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MDHHS Director Open to Standardizing Local Implementation of School Vaccination Exemptions
Summary
Representative Green told Director Elizabeth Hertel that administrative rules implementing school vaccination exemptions impose extra steps for parents compared with statute; Hertel said she would work with local health departments to create more uniform, easier procedures.
Representative Green told the committee that Michigan statute allows parents to present a certificate of immunization, a physician‑certified medical exemption, or a written statement of religious or other objection for school vaccinations, but that MDHHS administrative rules add requirements — including mandatory local health department appointments and state‑issued waiver forms — that vary by county and can create burdens for families.
Green said the added steps fall unevenly on families and described a Macomb County practice where a parent must appear repeatedly. She asked whether rules are meant to clarify statute and whether MDHHS would work to standardize the process so parents would only need to appear once. Hertel responded that rules “are meant to help implement the law” and said she would “be willing to work with the health departments to ensure that there's a standard across the state for how those rules are implemented,” adding she believed the process should be “as easy for parents as possible.”
Ending: Hertel agreed to work with local health departments and lawmakers on implementation standards to reduce repeated burdens on families seeking exemptions.
