Communities Caring for Children

Communities Caring for Children (CCC) is a community-based public health nursing program to improve infant immunization in rural Minnesota through the use of a regional registry and a reminder system. Before the implementation of CCC, only 58% of 2-year-olds in rural counties of MN were immunized. The CCC program includes educational campaigns using public media and outreach to health providers, WIC clinics, and health professional and community groups. The program actively enrolls new mothers in the CCC program and registry. Enrollees receive newsletters two weeks before immunizations or well-child exams are due. The newsletters include information specific to the age of the infant or child, with information about the importance of immunizations, the seriousness of infectious diseases, and other child safety information. Four weeks after the newsletter is sent, enrollees receive a call from a public health nurse to encourage child health care, answer questions, and address barriers to health care.

The goal of Communities Caring for Children is to increase the number of infants and children who receive immunizations on schedule.

In a telephone survey, CCC enrollees reported less perceived danger in infant immunizations than non-enrollees. Participants in the program were more likely to have access to infant immunization reminder cards. CCC enrollees reported significantly higher immunization compliance for their infants than non-enrollees (p = 0.022).