Doses of Trust: How MHD's Fall Immunization Clinics Are Rethinking Access and Protection

Meeting Families Where They Are 

MHD’s Deputy Commissioner of the Policy, Innovation, and Equity division, Dominique Hyatt-Oates, MPH, RN, has seen that reality firsthand. Last year, MHD piloted its first weekend Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics and families showed up in overwhelming numbers. 

“Our public health nurses reported seeing people waiting on the stairs because there was literally no room left,” she recalls. “That told us families want these services. They just need them to be accessible.” 

Across just two weekend clinics in 2024, the department delivered more than 600 vaccines to school-aged children. The demand made the path forward clear: expand the effort. This year, MHD is doubling down. Four clinics are scheduled across the Southside and Northwest Health Centers over two weekends in a row, with evening and weekend hours designed to fit the schedules of working parents. 

“We want to make immunizations part of the routine family calendar, like a yearly checkup,” Hyatt-Oates said. “And we want those clinics to be in places where families feel comfortable walking through our doors.” 

What Public Health Looks Like When It Works 

Lindsey Page, MPH, who directs MHD’s Immunizations and Communicable Disease program, knows the value of vaccines better than most. 

“Vaccines protect children from potentially serious and deadly infection,” she says. “It protects them, it’ll protect their classmates, their teachers, and their broader community.” 

In addition to MHD’s regularly scheduled clinics throughout the week, the upcoming Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics will provide the full slate of recommended childhood vaccines, including MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), pertussis, varicella, and seasonal flu shots, and our staff are trained to make the process quick and welcoming. The clinics will be open to children who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid. Families with private insurance should contact their regular provider to get school-required vaccines.

“Parents and guardians should be looking at their child’s immunization records. Are they up to date? If not, now is a great time to get them vaccinated,” Page says. 

She encourages parents to avoid long wait times during Wisconsin’s “Exclusion Week,” a state-sanctioned period in the fall when unvaccinated children can be sent home for up to 10 days. 

“Clinics get very busy around exclusion weeks. Don’t wait. Come now,” she adds. 

During the 2024-2025 school year, nearly 15% of Milwaukee schools did not meet the state’s measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) immunization compliance benchmark. That means thousands of students started the year without full protection. By offering easy access at trusted community health centers, MHD hopes to reverse that trend.

Building Comfort and Connection 

Hyatt-Oates says by holding the Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics in MHD’s established health centers on either side of the city, they hope to build trust and connection with the community. 

“Families could go to a doctor’s office, but many choose us because these Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics are open evenings and weekends, and are closer to their communities,” Hyatt-Oates says. “Plus, our health centers are staffed by people who look like the families we serve, speak their languages, and understand their barriers.” 

By focusing on uninsured and Medicaid-eligible children, the clinics are designed to fill critical gaps for families who might otherwise struggle to access care. Families walking through MHD health center doors will also leave with information about other resources, from rental assistance to nutrition support programs. 

“Public health today is about more than treating illness, it’s about addressing the everyday conditions that shape people’s lives,” Hyatt-Oates says. “The health department is not looking to be on trend, we’re looking to truly address the health of our community and to fill gaps.”

Fighting Misinformation with Facts 

Access isn’t the only barrier. Confusion and misinformation continue to cloud families’ decisions about vaccines, particularly around newer COVID and flu recommendations. 

“MHD’s teams strongly lean on science, facts, and decades of research to help families understand that vaccines are safe and effective,” Page says. “Unfortunately, misinformation and unclear guidance are going to play into lower vaccination rates this year.” 

Page said families still have lingering concerns and questions about COVID and flu vaccines, especially around insurance coverage and eligibility. Even among those who do want to get vaccinated, many are confused about where to go. 

Waiver rates are another factor. Wisconsin is one of the few states that allows families to claim three types of exemptions from school-required vaccines: health, religious, and personal conviction.

“That’s why it’s so important for us to show up consistently and to keep getting the word out,” Page says. “We’re working with MPS to share information and get resources into families’ hands.” 

Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, PhD, emphasized that schools are a critical partner. 

“We want every child to have the opportunity to learn without the disruption of preventable illness,” Cassellius said. “That means partnering closely with the City of Milwaukee Health Department to make sure families know where to go, what’s required, and that support is available.” 

When asked about the importance of vaccinations and MHD’s upcoming clinics, Mayor Cavalier Johnson weighed in. 

“Keeping our kids healthy is one of the most important investments we can make as a city,” Johnson said. “These clinics are about equity, access, and making sure every family has the same chance to thrive.” 

A Model for Public Health 3.0 

Commissioner of Health Mike Totoraitis, PhD, said the Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics are part of a strategic shift towards Public Health 3.0. 

“Our job is to provide vaccines while also building trust and removing barriers. These clinics are designed to meet families where they are and to make getting vaccinated as simple as possible.” 

Hyatt-Oates agrees that health departments must go beyond traditional services to act as connectors, helping communities thrive. 

“People will show up for people they care about and who care about them. That’s the type of relationship we want to build,” she says. “Simply having the conversation reminds others to take care of themselves too, whether it’s a flu shot or shingles vaccine.” 

The department is tracking this work closely, measuring vaccination rates by geography, race, age group, and gender to guide future outreach. 

“When we do public health correctly, you don’t even know that our work was done,” Hyatt-Oates says. 

But in this case, MHD wants Milwaukee to know exactly what they’re doing and why.