Abstract

The Health on Wheels Program is a nurse-managed philanthropically funded program to provide services to children in the Norwalk—La Mirada Unified School District of Los Angeles County, California. Since its inception in 1996, the program has provided over 15,300 screenings and immunizations to underserved children. Immunization data reveal that the program is serving children who have not received immunizations according to the standard immunization schedule for children beginning at birth. The mean age at first dose of first vaccination is 2.67 years and the mean age at last dose of most recent vaccination is 4.21 years, however, the ages of children receiving their first dose of vaccine range from less than one year of age to over 16 years of age and the ages for the receipt of the last dose of the most recent vaccination range from less than one year of age to over 17 years of age. The program appears to serve many children who receive vaccinations on the catch-up immunization schedule, who may be eligible for publicly funded children’s health insurance programs but whose families prefer the services of the Health on Wheels program.