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Livingston County Health Department shifts to hybrid vaccine-waiver education, reports time and cost savings
Summary
The county reported switching to a largely virtual vaccine‑waiver education process in May 2024 that cut staff time and saved about $45,000 annually; state health officials plan to adopt the model statewide and the county received a NACCHO award.
The Livingston County Health Department told the Board of Commissioners on May 27 that it has replaced most in‑person vaccine‑waiver education with a hybrid, mostly virtual process and saved staff time and money while maintaining required parent education.
The department presented data showing the previous all‑in‑person waivers required about 30–45 minutes per child; the new hybrid process requires about five minutes of in‑person time after parents complete the online education. Deputy Director Lindsay Calver said the change cut staff time from about 500 hours per year to about 83 hours and produced an estimated annual cost savings of about $45,000. "This allows parents to take the education at their own pace," Calver said, adding the approach gives parents more time to form questions and consider material.
The health department said it completed 1,175 waivers this year, up from a typical volume of about 1,000, and that parents who tried the hybrid model reported higher satisfaction. The presentation said the program moved to the hybrid model in May 2024 because in‑person appointments had become time‑consuming and occasionally hostile, placing strain on staff.
Commissioners were told the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services plans to adopt the county’s framework for statewide use; the department will be featured on the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) website after receiving a 2025 NACCHO "Bright Ideas/Best Practice" recognition. Commissioners asked for copies of the presentation; staff said they had circulated a one‑page summary and could provide the full slide deck.
Why it matters: state law requires parents receive vaccine education from a county health department before obtaining an immunization waiver for school entry, but the law does not fund that work. The county’s hybrid process reduces staff time spent meeting the unfunded statutory requirement while keeping the education in county control.
Officials and context: The presentation was delivered by county health staff (identified in the meeting as "Matt," a health department staff member, and Lindsay Calver, deputy director). Calver told the board the hybrid model was implemented in May 2024, that MDHHS plans to use the county’s template statewide, and that the department will be honored at the NACCHO conference in July. Commissioners offered congratulations and asked staff to re‑send the materials to the full board.
The transcript records no changes to county policy or funding tied to this presentation; commissioners asked only for the presentation materials and offered congratulations. The department characterized the change as an operational redesign to meet a state mandate more efficiently.
Provenance evidence: - topicintro: transcript block beginning "Thank you, commissioners. We're back for an encore presentation..." (excerpt: "We're back for an encore presentation. We were here at the, government health and human services, subcommittee meeting here a few weeks ago to give an update on our waiver education program.") - topfinish: transcript block including the NACCHO award mention (excerpt: "we received, a Bright Practice Award for 2025. So this is through, NACCHO, the National Association of County and City Health Officials.")
