The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the CDC Foundation is now calling for nominations for the
annual Childhood Immunization Champion Award. This
is an annual award that recognizes individuals who make a significant
contribution toward improving public health through their work in childhood
immunization.
The Champion Award is intended to recognize individuals who are working at the local level. It honors those who are doing an exemplary job or going above and beyond to promote or foster childhood immunizations in their communities.
The Champion Award is intended to recognize individuals who are working at the local level. It honors those who are doing an exemplary job or going above and beyond to promote or foster childhood immunizations in their communities.
The nomination and selection of a
local Champion should be based on meeting one or more of the following
criteria:
- Leadership: The
candidate is considered an authority on immunization in their community,
medical system, or individual practice. Activities may include acting as a
spokesperson, trainer, mentor, or educator.
- Collaboration:
The candidate has worked to build support for and increase immunization
rates in infants and young children. Activities may include establishing
or strengthening partnerships, coalitions, committees, working groups, or
other.
- Innovation:
The candidate has used creative or innovative strategies to promote
immunization or address challenges to immunization in their practice,
community, state, or region. Activities may include either new strategies
or adapting existing strategies in new ways such as for reaching
under-immunized populations.
- Advocacy:
The candidate is active in advancing policies and best practices to
support immunization in infants and young children in their community,
state, or region. The candidate cannot be involved in advocacy activities
that are related to funding for immunizations.
Nomination packets must
be received by the Immunization Section no later than Friday, January 26, 2018. Please email completed
packets to Immunization@flhealth.gov.
Awardees will be
announced during National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), which runs April
21–28 in 2018. Champions will receive a certificate of recognition, will be
featured on CDC’s web site, and may be recognized by their immunization program
during NIIW.
Champions can include coalition
members, parents, health care professionals (e.g., physicians, nurses,
physicians’ assistants, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, etc.), and
other immunization leaders who meet the award criteria. State immunization
program managers, state and federal government employees of health agencies,
individuals who have been affiliated with and/or employed by pharmaceutical
companies, and those who have already received the award are not eligible to
apply (for details, see page 3 of the nomination packet)[10 pages](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/champions/downloads/nomination.docx)