McHenry County Board of Health accepts $25,000 Illinois vaccine access grant to expand pediatric respiratory immunizations
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Summary
The McHenry County Board of Health voted Jan. 12 to accept a $25,000 Illinois Vaccine Access Program grant to expand access to respiratory-virus vaccines for children under 3; the board authorized an emergency appropriation and detailed how the funds will offset personnel costs.
McHenry County’s Board of Health voted Jan. 12 to accept a $25,000 grant from the Illinois Vaccine Access Program to support equitable access to respiratory-virus vaccinations, with particular emphasis on children under age 3.
Board members were presented a resolution authorizing an emergency appropriation of the $25,000 into the department’s 2026 budget. The resolution, read into the record, allocates $21,788.01 for personnel, $1,666.78 for FICA and $1,545.21 for IMRF and instructs the county clerk to distribute certified copies of the resolution to county fiscal and administrative offices.
Staff described the initiative as complementary to existing Vaccines for Children and local immunization clinics and said the funds will offset a portion of salary costs in the general fund so staffing and outreach can continue without additional local appropriation. The board moved to approve the grant agreement; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call, with all members voting in favor.
The board also discussed implementation logistics for outreach to long-term care facilities and schools, and staff said they may use grant dollars to procure influenza and other respiratory virus test kits and to support clinic coordination with local providers.
The grant acceptance is the immediate procedural step; staff said the appropriation will be forwarded to the county board as required and the department will track expenditures against the categories read into the record.
