Immunization Coalition

The Utah Every Child by Two Immunization Coalition was formed in March 1993, to address the low immunization level among two-year-olds in Utah. The Coalition was originally chaired by Utah's First Lady, Jacalyn Leavitt and focused on implementing strategies to achieve 90% vaccination levels among two-year-old children in Utah. In 2004, the Dr. William Cosgrove was named chair and the Coalition expanded its strategies to include adolescent immunization. The Every Child by Two Immunization Coalition is comprised of representatives from the public and private sectors such as private businesses, public health agencies, physician associations, community/volunteer organizations, hospitals and managed care organizations.

The Coalition is divided into the following three committees:
1) Early Childhood
2) Media and Marketing
3) Adolescent

Each committee has a chairperson and representatives from public and private entities participate on these committees to help sponsor immunization activities.

Early ChildhoodCommittee
The overall objective of this committee is to educate the public about childhood immunizations and increase access to immunization services.

Media and Marketing Committee
The overall objective of this committee is to work in conjunction with the statewide public awareness campaign, "Immunize By Two, It's Up To You". This campaign focuses on developing and marketing messages relevant to Coalition goals and activities. Messages include getting infants and children immunized on time, promoting the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIIS), dispelling immunization myths, providing information on immunization services.

Adolescent
The overall objective of this committee is to develop effective strategies to increase awareness of adolescent immunizations among the public and educate private providers about adolescent vaccines, school laws and vaccine recommendations.

Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIIS)
The USIIS Program is key to increasing childhood immunizations and is supported by the Coalition. The Coalition's primary objectives include promoting the use of a confidential, statewide computer system that tracks children's immunization records in the public and private sectors. USIIS is intended to aid health care providers with immunization information for patient care by maintaining an updated record of children's immunization history - even when a parent changes health care providers.

Strategies Implemented by the Every Child by Two Immunization Coalition include:

• A statewide public awareness campaign, "Immunize by Two, It's Up To You," including a immunization hotline. The purpose of the campaign is to educate parents about immunizations, remind them when to immunize their children, and motivate them to action.
• Press Conferences regarding immunization issues and Utah Infant Immunization Week.
• A physician survey that was conducted to better understand the beliefs and attitudes physicians (pediatricians and family practitioner) have toward immunizations. The information gained from this survey has been used to: 1) better educate private providers at statewide conferences targeted to the medical community, and 2) to determine the type of immunization information to include in educational materials sent to physicians in Utah.
• A survey of employers in Utah. The survey was conducted to determine employers' employee health benefit coverage for childhood immunizations. The Coalition sent a letter, over the First Lady's signature, congratulating the top 100 employers who are offering good immunization benefits to their employees.
• Initiated the Hallmark Greeting Card Program with the Governor and First Lady to congratulate parents on their new birth and remind them of the importance of beginning immunizations at two months of age.