The many successes CCIC has experienced in policy are due to the combined efforts of the members of our Public Policy committee, which include representatives from CDPHE, local health departments, the Colorado Immunization Information System, The Children’s Hospital, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians, the Colorado Children’s Campaign, and others. The convening of this spectrum of expertise is the only one of its kind in Colorado with the specific goal of increasing the childhood immunization rate.
In the 2008 Legislative session, CCIC worked with Governor Ritter’s team and the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee to secure key provisions in the state budget which together reflect the single largest investment in the improvement of children’s health care in Colorado in over a decade. The FY 08/09 State Budget is a well thought out, complimentary package that maximizes federal funds (a smart approach in a state with limited resources and multiple needs) and follows closely with the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform thus establishing a solid foundation for health care reform in the coming years. Most importantly, the budget places children as a top priority.
With this budget CCIC finally achieved a hard and long-fought goal of fully funding the Colorado Immunization Information System, commonly known as the Immunization Registry. Specifically the budget contained $670,000 and 10.1 FTE to expand and move CIIS to the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment. CIIS is arguably the single most important tool the state can employ to ensure kids get timely and appropriate vaccinations against sometimes deadly communicable diseases. For more information on CCIC's legislative accomplishments, click on the links below.
