kentucky Health Department's county
health centers who were recently recognized by the Kentucky Immunization Program
for outstanding efforts to vaccinate children. The Grant County Health Center in
Williamstown and the Kenton County Health Center in Covington achieved an
immunization rate of 90 percent or higher among 24-35 month old patients and
attained a gold performance rating for meeting best practice immunization
standards.
February 2011 - Girl Scouts of Kentucky's Wilderness Road Council Promotes
Immunizations
LINK collaborates with the Girl Scouts in providing free grocery totes for
cookie booth sales. The grocery totes promote the message, "Love Them, Protect
Them, Immunize Them" and provides the LINK web address as an immunization
resource.
January 2011 - Meningococcal Curriculum offered in Kenton County Schools
In collaboration with the Kenton County School District, LINK provided a
meningococcal educational program, offered by the National Meningitis
Association, for high school students and their parents. The program is titled
Getting It: A Disease...A Vaccine and is a resource to help reinforce the
importance of disease prevention to teens and their parents. Eighteen
educational kits were provided for use in the classroom.
October 2010 - National Medical Assistant Appreciation Week
In honor of National Medical Assistant Appreciation Week, LINK held an
educational event on October 19th at the Boone County Public Library. Dr.
Christopher Cunha spoke on Pertussis in Our Community and Refusing Vaccines:
Parental Concerns, Myths and Fears. Two Outstanding Medical Assistant Awards
were presented this year to Evie Mann, RMA of The Medical Institute of Kentucky
and Jasmin Carroll, MA of HealthPoint Family Care Bellevue.
October 2010 - LINK Participates in Drive Thru Flu Clinic
LINK participated in Northern Kentucky Health Departments drive thru flu
clinic. The event was held at Champion Window Field which is home to the
Florence Freedom Baseball Team. Flu shots and mist were given without residents
having to leave their vehicles. LINK provided flu brochures to participants and
requested they use it to encourage a friend or loved one to get their flu
vaccine.
August 2010 - Adolescent Vaccine Promotion in Kenton County Schools
LINK attended Kenton County Middle and High School back-to-school orientation
days to promote adolescent vaccines.
April 2010 - Kentucky Society of Medical Assistants State Conference
LINK participated in the KSMA state conference in Northern Kentucky by
providing an educational offering to conference attendees.
March 2010 - Promotion of Free Adult Vaccines
LINK has been promoting free, federally-funded, adult vaccines to protect
against Hepatitis A and/or B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, pneumococcal and
shingles. Partnerships with Northern Kentucky University and Thomas More College
student health centers have been established to provide vaccines to students and
staff. Monthly Hepatitis B vaccine clinics are being held in Covington, Kentucky
for the indigent population through a collaboration with Northern KY Health
Department and the Nurse Advocacy Center for the Underserved (NACU).
Ongoing 2010 - Educational Support for Medical Assisting Schools
LINK is partnering with seven area Medical Assisting schools in Northern
Kentucky to provide educational support on immunizations through one-hour
presentations. LINK hopes that this training will better prepare the medical
assistant upon entering the work force on vaccine administration, maintaining
proper storage and handling of vaccines and to effectively provide education to
patients and their guardians on vaccine importance and safety.
October 2009 - National Medical Assistant Appreciation Week
In honor of Medical Assistant Appreciation Week, LINK held an educational
event for all medical assistants in Northern Kentucky. A continuing education
presentation was given entitled, The Value of Vaccines and the Role of the
Medical Assistant. An Outstanding Medical Assistant award was presented to
Tiffani Balero of HealthPoint Family Care who was nominated by her peers.
Tiffani won a $50 gift certificate to Life Uniform and received a Certificate of
Recognition.
July 2009 - Northern KY Headstart Back-to-School Fair
LINK participated in the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission
Headstart Back-to-School Fair for parents and students from Newport, Dayton,
Covington and Erlanger-Elsmere. LINK provided education on immunization
recommendations and vaccine safety and importance. Approximately 450 children
received back-to-school packs at the event. LINK gave parents a magnetic picture
frame with the current childhood immunization schedule.
May 2009 - Excellence In Public Health Awards
The LINK coalition joined Northern Kentucky Health Department in honoring
four local pediatric offices with the Excellence in Public Health Award for
their efforts to promote public health through immunizations. The following
pediatric providers received the awards for their immunization coverage rates of
90% or higher of children by age two: Northern Kentucky Pediatric Group in
Highland Heights, Pediatric Associates in Crestview Hills, Pediatrics of
Florence, and Summit Medical Group in Crestview Hills.
May 2009 - Pertussis Prevention Initiative
LINK began a Pertussis Prevention Initiative to promote and increase the use
of Tdap vaccine among family members and caregivers of infants and children
under the age of 12 months. An educational luncheon program was held for key
community members to discuss new strategies that can be utilized to reach this
population. LINK also met with the St. Elizabeth Birthing Center staff to
discuss ways to encourage families to get vaccinated against pertussis and to
increase family education on the disease.
December 2008 - A Call to Action
A Call to Action was issued by the Let’s Immunize Northern Kentucky (LINK)
coalition at an event on December 9, 2008. Area healthcare providers
participated in discussions and heard keynote speaker, Robert Tagher, MD address
the issue of vaccine skepticism. Vaccine Resource Toolkits were provided to all
those in attendance.
The LINK coalition created the Resource Toolkits to help area providers
counsel parents on the importance of vaccines and to make informed decisions
based on reliable, accurate, science-based information. Approximately 70
Toolkits were provided to local physicians, health departments, school-based
health centers and hospital childbirth educators in the Northern Kentucky
region.
April 2008 - Educational Packets for New Moms
In support of National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), educational handouts
were provided to all new moms at Northern Kentucky’s three birthing hospitals
during the month of April. Approximately 450 new moms were reached with this
project. Handouts included:
- Common Questions Parents Ask About Infant Immunizations
- 2008 Recommended Immunizations for Babies
- Tdap Vaccine Information Sheet
March 2008 - Vaccine Skepticism Provider Summary
A regional on-line survey was completed among area pediatrician and family
practice offices and health department providers to gain insight on vaccine
skepticism issues in the Northern KY region. Survey questions focused on topics
including reasons parents choose not to immunize their children, resources
providers use for immunization education, and areas providers would like to see
LINK focus their efforts. Approximately 25 providers responded to the survey and
information received was used to direct LINK’s project focus.
August 2007 - Covington Readifest
LINK collaborated with Northern Kentucky Health Department, HealthPoint
Family Care, Covington Independent Schools and Wal-Mart to provide
immunizations, current immunization certificates and education to Covington
school children during the schools Readifest Days. Events took place at six
elementary schools, as well as, the middle and high school. A Wal-Mart gift
certificate drawing took place for all families who participated.
|
