Virginia Paine
Operations Manager
R.I. Government Agencies | Privacy Policy |
This program provides free vaccines to healthcare providers for children from birth through 18 years of age. Eliminating cost as a barrier to immunization helps to ensure that all kids are vaccinated according to the recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule and protected from 16 serious vaccine-preventable diseases.
Rhode Island’s universal vaccine policy, strong partnerships, and sophisticated immunization registry has contributed to our high immunization coverage rates among children. Providers who use state supplied vaccines are also enrolled in KIDSNET, Rhode Island’s registry for immunization and other childhood preventive health services. KIDSNET stores immunization information, alerts providers to immunizations that are due, missing, or invalid for individual children, and is used for quality assurance reports and assessment of vaccination coverage rates by physicians.
The program is supported by two major funding sources. The federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program provides all recommended vaccines for eligible children, including those uninsured for vaccines, those eligible for Medicaid, and American Indians or Alaska Natives. Health insurance plans provide funding for insured children.
Those listed in the Childhood Immunization Schedule by the Center for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Providers who use state supplied vaccines must annually agree to the program and enroll in KIDSNET, Rhode Island’s registry for immunization and other preventive services for children.
The Rhode Island Department of Health has an initiative to prevent hepatitis in babies born to women with chronic hepatitis. The collaborative effort with Women and Infant's Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, and the VNA of Care New England includes screening, education, referral, and case management services. Care is coordinated to ensure that infants born to women with chronic hepatitis complete the appropriate hepatitis vaccination series and immunity testing.