SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded grants totaling nearly $1 million to a dozen organizations to support activities to improve community immunization levels among 2-year-olds, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, today announced.

"Vaccination is one of the most effective tools for preventing disease and death, but too many children in our state are not adequately immunized," Dr. Lumpkin said. "As a result, children may suffer from diseases that are easily preventable through vaccination. Through this grant program, we are assisting agencies in areas of the state where there are pockets of need for better immunization coverage. "

While immunizations have made many vaccine-preventable diseases almost invisible to parents and the public, the viruses and bacteria that cause these diseases continue to circulate. With nearly 500 births occurring each day in Illinois, it is imperative that we remain diligent in ensuring all children receive appropriate immunizations."

Grants were awarded to areas that either had immunization coverage levels consistently below the state average or were unable to offer convenient immunization clinic hours. Funds will be used to provide after hour or weekend clinic times to accommodate working families, to promote immunizations through local cable access and other media outlets, to establish a reminder or recall and tracking effort to identify children in need of immunizations and to maintain accurate immunization records.

In Chicago, where immunizations rates for 2-year-olds are 67 percent compared to 81 percent for the rest of the state, funding is aimed at addressing coverage disparities among the city's diverse populations. The city plans to expand immunization programs in Chicago Housing Authority developments, partner with the Chicago Area Immunization Campaign to support community and private provider education programs and enhance WIC (Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children) clinic interventions.

The following is a list of those organizations that are to receive funding: