Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Advancing the capacity of immunization program managers through a national coordinating organization - Background: The Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) is dedicated to establishing a nation free of vaccine-preventable disease (VPD). AIM members – program managers (PMs) -- are the leaders of state, local, and territorial immunization programs directing public health efforts to keep children and adults vaccinated and protected against disease. Since 1999, AIM has provided a national voice for immunization programs and a forum for program managers to learn from each other, confront challenges, and achieve success. Since its inception, AIM has gathered and shared information with its members on policy implementation, legislative issues, and programmatic successes. Tremendous strides toward reducing cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and healthcare costs associated with vaccine-preventable diseases have occurred. However, continued efforts are necessary to assure high coverage rates, ensure communities are vaccinated according to the routinely updated Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, and respond to periodic outbreaks of VPDs. The 64 state, territorial, and local immunization programs (IPs) receiving funds under CDC-RFA-IP19-1901 perform this critical work with technical support from Immunization Services Division (ISD) and the Immunization Operations Services Branch (IOSB). The PMs of these 64 federally funded programs are the exclusive members of AIM. Since 2019, 32 jurisdictions have experienced turnover of their PM. Supporting PMs over the next 5 years is critical to their continued success. In the most recent 2022 Program Manager Annual Survey, PMs top five priorities for the next 12 months are: 1) Addressing low routine coverage rates for children, 2) Improving health equity, 3) Addressing vaccine confidence, 4) Workforce development, and 5) Addressing low routine vaccination rates for adults. AIM recognizes the importance of supporting PMs in the effective execution of day-to-day activities and circumstances that impact operations, such as changes in vaccine policies or guidance, vaccine pricing, immunization information systems (IIS), and more. Building on AIM’s prior work, this application and work plan supports immunization PMs in five distinct strategies: 1. Providing leadership and development support, 2. Supporting communication and information sharing among key partners and trusted messengers, 3. Preparing immunization PMs for the future of IPs, 4. Supporting immunization PMs to address emerging immunization issues, 5. Convening PMs and ensuring translation of resources to strengthen IPs. PURPOSE As the sole nonprofit membership organization for immunization PMs for the last 23 years, AIM is uniquely qualified to support all 64 jurisdictions to achieve the goals of their own cooperative agreements with the CDC. With a combination of subject matter expertise, needs assessments, and multi-modal engagement, AIM seeks to enhance the program management skills of PMs. Of particular focus will be supporting PMs in their continuation of strategies and approaches to improve health equity, vaccine confidence, and uptake of adult vaccines in a post-pandemic environment. OUTCOMES The strategies and activities outlined in the proposed workplan for Year 1 focus on the short-term outcomes of: Increased ability of PMs to identify strengths and weaknesses of their programs and needed training support; Increased PM participation in leadership trainings, mentoring program, and peer-to-peer activities; Increased vaccinate with confidence messaging via social media and other communication methods; Increased understanding of evidence-based strategies for preventing, identifying, and responding to mis/disinformation; Improved knowledge of vaccine confidence, communication, and infodemic management principles and best practices; Increased knowledge among IPs of practices to assist in return to steady state operations; Enhanced flexibility to collect and provide timely information.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).