Elmhurst families with children on Medicaid or without health insurance have two months to get required school shots before the state's Oct. 15 deadline, and the DuPage County Health Department is offering each vaccine for $23.
The health department announced on X on Monday, Aug. 17, that its Vaccines for Children program is open for appointments ahead of the 2026-27 school year. The federal program, administered through the Illinois Department of Public Health, covers the cost of the vaccine itself. The $23 charge is an administration fee per shot.
The program is open now.
Who qualifies
Children younger than 19 who meet any of these criteria are eligible, according to the CDC:
- Uninsured
- Medicaid-eligible or Medicaid-enrolled
- American Indian or Alaska Native
Children whose private insurance covers vaccinations do not qualify.
What Illinois requires
The Illinois Department of Public Health mandates proof of immunization at key entry points: pre-K, kindergarten, sixth grade, 12th grade and for transfer students. Required vaccines include DTaP, polio, MMR, varicella, Hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal. Sixth graders also need a Tdap booster and one meningococcal dose; 12th graders need a second meningococcal dose.
Students without proof of immunization or a valid medical or religious exemption by Thursday, Oct. 15, can be excluded from school.
How to schedule
The department, led by Executive Director Adam Forker, operates childhood immunization clinics at its Wheaton, Westmont and Lombard public health centers. Clinic schedules and vaccine availability vary.
Families can call (630) 682-7400 to book an appointment. The health department noted on its official Facebook page that the program is active for the coming school year.
The Oct. 15 deadline applies to all Illinois students entering child care, pre-K, kindergarten, sixth grade and 12th grade, as well as any student transferring into a new school.
