For
Immediate Release:
August 5, 2019
County
partners with VNACJ CHC
to
offer vaccination clinics
MCHD and VNACJ CHC to handle surge of vaccination
requests
FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth County
Health Department (MCHD) is partnering with the Visiting Nurse Association of
Central Jersey Community Health Center (VNACJ CHC) to provide immunizations to
County residents during the month of August at multiple health locations in
Monmouth County.
“Every August, the Health
Department gets inundated with phone calls from parents about scheduling
vaccination appointments for their children before the school year begins,”
said Freeholder Susan M. Kiley, liaison to MCHD and the Department of Human
Services. “The County is thrilled to know that parents are preparing
accordingly and adding vaccinations to their back-to-school checklists. Through
the County’s partnership with the Visiting Nurse Association, we hope to
protect children from vaccine preventable diseases so they have a healthy,
successful school year.”
For County residents living in MCHD
Member Towns, childhood immunizations are provided free to under insured/uninsured
children from birth to 18 years old when accompanied by a parent or
guardian. With parental permission, the child/children will be entered into a
Statewide immunization registry, which encourages timely and age appropriate
vaccinations.
The MCHD vaccination clinic,
located at 50 East Main St., Freehold, is from 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, August
8 and Thursday, August 22 by appointment only. To schedule an immunization,
call MCHD at 732-431-7456.
In addition to MCHD, the clinic
located at Monmouth County Human Services, 3000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, is
open every Monday, except holidays, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. by
appointment only. To schedule an immunization at Human Services, call 732-431-7456.
“The vaccination clinics provided by the Monmouth County
Health Department ensure our most vulnerable populations in Monmouth County are
protected against vaccine preventable diseases such as measles, mumps and
rubella,” said Christopher P. Merkel, County Public Health Coordinator. “Vaccines
are the safest and most effective way to prevent illnesses and deaths
associated with those diseases that negatively affect our children in Monmouth
County. Our collaborative relationship with agencies like the Visiting Nurses
Association provides a wider coverage of places our residents can go for State
mandated vaccinations.”
Due to the influx of vaccination
requests, the VNACJ CHC will be aiding MCHD by providing vaccinations to
residents who are unable to visit MCHD and Human Services clinics. During
surges of vaccination appointment requests, MCHD will direct residents to VNACJ
CHC locations for appointments. Locations
include Asbury Park, Freehold, Keyport and Red Bank.
“The importance of timely immunizations, especially as we
note numerous outbreaks in our communities cannot be understated,” said
Christopher Rinn, CEO of VNACJ. “The overwhelming scientific evidence shows
that vaccines are among the most effective and safest interventions to both
prevent individual illness and protect public health. The VNACJ Community
Health Center has a long-standing history of working with our community
partners, such as the Monmouth County Health Department, to protect the public
health and this immunization initiative with Monmouth County is another example
of such work.”
According to the Human Service
Needs Assessment for Monmouth County, which examined the needs of County
residents, Monmouth County ranked 17th for the lowest vaccination rate in the
State. Despite falling below the State average for fully vaccinated
kindergartners, the County is responding through Monmouth ACTS (Assisting Community Through
Services) and offering free vaccination clinics for under insured/uninsured
County residents. Through the MCHD partnership with VNACJ CHC, Monmouth ACTS is
able to promote and enhance the access to human services, such as free vaccines,
for County residents.
“Having your child vaccinated is not only extremely
important to their overall health, but also to the well-being of their peers,
family and friends,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone. “I commend
Freeholder Kiley, the County Health Department and VNACJ Community Health
Center partnership as well as all those involved with the Monmouth ACTS
initiative for their proactive efforts in protecting children from vaccine
preventable diseases.”
Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey
Community Health Center, Inc. (VNACJ CHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center,
has provided comprehensive primary and preventive health care for infants,
children and adults of Monmouth County for more than 24 years. The VNACJ CHC’s
are conveniently located in Asbury Park, Keyport and Red Bank and soon
will open in Freehold. In 2017, staff provided more than 29,099 visits to more
than 9,232 patients. For more information about VNACJ CHC, visit www.vnachc.org.
For more information, go to www.visitmonmouth.com/health.
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