Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) will be offering vaccinations for schoolchildren Saturday, July 21, at an off-site clinic.
The clinic will be held at Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 7550 South Hampton Road in Dallas. Dr. Karry D. Wesley is senior pastor.
The clinic is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Parents will need to bring their child’s immunization record.
“Meningococcal disease is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2 through 18 years of age in the United States,” said Director Zachary Thompson. “We are encouraging parents with children ages 16-18 years of age, to come and get the meningitis vaccine early.” Vaccines will be free at the immunization clinic at Antioch to children 18 years of age and younger, who are TVFC eligible.
Recent policy changes to the Texas Vaccines for Children (TVFC) patient eligibility that went into effect on January 1, 2012 will have an impact on who can receive immunizations through Dallas County Immunization clinics.
Children who have private insurance that cover vaccines will no longer be eligible to receive TVFC vaccines in Dallas County Health and Human Services Immunization clinics. Instead these children will be referred to their medical home for immunization services.
Clients, birth through 18 years of age, eligible to receive TVFC immunizations at Dallas County Health and Human Services are:
• Medicaid eligible
• Uninsured: a child who has no health insurance coverage
• American Indian or Alaskan Native
• Enrolled in CHIP
• Underinsured (as defined by DSHS) – A child who has commercial (private) health insurance, but coverage does not include vaccines; a child whose insurance covers only selected vaccines (TVFC-eligible for non-covered vaccines only); or a child whose insurance caps vaccine coverage at a certain amount. Once that coverage amount is reached, the child is categorized as underinsured). Insured children with vaccine coverage who have high copays or deductibles are no longer considered underinsured. These children are now considered fully, privately insured and are no longer eligible for TVFC vaccines.
To find out whether a child is TVFC eligible, check with the insurance providers to determine whether immunizations are covered.
Immunizations are given at each of the DCHHS clinic locations from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday–Friday. The immunization clinic, located in the DCHHS building on the first floor, is open until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. Appointments aren’t necessary.
Clinic locations include: 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, Room 159 in Dallas; 3312 N. Buckner Boulevard, Suite 200 in Dallas; 1113 E. Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 200 in Dallas; 440 South Nursery Road, in Irving and 2774 Valwood Parkway in Farmers Branch.
