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Our Commitment.
Every Age.

Vaccine Exemption (Waiver) Information
Since 1978, Michigan state law has required children to be up to date with required vaccines ON or BEFORE the first day of school or a licensed childcare program.

A child who is not up to date with required vaccines will not be allowed to attend school or childcare without a vaccine exemption (also called a waiver). There are two types:

• Non-medical exemption: Requires the parent or guardian to complete vaccine preventable disease education, and having the exemption certified (signed) by the local health department.
• Medical exemption: Must be signed by a physician (MD or DO) on the official state medical exemption form.
  • Regular doctor’s notes or signatures from other types of healthcare providers are not accepted. The physician writes the medical reason and how long the exemption lasts based on the medical reason.
  •  The health department cannot provide medical exemptions.
  • Important: Children with medical exemptions may still be briefly excluded from school or childcare if there’s an outbreak of that disease.

Important: Vaccine requirements for school and childcare are set by Michigan state law, not by the local health department. The health department’s role is to provide the education and signing required by law for non-medical exemptions.

Non-Medical Exemptions

Michigan state law requires a new non-medical exemption at the following times:

• Before starting childcare or preschool
• Before starting kindergarten
• Before starting 7th grade
• If the child has completed some, but not all, of the required vaccine series since the last exemption was signed
• When changing to a school outside the district for which the exemption was first signed

Note: If your child is currently getting some vaccines but needs to wait for the next dose (dose waiting period), you do not need an exemption – bring your vaccine record showing the dates of vaccines already given.

To obtain a Non-Medical Exemption

Step 1: Compare your child’s immunization record to the required immunization schedule linked above to know what immunizations you wish to exempt. Immunization records can be obtained online at the Michigan Immunization Portal, your child’s healthcare provider, or our local agency office.

Step 2: Complete the MIWAIV online education. You only need to complete the module(s) for the immunization(s) you want exempted (waived).

Step 3: Make an appointment at our office to complete the required form.

Step 4: Parent or Guardian who completed the education must attend the appointment.

At the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, we provide non-medical immunization waiver education appointments only for Branch, Hillsdale and St. Joseph county residents.

If your family lives outside of Branch, Hillsdale, or St. Joseph county, please contact your local public health department to discuss your options for a waiver appointment. Every county in Michigan offers the same service for their residents.

Although we don’t offer direct mental health or behavioral health services, we understand those services are very important for the community to access.

Mental health services are provided in the counties by the following Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. These clinics offer services through private pay, sliding fee scale, Medicaid, and some private insurances. Contact your county’s provider for specific information, or visit their websites through the link listed below.

Branch County
Pines Behavioral Health
Phone: 517-278-2129
200 Vista Drive
Coldwater, Michigan 49036
After Hours Crisis Line: 888-725-7534 or 988

Hillsdale County
Lifeways
Phone: 517-439-2641
25 Care Drive
Hillsdale, Michigan 49242
24/7 Crisis Line: 800-284-8288 or 988

St. Joseph County
Pivotal
Phone: 269-467-1000
Centreville Office:
677 E. Main Street
Centreville, MI 49032
Three Rivers Office:
1020 Millard Street
Three Rivers, MI 49093
Sturgis Office:
1555 E. Chicago Road, Suite A
Sturgis, MI 49091

24/7 Crisis Line: 800-622-3967 or 988

A Doula is a trained birth professional who helps families have safe, healthy, and positive birth experiences. Doulas provide non-clinical emotional, physical, and informational support to pregnant people and their families before, during, and after birth.

Doula services have been shown to positively impact the social determinants of health, support birth equity and decrease existing health and racial disparities.

What is the difference between a Midwife and a Doula?

A Midwife is a trained medical professional who provides for all of a person’s prenatal care, birth, and the early postpartum period. A Doula provides you and your family with emotional, informational, and physical support during pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum period. You can have both a Midwife and a Doula working together during and immediately after your pregnancy.

Can a Doula deliver my baby?

A Doula is not a substitute for a Midwife or Doctor. Doulas can give you information about exams, but only a midwife or doctor can order the tests and coordinate your clinical care. Doulas are able to advocate for you and your family to support your birth plan. Doulas are registered in Michigan, but they are not a licensed medical provider.

Doula services are now covered under some Insurance Plans and some Medicaid Health Plans (MHP). To be eligible:

• Contact your Insurance provider or Medicaid Health Plan to see if Doula services are covered by your insurance.
• Doulas providing services to Medicaid beneficiaries are required to be registered with MDHHS and enrolled as a Medicaid provider. Being “Medicaid-enrolled” does not necessarily mean a doula is enrolled as a provider for every Medicaid Health Plan (MHP).
• Contact the individual doula to determine if they are accepting new clients and your insurance or Medicaid Health Plan (MHP).

You can find a registered Doula in your county here.

The Title X Family Planning Clinic Locator provides information about clinics that offer a broad range of family planning and preventive health services. In addition to family planning services, Title X clinics also provide essential preventive health services that benefit reproductive health. These services include HPV vaccination, provision of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), breast and cervical cancer screening, and screening for obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol use, mental health, and intimate partner violence.

Find A Clinic