Media Release

CONTACT: Kris Hall, 401-222-4631
FOR: Immediate Release
DATE: March 22, 2000

Rhode Island Hosts the National Immunization Registry Conference
Rosalynn Carter Speaks at the Conference Reception

The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) and the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announce the 2000 National Immunization Registry Conference at the Newport Marriott March 27^th to the 29^th. The Department of Health welcomes Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady and co-founder of Every Child By Two. Mrs. Carter will be in Newport on the evening of Tuesday, March 28^th to speak at the conference reception, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and All Kids Count National Program Office at the OceanCliff Mansion. Mrs. Betty Bumpers, who co-founded Every Child By Two with Mrs. Carter, will be speaking at a conference plenary session earlier in the day.

Over the past three decades, Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Bumpers, former First Lady of Arkansas, focused on reducing infant mortality through timely immunizations. They promoted the passage of laws mandating vaccination at school entry, which now exist in every state. As a result of these laws, the United States achieved a 95% immunization rate for school entrees.

Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Bumpers founded Every Child By Two (ECBT) in 1991, in response to the 1989-1991 measles epidemic that resulted in 55,000 reported cases and 150 deaths. Every Child By Two now focuses its efforts on promoting immunization registries. Immunization registries are community and state-based computer systems that track children's immunization status and send out reminders to families when shots are due. HEALTH implemented the Rhode Island Immunization Registry, KIDSNET, in January 1997. KIDSNET tracks the status of preventive health services, such as lead screening, WIC and hearing tests, in addition to immunization for children birth through 6 years of age.

Rhode Island ranked number one in completion of a basic vaccination series, according to the most recent National Immunization Survey for vaccination coverage among children aged 19 to 35 months in the United States, with a rate of 90.4%. Rhode Island always reported high immunization rates, but this is the first time it has ranked highest in the country. Rhode Island met its Year 2000 Health objective for immunizations. Rhode Island incorporates a multifaceted approach to maintaining and improving its high immunization rates. The three components of this approach include: a computer tracking system, KIDSNET, the universal provision of free childhood vaccines, physician education and public awareness campaigns.