Comprehensive Child Health Immunization Act

Summary

Comprehensive Child Health Immunization Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish in the Federal Register a designation of those Standards for Immunization Practices, developed and published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) under the auspices of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (standards), that the Secretary determines can be implemented without cost. Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations that require: (1) all individuals or entities receiving assistance from the Secretary for public sector immunization and social service programs, or for private sector immunization services provided through reimbursements made under the Social Security Act (SSA) or with vaccines made available by the CDC, to comply with the standards; and (2) States receiving Federal funds that are used to provide vaccines to ensure that recipients of such vaccines adhere to the standards. Requires the Secretary to utilize and expand existing audit procedures to monitor compliance. Authorizes the Secretary to provide assistance to enable entities that receive Federal immunization grant funds to implement those standards that the Secretary determines will necessitate the commitment of additional financial resources and increase the access of children to immunizations. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop, for use by States in enrolling and recertifying individuals with respect to programs under the PHSA, SSA, special food program of the Child Nutrition Act, and other programs designated by the Secretary, model questions concerning immunization status and medical history and model packets of information concerning the risks and benefits associated with vaccines, locations of immunization providers with respect to each State, and other material determined appropriate by the Secretary; and (2) require States to incorporate the model questions into the forms and procedures utilized for such programs and to provide the appropriate information so developed to recipients of benefits provided under such programs. Requires: (1) such model questions and informational packets to be administered and provided to recipients of benefits under other federally administered health programs; and (2) the Secretary to develop and apply, and require States to apply, procedures relating to the referral of individuals for immunization services, including a plan for the provision of transportation assistance for children eligible to receive assistance under the SSA. Amends the SSA to require a State, to be eligible to receive payments for Aid to Families with Dependent Children and family support services and for social services block grants, to provide assurances to the Secretary that child care providers within the State that receive assistance will utilize the questions concerning immunization status with respect to the children served and provide such information as developed pursuant to this Act to their parents or guardians. Amends the National School Lunch Act to bar participation by institutions unless they provide such assurances. Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to require States to provide such assurances to qualify for grants under such Act. Amends the PHSA to direct the Secretary to award demonstration grants to enable eligible State and local entities to fully implement plans for the Infant Immunization Initiative. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) eligible entities; (2) maintenance of support; (3) grant amounts (based on the size and demonstrated need of the entity); (4) use of grants (such as for the establishment of express vaccination facilities in health clinics, the provision of vaccinations in hospital emergency rooms, through in-home visits and in day or child care centers, Head Start institutions, and in schools, the establishment of mobile vaccination teams, and other activities determined appropriate by the Secretary); (5) grants to local communities for innovative programs designed to increase access to immunizations; and (6) reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary to provide assistance to specified State and local entities to support the additional operational activities of immunization sites necessary to maintain compliance with the standards relating to infrastructure changes and to support innovative approaches designed to increase the access of children to immunization services. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to provide for the development and distribution of consumer educational materials concerning childhood immunizations. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to modify regulations with respect to the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment program under the SSA to require States to undertake aggressive outreach efforts in contacting parents concerning the immunization of their children and in tracking the immunization status of children through information submitted to the State from immunization providers seeking reimbursement under such Act. Authorizes appropriations to the CDC to pay the costs associated with the utilization of the National Health Interview Survey compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics. Amends the PHSA to direct the Secretary to establish a research and demonstration grant program to award to States or other entities determined appropriate by the Secretary grants for the development of computerized immunization registries. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) application requirements; (2) the use of grant funds (to develop and implement a computerized system for the identification and tracking of children for immunization purposes, to identify appropriate mechanisms for collecting, updating, maintaining, and accessing data concerning the immunization of children, to implement procedures under which vaccine providers will have access to the current immunization records of their patients, and to carry out any other activities determined appropriate by the Secretary); (3) reporting requirements; (4) development of a nationwide, computerized registry containing immunization information concerning children throughout the United States and procedures to collect information, to give health care providers access to information, and to track the immunization status of children; and (5) coordination with other programs. Authorizes appropriations for grants and for the purchase of computer equipment. Amends the PHSA and the SSA to require the Secretary to establish demonstration programs under which grants will be awarded to enable eligible States to purchase vaccines for distribution to, and use by, private health care providers. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) eligibility of States for grants; (2) maintenance of support; (3) use of grant funds; and (4) reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the PHSA to direct the Secretary to establish and administer a National Fund for Disease Outbreak Control. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary, upon the determination by the Secretary that an unanticipated disease outbreak requiring additional vaccine purchases occurs, to utilize the Fund to provide the CDC with the resources necessary to control the spread of such disease through the implementation of necessary preventive measures, including the reimmunization of children in disease-affected areas who have not yet received the recommended second-dose immunization against the disease. Requires the Director of the National Vaccine Program to make appropriations available to appropriate Federal agencies to enable such agencies to carry out special research with respect to the development of: (1) vaccines that are safe and effective in younger infants and newborns; (2) vaccine combinations to decrease the number of injections and required vaccine provider visits; and (3) new vaccines, including vaccines for chicken pox and rotovirus strains common throughout the United States. Directs the CDC to develop program guidance for all entities receiving a grant under this Act or any other childhood immunization grant under the PHSA requiring grantees to: (1) describe in detail their objectives, plans, and specific activities to reach out to high-risk populations for immunization purposes; and (2) submit end-of-year reports to the Director of the CDC. Directs the Secretary to report to the appropriate congressional committees concerning the immunization status of pre-school and school-aged children nationwide.

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2 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 26 November 1991

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