SENIOR VOLUNTEERS FOR CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION 
Project Milestones and National Award

Project Milestones

  • PHASE I: MODEL CREATION 1993 – 1995
  • Administration on Aging funds demonstration phase of SCI program ($100,000). UNT collaborates with local Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs (RSVP) to provide volunteers in Denton and Dallas
  • Based on positive outcomes, the Texas Department of Health elects to fund statewide dissemination of the field-tested and revised SCI model ($109,000 from 9/1/95 – 2/28/97).
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  • PHASE II: MODEL DISSEMINATION WITHIN TEXAS 1995 – 1998
  • The SCI model is expanded to represent various rural, suburban, and metropolitan sites in fourteen Texas communities. TDH funding to UNT and the Texas SVCI programs totals $310,353/year by 1998. Milestones include:
  • Denton becomes first site to operate SCI in all Denton County hospitals. El Paso RSVP recruits over 60 bilingual volunteers and begins SCI in four hospitals simultaneously (1995-1996).
  • Colorado City becomes the first rural site in 1996
  • Fort Worth becomes the first metropolitan site to operate in a large public county hospital (1997).
  • In 1998, Dallas begins operating the hospital model in the second largest maternity hospital, and UNT conducts a study of the Denton site to determine the effectiveness of proactive outreach to encourage completion of the full series of immunizations in 1998.
  • Model Dissemination to Other States (1996 - 2001)
Funding (1996-1998) from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) was awarded to UNT ($25,000/year) to "share the model" through training and limited technical assistance with other Region VI states. Subsequent HRSA funding is allowing UNT to share the SCI model through training and technical assistance with six additional states outside Region VI by 2001. Unlike the Texas project, the responsibility for locating funding, demonstrating their state-specific SCI model, and establishing SCI program(s) rests not with UNT, but with proponents located in each state.

Seniors/Volunteers for Childhood Immunization Program Receives National Award

The Seniors/Volunteers for Childhood Immunization program receives National Award  as an Excellence in Aging Program from the United States Committee, as a part of the celebration in  1999 of The United Nations International Year of Older Persons.  

The awards were presented in Washington, D. C., on December 7, 1999.   The Seniors/Volunteers for Childhood Immunization Program (SVCI)  was one of twelve nationwide programs selected for recognition as an Excellence in Aging Program out of 375 applicants.

The Excellence in Aging Awards were developed by the U.S. Committee in an effort to encourage the growth of programs that address a positive image for aging and make significant steps toward improvement in the quality of life for older adults. 

 Since 1993, with funding support from the Texas Department of Health, the SVCI program has operated in 13 Cities across Texas.

There are over 400 senior volunteers serving in the SVCI program.  The longevity and success of the program can be attributed largely to the efforts of these volunteers that participate in the SVCI program by interacting with the new mothers in the hospital, assembling hospital packets, sending reminder cards, making reminder calls, and conducting the 13 month follow up reports. 

 Our thanks and appreciation go out to all the senior volunteers!