Stay Protected.
Stay Healthy.
Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect yourself, your family, and your community from serious diseases. From infancy through older adulthood, staying up to date on recommended immunizations helps prevent illness, reduces the spread of disease, and keeps people healthy at every stage of life.
Whether your child is preparing for school, you’re expecting a baby, planning to travel, or simply staying current on routine vaccines, the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is here to help you stay protected with trusted guidance and convenient immunization services.
Immunizations
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency offers immunizations to children and adults during scheduled clinics. *We offer sensory-friendly vaccine rooms available at each location.
Appointments & Clinics
Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Clinics are open Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm.
Evening clinics are available in Coldwater on the 2nd and 4th Mondays, in Hillsdale on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesday, in Sturgis on the 3rd Thursday, and Three Rivers on the 1st Tuesday.
To schedule an appointment, please call:
Branch: 517-279-9561 ext. 100
Hillsdale: 517-473-7395 ext. 336
St. Joseph County: 269-273-2161 ext. 208
Insurance and Cost
We are able to bill some private insurance companies, but not all. You may pay for the immunizations and then submit a receipt to your insurance company for reimbursement; however, your insurance company may not reimburse you if we are not an approved provider with them.
If you have no insurance coverage, we have special programs that cover all recommended vaccines for children and many vaccines for adults. We also have counselors that can help you apply for health insurance that will cover vaccines.
- The Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) provides free vaccines for children who are enrolled in Medicaid, have no insurance, are American Indian or Alaskan Native, or are under-insured.
- Michigan Adult Vaccine Program (MI-AVP) offers select vaccines for adults 19 years of age and older who have no insurance or who have insurance that does not cover the cost of vaccine.
- Managed care clients whose coverage includes the expense of immunizations must go to their assigned managed care provider for routine immunizations.
Need To Get Your Immunization Record?
Michigan residents can quickly and securely access their vaccination history through the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR). Your immunization record may be needed for school enrollment, employment, childcare, travel, or personal health records.
Request a Non-Medical Immunization Exemption
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
- 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.
- Complete the MIWAIV online education. You only need to complete the module(s) for the immunization(s) you want exempted (waived).
- Make an appointment at our office to complete the required form.
- 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.