July 24, 2023 – Local health organizations, including the Macon County Health Department, Crossing Healthcare and SIU’s Center for Family Medicine, will host a variety of back-to-school clinics for area youth in the coming weeks.
Illinois law requires students entering kindergarten, second grade, sixth grade, ninth grade and 12th grade to have up-to-date vaccinations, a physical, dental or vision exam or even a lead test. Instead of making an appointment with your child’s primary care physician, several weekends in August will be dedicated to providing free back-to-school assistance throughout town.
On Saturday, August 5, the Macon County Health Department and Crossing Healthcare will each host free clinics for children of all ages. From 9 a.m.-2 p.m., MCHD will offer lead testing (required for incoming kindergarteners) and general vaccinations, with a shuttle available between their Condit Street facility and the Decatur Family YMCA, which will host Backpack Attack at the same time. Additionally, in partnership with First Christian Church, school physicals and eye exams will be hosted through Crossing’s Jumpstart Back-to-School Clinic from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Appointments are not required, but space is limited at both clinics and organizers recommend bringing a current insurance card and a copy of medical records to speed up lines. Sports physicals will not be available.
MCHD and SIU’s Center for Family Medicine will host an additional clinic for physicals, eye exams and immunizations on Friday, August 11 from 1-3:30 p.m. Service will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, and participants should bring a current insurance card and a copy of medical records.
If families cannot attend any of the clinics, Crossing will also host walk-in school physicals at their facility beginning August 7 and running through the end of the month. These physicals cannot qualify as sports physicals—appointments are required for a sports physical.
The following is a list of health requirements for children at several grade levels, provided by MCHD. For more information, visit the State of Illinois webpage on health requirements HERE.
- Kindergarten: vaccines (5th dose of DTap, 4th dose of Polio, 2nd dose of MMR, 2nd dose of Varicella/chickenpox and Hepatitis A if not received prior), a physical, dental and vision exams and a lead test
- Second grade: a dental exam
- Sixth grade: vaccines (Tdap, Meningitis, HPV and Hepatitis A if not received prior), a physical and a dental exam
- Ninth grade: a physical and a dental exam
- 12th grade: vaccines (2nd dose of Meningitis, Meningitis B, HPV and Hepatitis A if not received prior)
For more information about the Jumpstart clinic, click HERE. For further details about immunizations at MCHD, click HERE.
