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North GA - It is essential for parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are up to date on vaccinations and health screenings before the new school year begins. Georgia state law mandates that children enrolling in nursery, childcare, pre-kindergarten, Head Start programs, or private or public schools (kindergarten-12th grade) must have three key documents on file:
1. Georgia Immunization Certificate (Form 3231): Parents can obtain this form from their local health department or physician's office after ensuring that their child has received all necessary immunizations. If the child has been vaccinated in another state, proper documentation from that state may be required.
2. Georgia Certificate of Vision, Hearing, Dental, and Nutrition Screening (Form 3300): This certificate must be completed by a healthcare professional and submitted to the school for all children enrolled in pre-kindergarten or public school.
3. Certified Birth Certificate: Parents must provide a certified copy of their child's birth certificate to the school. Vital records offices in North Georgia Health District facilities are located in the Cherokee County Health Department‘s Woodstock Health Center and in the Whitfield County Health Department in Dalton.
For rising seventh- and eleventh-graders, certain vaccines are required to be submitted to the school along with the updated Form 3231:
- Rising Seventh-Grader Immunizations: Children born on or after January 1, 2002, attending seventh grade or enrolling in grades 8 through 12 for the first time must have received Tdap and meningococcal vaccines.
- Rising Eleventh-Grader Immunizations: Children 16 years and older entering the 11th grade must have received a booster dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) unless their initial dose was administered after their 16th birthday.
The HPV vaccine is also recommended for boys and girls at ages 11-12 to protect against diseases caused by human papillomavirus.
Appointments for immunizations and health screenings can be scheduled at our Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield County Health Departments. Just click on the county name for contact information and hours of service. Parents may also bring their children to special back-to-school events that our health departments will either host or be a part of to provide services. No appointment will be needed at these events. Keep up as we start adding school health clinic events!