Connecticut State Department of Public Health

CVP - Information for Providers

About The CVP The Connecticut Vaccine Program (CVP) is Connecticut’s expanded pediatric vaccination program.The program is state and federally funded and provides vaccines at no cost to children under the age of 19 years. The CVP was developed in response to CGS Sec. 19a-7f, which requires healthcare providers who administer pediatric vaccines to obtain the vaccines through the Department of Public Health in most cases. The CVP was expanded to include three additional vaccines - pneumococcal conjugate, influenza, and hepatitis A - covering fourteen of the sixteen vaccines currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

• Continuity of Operations during COVID-19 Pandemic March 20, 2020
• Update Vaccine Temperature Monitoring March 17, 2020
• Keeping CT Kids Healthy Newsletter February 2020
• Update Flu Formulations For 2020-21 Season 2/6/2020
• Update Influenza For The 2020-21 Season 12/14/2019

Availability of Influenza Vaccine After reading the information below, please feel free to contact the CVP program if you have any questions at 860-509-7929.

• There is a national website that lists manufacturers and distributors that have flu vaccine for purchase: http://www.preventinfluenza.org/ivats/ 
• CDC guidance about the ability of providers to transfer doses from provider to provider: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/reallocating_influenza.htm

CVP Communications

Publications from the Department of Public Health keep health care providers up to date with the latest information about the Connecticut Vaccine Program and other helpful information about childhood vaccination.

• Keeping CT Kids Healthy Newsletter December 2019
• Update 2020 Provider Re-Enrollment 11/14/2019
• Update Influenza Vaccine 11/12/2019
• Update Holiday Shipping Schedule 11/7/2019
• Update 2020 Re-Enrollment in CVP 10/16/2019
• Keeping CT Kids Healthy Newsletter October 2019
• Update Influenza Vaccines Availability September 12, 2019
• Click here to review communications from previous years

• Click here to review "VaxFacts"- CT Immunization Program Newsletter from previous years

Enrollment/Re-Enrollment

All Providers in the CVP program need to complete the Provider Profile and Agreement on an annual basis. New providers can join the program at any time. As of October 2019, all enrollments/re-enrollments are completed electronically directly in CT WiZ, the new statewide immunization information system. Click here to begin the process. 

Blue Folder

The Blue Folder contains all documents associated with being an immunization provider through the CVP.

Vaccine Order and Inventory

As soon as you are enrolled in the CVP, you may begin ordering vaccine. The vaccine order form is due on or before the first business day of each month.

• Vaccine Order Form
• Vaccines Supplied by CVP (November 2019)
• Vaccine Discrepancy Form
• Vaccine Transfer Form
• Vaccine Return Form
• Financial Restitution Policy
• CVP Patient Eligibility Screening
• Patient Eligibility Screening Record
  • English Pediatric February 2020
  • Spanish Pediatric February 2020
  • English Adult January 11, 2019
  • Spanish Adult March 3, 2014
  Click here to review previous eligibility screening records
• Eligibility Criteria Chart- Eligibility is based upon children who are:
  • Enrolled in Medicaid (HUSKY A)
  • Without health insurance
  • Underinsured
  • American Indian or Alaskan natives
  • 2020 Eligibility Criteria Effective January 14, 2020
  • Click here to review previous criteria charts

Vaccine Storage and Handling

Proper vaccine storage and handling practices play a very important role in protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine quality is the shared responsibility of everyone, from the time vaccine is manufactured until it is administered. CDC recommends the following vaccine storage unit types in order of preference:

• Pharmaceutical grade stand-alone or combination units (preferred)
• Household/commercial stand-alone units
• Household/commercial combination units using the refrigerator section only.

• CDC Recommendation and Guidelines
• CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Tool Kit
• CDC Video "Keys To Storing and Handling Your Vaccine Supply
• AAP Storage Unit Guidance Document 
• “You Call The Shots” Training- Vaccine Storage and Handling (Required)
• “You Call The Shots” Training- Vaccines for Children (Required)
• Temperature Charts- Providers are required to monitor and document temperatures twice a day for all vaccine storage units.Temperature documentation must contain:

• At least one minimum/maximum temperature reading per day
• The time and date of each reading
• The name (or initials) of the person who assessed and recorded the readings  

• Refrigerator Charts Fahrenheit / Celsius 
• Freezer Charts  Fahrenheit / Celsius

Data Loggers

As of January 1, 2018, the CDC required all providers to use continuous temperature monitoring devices (data loggers) to monitor vaccines distributed by the VFC program. Routine review and accessibility of temperature data is critical for determining whether vaccine has been properly stored and for assessing usability of vaccine that was involved in a temperature excursion.

• AAP Data Logger Guidance Document
• Berlinger Fridge Tag, Videos and Support Documents
• Berlinger Quick Info User's Guide
• Berlinger Excursion FAQ
• CDC Handling a Temperature Excursion

To meet program requirements the device must be equipped with:

• A temperature probe
• An active temperature display that can be easily read from the outside of the unit
• The capacity for continuous monitoring and recording capabilities where the data can be routinely downloaded 

Questions or feedback? We want to know!

If you have questions or feedback regarding the CVP, please contact:

Mick Bolduc (Lead Contact)

State of Connecticut Department of Public Health

410 Capitol Avenue

Hartford, CT  06134

Phone: (860) 509-7929

Fax: (860) 706-5429

Email: michael.bolduc@ct.gov