FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 26, 2025
Contact: Caroline Reinwald
Office: (414) 286-3780
Cell: (414) 308-5556
City of Milwaukee Health Department Announces Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics
MILWAUKEE – Along with its regularly available clinics throughout the week, the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) is announcing four additional Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics designed to help families ensure their children are up to date on school-required vaccines. The walk-in clinics will take place during evening and weekend hours during Wisconsin’s “Exclusion Week,” when schools are required to notify families if students do not have the necessary vaccines or waivers on file.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has documented a slow but steady slide in childhood vaccination rates over the past decade. Wisconsin once ranked among the top states for childhood vaccination, but CDC data shows in just a decade, it has dropped to near the bottom of the pack. Milwaukee reflects that trend most starkly. In some schools, fewer than two-thirds of children are up to date on their shots.
The Fall Childhood Immunization Clinics are open to Milwaukee children who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid. Families with private insurance are encouraged to schedule vaccinations through their regular healthcare provider. Clinics will provide routine childhood vaccines including MMR, DTaP, varicella, and flu shots.
For additional information, including data on local and national immunization trends and commentary from MHD leadership on the need for these clinics, see MHD’s blog post here: Doses of Trust: How MHD's Fall Immunization Clinics Are Rethinking Access and Protection.
Press Conference Details
- Monday, September 29, 2025
- 1:00 p.m.
- Southside Health Center (1639 S. 23rd Street, Milwaukee)
Press Conference Speakers
- Mayor Cavalier Johnson
- Commissioner of Health Mike Totoraitis, PhD
- Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, EdD
Clinic Schedule for Families
- Friday, October 3 – Northwest Health Center, 3–6 p.m.
- Saturday, October 4 – Southside Health Center, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Friday, October 10 – Southside Health Center, 3–6 p.m.
- Saturday, October 11 – Northwest Health Center, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
“Our goal is simple: make it easier for families to keep their kids protected,” said Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis, PhD. “By opening our doors on evenings and weekends, we’re meeting families where they are and helping to safeguard Milwaukee’s children, classrooms, and communities.”
“Every child in Milwaukee deserves a healthy start to the school year,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “By making these clinics more accessible, we are removing barriers for families, protecting our classrooms, and building a stronger, safer city together.”
“As Wisconsin’s largest school district, we know how important it is for families to have clear, accessible options for vaccinations,” said Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, EdD. “These clinics provide that opportunity, and we are proud to work alongside the Health Department to make sure families know where to go when it’s time for their children to get school-required vaccines.”
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