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Back-to-School Immunizations for Kids

Jul 31, 2024

Childhood immunization has been a cornerstone of public health, dramatically reducing the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases. From 1994 to 2013, vaccines helped avert an estimated 21 million hospitalizations and saved 732,000 lives in the United States alone.

The success stories of vaccines are numerous, with diseases like polio, measles and rubella being virtually eliminated and smallpox wholly eradicated. Routine vaccinations have also led to significant declines in diphtheria and tetanus cases.

Against this backdrop, we remind you to include vaccinations on your back-to-school checklist as we approach the start of the new school year. Kids behind on their vaccinations are more likely to catch serious illnesses that could otherwise be prevented. Immunizing your kids also helps protect others in the school, a concept known as “herd immunity.” As more children are vaccinated, more students are protected from diseases, meaning fewer opportunities for diseases to spread.

School vaccination requirements are in place to help stop disease outbreaks and maintain public health. While the incidence of diseases like pertussis and mumps has decreased, periodic outbreaks still remind us of the ongoing importance of immunization. These requirements apply to public and private school children – nobody is exempt unless for medical reasons or religious beliefs.

Required Immunizations for School

School-required immunizations are mandated by state law and vary by jurisdiction, as do exemptions from school vaccine requirements; it’s advisable to check local requirements as part of the back-to-school preparations. In general, four childhood vaccines are required before kids can attend kindergarten: MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), varicella (chickenpox) and polio (IPV). Most states require your child to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine, and 16 of the 50 states require Hepatitis A and B before kindergarten enrollment.

When children reach middle school, most states require the MenACWY (meningococcal conjugate) vaccine to protect against meningitis. The HPV vaccine is also mandated in Hawaii, Rhode Island and Virginia.

Recommended Immunizations for Kids

School-required immunizations are necessary because of the likelihood of disease spreading between children. Putting things in their mouths, poor hand hygiene, and sharing toys are just some of the many behaviors children adopt that facilitate the transfer of bacteria.

Despite how common an inconvenience it is, the flu, or seasonal influenza, can badly affect children, leading to further complications and contributing to overall morbidity statistics. Consequently, an annual influenza vaccine is recommended for all kids aged over six months. The vaccine doubles the chances of your kids staying flu-free compared to not being immunized and reduces flu-related hospitalizations of children by 48%. Children need a flu shot yearly as the influenza virus changes over time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that children over five who are unvaccinated or received a COVID-19 vaccine before September 2023 have a single dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Kids aged 5 to 11 can have the updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, while children over 12 can alternatively have Novavax.

Other optional vaccines include the Hepatitis A vaccine, if not mandated by your state, and a second MenACWY and MenB vaccination or the combined MenABCWY vaccine to protect against meningitis. The HPV vaccine is also recommended for children aged 11 to 12.

Addressing Vaccine Concerns and Misconceptions

As a parent, it’s natural to have concerns over the safety of immunizations. However, all vaccines undergo rigorous testing before being licensed for public use. To ensure their safety, childhood vaccines are tested first in healthy adults, followed by trials on teenagers, children, and finally infants. The CDC reviews all data before granting approval.

One of the most persistent misconceptions, despite being thoroughly debunked by extensive research, is the belief that vaccines cause autism. This false claim has no scientific basis. Vaccines can cause side effects like all medications, but they are usually mild and temporary. Typical reactions include soreness at the injection site, mild fever, and fatigue, which generally subside quickly as the immune system responds. These minor inconveniences are a small price to pay for the robust protection vaccines offer, not only safeguarding the individual receiving the shot but also helping to protect the broader community from serious diseases.

Some parents also believe natural immunity is better than vaccine-induced immunity, which carries risks associated with natural infection. Immunization offers a safer, more effective way to protect kids from life-threatening illnesses without exposing them to the live disease. 

Preparing for Back to School

It’s normal to feel apprehensive and worried about getting everything sorted before the school year, including your child’s immunization records. After all, the pandemic disrupted routine childhood vaccinations, and rates still haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, highlighting even more so the reasons why you should try and keep on top of your children’s mandatory vaccinations. If you’re unsure where to start, check with your healthcare professional to confirm that no doses have been missed and that medical records are current.

Many schools require proof of vaccination for enrollment, making these records essential not only for admission but also for maintaining your child’s health. Accurate vaccination records help healthcare providers track previous immunizations and schedule future doses, ensuring timely protection against preventable illnesses as your child returns to school.

How to Get Childhood Immunizations

You have several options for vaccinating your children before the school year. Family doctors and regular healthcare providers can administer vaccines during routine check-ups, offering a familiar and trusted setting. Likewise, many large pharmacy chains now provide vaccination services, making it easy for parents to get their children immunized quickly.

Community health clinics and local health departments often offer low-cost or free vaccination programs, ensuring accessibility for all families, regardless of income. Some schools even have on-site health centers that provide immunizations, streamlining the process for busy parents.

Adobe Population Health hosts local health fairs and events to provide an opportunity for free or low-cost vaccinations as well as preventative screenings and well-child visits. In July this year, Adobe provided vaccines for more than 20 children in Prescott and Cottonwood and scheduled approximately another 40 vaccination appointments. Visit our events page to learn about upcoming health fairs and back-to-school events.

Dr. Alina Walden – Vice President Clinical Services

Dr. Alina Walden is a highly accomplished professional with an impressive academic background. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona Honors Program. Subsequently, she obtained her medical degree from New York Medical College and earned her MBA from the University of Phoenix.

With over 15 years of experience in clinical practice, Dr. Walden has specialized in risk adjustment, disease management, and utilization management. Her expertise as a physician executive, combined with an in-depth understanding of the CMS HCC-Risk Adjustment Model and Quality STAR measures, enables her to develop and implement effective population health programs. She is also certified as a Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA), Certified Professional Compliance Officer (CPCO), Certified Professional Coder (CPC), and Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (CRC) from AAPC. These credentials align perfectly with the goals of Adobe Population Health.

Dr. Walden is committed to delivering exceptional customer service to the entire care team, consistently striving to enhance and promote positive patient experiences. She firmly believes that every individual involved in the healthcare process plays a crucial role in advocating best practices. Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. Walden cherishes spending quality time with her family, which includes her loving husband and four children. Her personal interests include reading and traveling.

Gail Lara – Vice President Strategic Outreach

With extensive experience in healthcare marketing, operations and management, Gail has made a career of developing and growing service lines and businesses from large health systems and specialty practices to wellness and ambulatory services.

As a VP at Adobe Care & Wellness, she oversees outreach to physicians and identifies opportunities for growth that align with the needs of the community and its members.
Gail earned an associate degree in business at Midland College followed by a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Texas. She then worked in operations and business development with a national company upon moving to Arizona and joining the state’s largest urgent care organization where she was instrumental in its growth, identifying new locations, opening clinics, and overseeing licensing, staffing, and compliance. Gail then built and grew service lines at a local hospital group and oversaw marketing and business development for another.

With a commitment to innovative thinking, Gail’s wide range of experience is enhanced by her ability to foster collaborative relationships to achieve goals.

Residents of Arizona, Gail, and her husband have three children. She is passionate about community service, has served on the board of the Arthritis Foundation, and regularly volunteers at The Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Maria Martinez – Vice President Population Health

Maria Martinez started with Adobe Care & Wellness in the call center, making health risk assessment (HRA) calls to members. She soon took on new responsibilities, learning the ins and outs of Salesforce and helping to build the company’s initial technology platform. Maria never expected that her first post-college job would lead to a career in health care solutions. Maria was born and raised in Phoenix and earned a Bachelor of Science in justice studies with a minor in women and gender studies, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She quickly rose to Senior Director of Clinical Services at Adobe Care & Wellness and later to Vice President of Operations. As VP of Operations, Maria oversees the nurse practitioner scheduling and in-home assessments program to ensure members receive the care needed. She is passionate about making health care more accessible to those living in rural areas or lacking the mobility to get to a doctor’s office helping the company grow and expand its ability to help others.

David Heinrich – Vice President, Integrated Care

A Chicago native with more than 20 years of management experience, David began his management career in the retail industry, quickly working his way up to Store Manager and then Regional Manager. While overseeing multi-million dollar retail stores, David felt the pull to venture into the medical field. He began working for an ambulance company providing pre-hospital care to the sick and injured which inspired him to further his education in nursing school. As he earned his degree, David worked full-time doing organ and tissue recovery for one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit body donation programs.

Since graduating as a registered nurse, David has worked in medical-surgical, trauma, and telemetry units as well as in home health, hospice, and nursing education. He has held clinical leadership roles including Clinical Manager and Director of Nursing.

When Adobe Care and Wellness started their Special Needs Plan in 2019, David joined the team and quickly helped grow the program. He was promoted to Director of Case Management and then to Senior Director of Integrated Care. David, who is also a Certified Case Manager, now serves as Adobe’s Vice President of Integrated Clinical Services.

Alex Waddell – Chief Information Officer

Alex Waddell is an Arizona native and graduate of Arizona State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s in economics. Alex began his career in IT as a software developer for a home health and case management provider. Over the next four years, Alex took on increasing responsibilities and began earning certifications as a Salesforce developer. In 2018, he was hired as Director of Software Development for Outreach Health Services, where he worked for two years before accepting the position of Executive Vice President of Technology at Adobe Care and Wellness. Alex has continued his drive for excellence and is now a Certified Salesforce Application Architect as well as a member of the Forbes Technology Council. In his current position as CIO,  Alex manages and directs a team of developers and oversees the design and development of the proprietary software that supports the expanding healthcare solutions Adobe Care and Wellness offers. Alex and his department, provide internal staff and external entities with analytics that measures results and helps drives decisions. He and his team also ensure data security for the company’s hardware and software.

Chad Wolver – Chief Financial Officer

36-year-old Arizona native Chad Wolver brings nearly a decade of commercial banking, strategic finance, and management experience to the Adobe Population Health leadership team. Phoenix-based Adobe Population Health ranks 2,271 on the 2023 Inc. 5000 annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

A graduate of the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, Chad earned an Executive MBA with a focus in Accounting and Finance. While serving as Vice President at Bank of America, Chad was the banker for Adobe Care & Wellness (rebranded as Adobe Population Health in 2022), which has experienced 242% three-year growth from 2020 to 2023.

CFO since 2021, Chad has managed Adobe Population Health’s strategic financial strategy, overseeing its budget by using technology to create efficiency, synergy, scalability, and deeper insight to grow the organization efficiently as it expands as a multi-state provider.

Chad serves on the boards of some of Arizona’s most well-recognized philanthropic organizations, including Arizona Community Foundation’s Kellenberger + Tollefson Center for LGBTQ Philanthropy Advisory Council and ONE Community’s Millennial Advisory Board. He’s a past board member of ASU Lodestar Center’s Leadership Council, Human Rights Campaign Arizona, Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS and Phoenix Community Alliance’s Social & Housing Advancement Committee.

In his free time, Chad enjoys traveling with his partner and spending time with their beloved Italian greyhounds.

Challas Ray – Chief Operating Officer

Challas Ray has spent more than a decade building a career in the health care industry. Challas holds a Master’s in Clinical Kinesiology from Eastern Illinois University. After completing his education, he began work with Sara Bush Lincoln Health System, where he helped create and expand an external wellness program for companies interested in providing wellness programs to their employees. Challas is originally from Toledo, Illinois, but now calls Arizona home.  He moved to the Valley of the Sun seeking warmer weather and new opportunities. Joining The Beech Group as a Transitional Specialist, it was there Challas met and began collaborating with Jayme Ambrose. In 2017, he joined Jayme’s team to help launch Adobe Care & Wellness. As Adobe Care & Wellness COO, Challas provides oversight of the operational process to improve efficiencies and conducts the cost-benefit analysis of new and existing initiatives.

Pat Duryea, PhD – Chief Inspiration Officer

Patricia (Pat) Duryea earned her bachelor’s in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management from Arizona State University. She then served as a Human Resource Director for nearly six years before returning to school to earn a Master of Educational Psychology from Northern Arizona University and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Walden University.  Through her career spanning three decades, Pat has worked as a clinical manager, employee assistance program director, an adjunct professor at ASU and she’s owned and operated multiple small businesses. She has extensive knowledge in developing health and wellness programs, and experience in trauma-related counseling. As Chief Inspiration Officer at Adobe Care & Wellness, Pat manages human resources and the development of company culture.  She also serves as the compliance officer, receiving complaints, solving issues and reporting them to Arizona Complete Health.  She works directly with the management team on leadership development within the organization and monitoring morale. Pat’s overall focus is to ensure that employees feel included and valued in their contributions to the company’s success and to provide them with the opportunity to be the best they can be.

Jayme Ambrose DNP RN CCM – Chief Executive Officer

Jayme Ambrose, DNP, RN, CCM, is the visionary Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Adobe Population Health, an Arizona-based company offering an innovative, first-of-its-kind solution to the issue of health equity. Founded in 2018, Adobe employs a technology-driven model for interventional care management and takes a holistic approach to population health by closing care gaps, reducing costs, and caring for the whole person.

Armed with a Master of Science-Nursing from Arizona State University, Jayme was accepted into the Doctoral program for Nursing Science & Leadership at Case Western University. It was there, she developed an integrated case management model, as part of her doctoral thesis, with the objective of addressing the social determinants of health that often contribute to poor health outcomes for at-risk populations. After completing her doctorate in 2012, Beech Medical Group agreed to pilot her model, if Jayme agreed to accept a position as VP of Clinical Services. In 2016, she signed her first insurance company contract and initiated a holistic approach to case management for Medicare members. Her model integrates data analysis and risk assessment with a human touch to deliver proactive and preventative care that improves health outcomes, decreases hospital and ER visits, and reduces overall healthcare costs. In 2018, Beech Medical Group sold the company but not before giving Jayme the opportunity to purchase her division. On that day, Adobe was born with one mission: To positively impact the lives we touch.

As part of an innovative technology platform, Adobe utilizes proprietary risk stratification tools to identify the issues of those at greatest risk including food insecurities, financial hardships, transportation issues and even loneliness. And then through a proprietary and ground-breaking application called MASLOW™, members are invited to answer questions related to social determinants of health and then are connected to for-profit, non-profit, and governmental resources based on geolocation. To ensure impact, a qualified team member through a hybrid care model reaches out to offer assistance, closing the care loop. It is this human touch that sets Adobe apart from other case management organizations. Today, Adobe employs 300 nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, support coordinators, dieticians, care navigators, and transition specialists and serves more than 200,000 elderly and underserved patients across three states.

Jayme has served on several boards including The Arizona Homecare Association, The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses and the Case Management Society of America where she is currently a member. She also currently serves on the PAC board of the Arizona Nurses Association. In addition, Jayme is currently adjunct professor for Arizona State University where she teaches RN to BSN and MSN students and develops curriculum.