Source: https://www.vaccinefactsandpolicy.org/profiles/?profile=ri
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 00:55:26
Document Index: 84582451

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 23', '§23', '§ 23', '§ 23', '§ 23', '§ 23', '§ 23', '§ 23']

Profile for Rhode Island
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS POLICY AND PROCEDURE, POLICY NUMBER: 2.28-3 DOC, Effective Date: 12/17/2007
III. PROCEDURES: A. Assessable Services and Supplies. 1. Medical Services . . .The following services are excluded from the co-payment requirement . . .(4) Immunizations . . .vaccines.
Gen. Laws 1956, § 23-1-44. Routine childhood and adult immunization vaccines
(a) The department of health shall include in the department's immunization program those vaccines for routine childhood immunization as recommended by the advisory committee for immunization practices (ACIP) and the academy of pediatrics (AAP), and for adult influenza immunization as recommended by the ACIP, to the extent permitted by available funds. The childhood immunization program includes administrative and quality assurance services and KIDSNET, a confidential, computerized child health information system that is used to manage statewide immunizations, as well as other public health preventive services, for all children in Rhode Island from birth through age 18.
Gen.Laws 1956, §23-1-18. Power to provide rules and regulations in specific areas
(10) Provisions requiring the reporting of immunization status and any other relevant information that the director determines appropriate for persons under the age of eighteen (18) years for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a childhood immunization registry, provided however, that all personally identifiable information obtained . . .shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 37.3 of title 5.
Gen.Laws 1956, § 23-1-18 § 23-1-18. Power to provide rules and regulations in specific areas
(11) . . . All information acquired under this subsection by the department of health is confidential and not subject to public access.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.19-4. Resident immunization
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.19-3 Long-term care resident and employee immunization
Every facility in this Commonwealth shall request that residents and employees be immunized for influenza virus and pneumococcal disease in accordance with this act.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.19-6 Exceptions
No resident or employee shall be required to receive either the influenza or pneumococcal vaccine if any of the following apply: (1) The vaccine is contraindicated; (2) it is against his or her religious beliefs; or (3) the resident or the resident's legal guardian refuses the vaccine after being fully informed of the health risks of such action.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.19-5. Employee immunization
(c) Other immunizations. An individual who is newly employed as an employee and after November 30 and prior to April 1 shall have his status for influenza determined by the facility, and if found to be deficient, the facility shall make available the necessary immunization. (d) Immunization authorized. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the immunization against pneumococcal disease to employees.
R.I. Gen. Laws 23-17.19-5. Employee immunization
(a) Notice to employees. Every facility shall notify every employee of the immunization requirements of this chapter and request that the employee agree to be immunized against influenza virus. (c) Other immunizations. An individual who is newly employed as an employee and after November 30 and prior to April 1 shall have his status for influenza determined by the facility, and, if found to be deficient, the facility shall make available the necessary immunization. (d) Immunization authorized. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the immunization against pneumococcal disease to employees. . . .Section 3.0 Minimum Standards for Immunization and Communicable Disease Testing for Health Care Workers . . .Immunization and Testing Requirements. 3.5 In accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for immunization of health care personnel, evidence of immunity is required for all health care workers (with the exception of health care workers who receive a medical exemption) against: . . .3.5.1 Measles, Mumps and Rubella . . .3.5.2 Varicella (Chickenpox) . . .3.5.3 Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Whooping Cough) . . .3.5.4 Annual Seasonal Influenza . . .3.5.6 Hepatitis B Vaccination and Testing.
No . . . employee shall be required to receive either the influenza or pneumococcal vaccine if any of the following apply: (1) the vaccine is contraindicated; (2) it is against his or her religious beliefs; or (3) the resident or the resident’s legal guardian refuses the vaccine after being fully informed of the health risks of that action.
R.I. Admin. Code 31-1-38:3.0. Minimum Standards for Immunization and Communicable Disease Testing for Students Entering Preschools and Schools (K-12)
3.1 Each student, upon initial entry to any preschool or school in this state, shall furnish evidence to the administrative head of the preschool or school . . . that the student has been immunized . . . 3.2 No student shall enter a preschool without an immunization record . . .documenting that the student has been or is age appropriately immunized.
R.I. Admin. Code 31-1-38:3.0 31-1-38:3.0. Minimum Standards for Immunization and Communicable Disease Testing for Students Entering Preschools and Schools (K-12)
Preschool Entry Requirements 3.2 No student shall enter a preschool without an immunization record . . . documenting that the student has been or is age appropriately immunized in accordance with the current Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)/American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP)/American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox), and pneumococcal disease.
3.5.3 Exemptions. (a) A student may only be exempt from the immunization requirements described herein for either of the two (2) reasons stated below: (i) a physician, a physician assistant, a certified registered nurse practitioner, or other licensed practitioner acting within his/her scope of practice signs the Rhode Island Department of Health's “Medical Immunization Exemption Certificate” provided by the school attesting that the student is exempt from a specific vaccine because of medical reasons, in accordance with ACIP recommendations, AAP guidelines, or package insert instructions.
3.5.3 Exemptions. (a) A student may only be exempt from the immunization requirements described herein for either of the two (2) reasons stated below . . . (ii) a parent or guardian completes and signs the Department's “Religious Immunization Exemption Certificate” provided by the school, attesting that immunization conflicts with the tenets of their religious beliefs.
3.4 Immunization Records 3.4.1 (a) Acceptable evidence of completion of immunizations shall include the day, month, year and type/name of each dose of vaccine administered. Such evidence shall consist of a record signed by a physician, registered nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, or his/her designee (the signature of the student's parents is not acceptable). This record may be submitted to the preschool or school by a health care provider, another preschool or school, a parent or a guardian. (b) an official immunization record card, preschool or school immunization record, Medical Passport, World Health Organization immunization record, or other official immunization records acceptable to the Department; or (c) an electronically stored and/or transmitted documentary record (facsimile transmission, computerized record, including, but not limited to, a record obtained from the KIDS-NET statewide registry or other statewide registry, record on magnetic media or similar record) as may be utilized by a preschool or school; or (d) presentation of laboratory evidence of immunity is made in the case of measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and varicella (chickenpox); or, (e) For chickenpox (varicella), a physician, a physician assistant, a certified registered nurse practitioner, or other licensed practitioner acting within his/her scope of practice signs a statement that the student has a history of chickenpox disease (varicella). (f) telephone confirmation by the preschool or school of the existence of immunization records as defined above, provided all of the following conditions are met: (i) an acceptable documentary record is on file with the preschool or school officials at a preschool or school which the student previously attended, or is on file with a health provider, public health agency, other health professional or preschool or school official responsible for maintenance of immunization records; and (ii) telephone confirmation is obtained by a preschool or school official at the preschool or school in which the student enrolls; and (iii) telephone confirmation is sought and obtained within one (1) working day of the student's initial entry; and (iv) written documentation is made in the student's preschool or school health record of the telephone confirmation call, including the date and time of the call, the name, address, and telephone number of the person who confirmed the immunization status; and (v) a written documentary record of immunization is received by the preschool or school in which the student has enrolled within ten (10) working days of initial entry; and (vi) the preschool or school shall implement the telephone confirmation as described above, if a student is seeking entry and does not present a copy of immunization records.
3.5 Provisions for Exclusions, Waiting Periods and Exemptions. 3.5.1 Exclusions (a) Students who have not received the minimum number of required immunizations, who are not in a prescribed waiting period between doses . . . (a) herein and who are not exempt . . . shall be excluded from the preschool or school by the administrative head of the preschool or school, pending the completion of the required dose(s) of vaccine(s). (b) Students upon initial entry to any preschool or school shall be excluded unless evidence is submitted that the student has received initial dose(s) of required vaccine(s) for preschool or school entry as set forth in these rules and regulations herein. (c) If an outbreak of vaccine -preventable disease should occur, an exempt student shall be excluded from school by the administrative head of school for a period of time as determined by the Health Department based on a case-by-case analysis of public health risk. (d) The preschool or school shall have a written protocol in place for the exclusion of unvaccinated students in the event of an outbreak. An accurate and current listing of unvaccinated students shall be maintained by the preschool or school for this purpose.
Person Communication with the State Immunization Manager