Santa Cruz Community Health Centers, a leading nonprofit provider of high-quality, affordable and comprehensive health services to everyone regardless of their ability to pay, today issued a reminder that the new state vaccination law takes effect Jan. 1, 2016. Also known as SB 277, the law eliminates vaccination exemptions related to personal or religious beliefs for children attending public or private schools, as well as day-care centers. The law will impact students attending school in the fall of 2016.
Inspired in part by a 2015 measles outbreak that began in California at Disneyland, SB 277 was passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Brown in 2015. The new law accommodates pre-existing personal or religious exemptions by honoring them until a child’s transition to Kindergarten or 7th grade.
“The new law allows for exceptions to be made by physicians for medical reasons,” said Dr. Salem Magarian, pediatric medical director at SCCHC. “Serious side effects from routine immunization are extraordinarily rare. We encourage parents to discuss with your child’s doctor any medical condition that may be relevant to making decisions about immunizations.”
SCCHC served 3,768 pediatric patients from July 2014 to June 2015, and administered 8,444 vaccines.
Through the Santa Cruz Women’s HealthCenter and the EastCliffFamilyHealthCenter, SCCHC (a Federally Qualified Health Center) provides comprehensive primary care services in English and Spanish to all ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities and sexual orientations, regardless of their ability to pay.
SCCHC delivers high-quality care through compassionate, dedicated medical providers, health educators, and administrative staff. SCCHC’s clinics offer primary care, pediatrics, prenatal care and education, mental health and substance abuse counseling, chronic disease management, health insurance enrollment, and more.
For more information contact: Salem Magarian, MD, SCCHC Pediatric Director, 566-4413 and Andrew Goldenkranz, SCCHC Board Member SCCHC 588-8262 or [email protected].
