TPA Talks with DSHS about Vaccination Programs

This week TPA talked with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) about the Vaccines for Children (VFC) and Adult Safety Net (ASN) Programs as part of a legislative requirement for the DSHS to look at ways to make the program more effective, efficient, and streamlined.

TPA made recommendations to improve the inventory management and eligibility screening processes for the VFC program; the Association also communicated that a big factor in Texas with uptake is that pharmacists can’t administer vaccines besides flu to children under 14 years of age without a prescription. The DSHS process largely follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirements, and without changes to the process at the federal level there are unlikely to be changes in Texas. The Texas ASN program doesn’t allow pharmacists as providers, but the DSHS will look at this as funding levels change in Texas. Additionally, the DSHS will look to improve communications about the programs and ways pharmacists can help make people aware of these programs for vaccinations when they can’t afford them.