New VFC Enrollment
The federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program was created to increase access to immunizations outside of public health departments, which allows eligible children to remain in their medical homes for immunization services. The program was designed to help raise childhood immunization levels by providing vaccines at no charge to VFC providers to administer to eligible children. Federal law established the VFC program and set the policies that govern it.
The goal of the Arkansas Health Department is to ensure that your VFC enrollment program is successful after you have been enrolled. Therefore, it is essential for VFC providers to have a clear understanding of the VFC program. The VFC providers are responsible for conducting vital functions such as determining eligibility, monitoring vaccine storage and handling, and vaccine administrations.
Below are the step-by-step requirements for providers who wish to participate in the VFC Program:
- VFC provider locations are required to designate a Medical Director/ Equivalent, Primary Vaccine Coordinator and at least one Back-up Coordinator for each facility.
- Medical Director/Equivalent (MD, DO, NP, PA, Pharmacist)
- Primary Vaccine Coordinator**
- Back-up Vaccine Coordinator
It is highly recommended that a full-time employee is designated as the Primary Coordinator. The Primary Vaccine Coordinator is responsible for providing oversight for all vaccine management within the office, and ensuring all vaccines are stored and handled appropriately. Each facility must also designate at least one Back-up Coordinator who will assume oversight responsibilities in the absence of the Primary Vaccine Coordinator.
- The Primary and Back-up Coordinator are required to take the CDC “You Call the Shots Trainings” prior to submitting the electronic VFC enrollment in WebIZ.
- Vaccines for Children Program (VFC)- Module Sixteen
- Storage and Handling- Module Ten
Note: You may need to create an account with the “CDC TRAIN” website prior to taking trainings. Once the account has been created you will be able to complete the required training courses and access the training certificates.
- Select the “Course Catalog” tab
- Type the name of the training on “Search TRAIN”
The “You Call the Shots” training certificates for both the Primary and Back-up Coordinator are required to be uploaded into the WebIZ system during your VFC Enrollment. A copy should also be printed and placed in the provider’s VFC folder. All VFC documentation should be readily available upon the State’s request. All VFC documentation should be retained for three years.
- The facility and user(s) must be enrolled in WebIZ prior to participating in the VFC Program:
- New WebIZ Facility Enrollment – Your facility must be registered in WebIZ prior to participating in the Vaccines for Children Program.
- New WebIZ User Enrollment – Your facility must be registered in WebIZ prior to submitting a WebIZ New User Enrollment. You must submit a New User Enrollment prior to being listed as a clinical contact on the Clinic Staff page in Clinic Tools.
- Providers are required to annually review the Provider Profile and electronically accept the VFC Provider Agreement conditions.
- If there are frequent changes with the number of children served, or the status of the provider/facility changes during the calendar year, the provider must update the “Provider Profile” in WebIZ as soon as possible.
- Vaccine Coordinators are responsible for implementing a Vaccine Management Plan. The plan should identify routine tasks providers and staff must complete to protect VFC vaccines and minimize vaccine loss. It should provide a blueprint for responding to emergencies such as power outages, temperature excursions, and other unforeseen events. The Vaccine Management Plan must be completed in its entirety.
- The VFC Management Plan will need to be printed and placed on or near your storage units.
- The Vaccine Management Plan template is located at the bottom of this page.
- The VFC Management Plan will need to be printed and placed on or near your storage units.
- Storage units must have enough room to store the largest inventory a provider location might have at the busiest point in the year without crowding. Storage Unit(s) must be one of the following:
- Purpose-built/ Pharmaceutical
- Medical Grade
- Standalone Unit
Note: The use of dormitory or bar-style refrigerator/freezers is always prohibited for VFC program provider locations.
- Digital Data Logger with certificates of calibration are required.
- A Digital Data Logger (DDL) is a device that provides the most accurate storage unit temperature information, including details on how long a storage unit has been operating outside the recommended temperature range (referred to as a “temperature excursion”). Unlike a simple minimum/maximum thermometer, which only shows the coldest and warmest temperatures reached in a unit, a DDL provides detailed information on all temperatures recorded at preset intervals.
- A backup DDL is required and should never have the same date as the one in use.
- Provider must post “Do not Unplug” signage. Click →WARNING DO NOT UNPLUG.
- Do not unplug/disconnect sign on storage unit plug outlet(s) and circuit breaker
- Do not disconnect sign on the storage unit circuit breaker(s)
- The provider must submit a 5-Day Temperature Recording Log.
- Temperature logs with at least five (5) days of twice daily current temperatures and once daily Min/Max temperatures. It must include a weekend between the five days. Weekend temperatures are not required (Ex. document temperatures for Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tues, and Wednesday.)
The online VFC Enrollment must be completed in its entirety and the provider’s Vaccine Management Plan, DDL Certificate(s) of Calibration, and the 5-Day Temperature Recording Log must be submitted for review and approved prior to ordering vaccines.
Once the above steps are completed, your facility will be added to the CDC PEAR system and your WebIZ information will be updated for the VFC Program, including the assignment of a VFC/VTrckS ID number (if one has not been assigned to the clinic).
- A VFC Representative will contact the Primary Vaccine Coordinator and set up a VFC Enrollment Visit. All VFC documents must be readily available for review during the VFC Enrollment Visit.
- Once the New VFC enrollment has been completed and all requirements have been met, the providers can start ordering vaccines that same day.
NOTE: Facilities must be open with appropriate staff at least one weekday other than Monday, for at least four consecutive hours, to receive and immediately store vaccines.
Annual VFC Enrollment Recertification
The VFC Provider Agreement and VFC Provider Profile are due annually between July 1st and August 31st of every year.
- The VFC Provider must ensure that their clinic and staff information has been updated prior to the beginning of the VFC recertification. This will prevent you from having to leave the enrollment page to make clinic updates.
- Failure to submit the VFC recertification by the due date may result in a vaccine ordering suspension until the recertification has been completed and submitted for review.
