Claiming Religious Exemption and Medical Reasons
 

I have a family that intervied last week and wants to begin care ( supposed to be today). They signed the contract but I didn't and the contract is not even completely filled out. During the interview dcm mentioned that the child was behind in a vaccine because of a reaction to the shot , so they were delaying the vaccine. I said that I would need a note from the doctor stating the catch up schedule , she said ok she has it.

Well it turns out that the child is missing almost all of the vaccines required by age 2 .
The child has only 1 of the dtap, MMR and hib.

Now the immunization form has no notation about a reaction to the vaccine given at 3 months ( that vaccine is not even listed).
But says the child has a temporary condition until 9/25. And they are claiming religious exemption as well.
What makes it worse is that the dcm said per law she doesn't have to give vaccines and I can't deny care in a way that makes me feel she will cause trouble if I do refuse care.

I was told by the dept of health nurse that I can't deny care because they claimed religious exemption and medical contraindication which the nurse found weird and thought she was just covering the bases to not have the vaccines.

I'm glad that I have a 2 week trial . And I will have to add an addendum to my policy handbook about vaccines.

Seems fishy.

What state are you in?

In mine, I can have a policy to ONLY accept children who are up to date on immunizations. That just means I have to have the same policy across the board for every client.

You can always tell this parent that you don't feel you'd be a good fit (without explanation) and move on. The paperwork was not complete, which in most states, is a requirement before the start date.
I just wouldn't be willing to work with a client who tries to force enrollment (even if I did accept non-immunized children). I need open and honest communication. This person obviously isn't willing to have that type of relationship.

Being passed over for a slot because she was manipulative and passive-aggressive is not covered under the ADA. :ouch:

Follow your gut and policies.

I'm going to have to add a policy about only accepting children with up to date vaccines.
Never needed one until now .

I'm in MD . Here parents can claim religious beliefs to not vaccinate . This Mom never said anything about that in the interview , just that she was doing a delayed vaccine schedule because of a reaction to one shot .
I feel like she lied , and when I said she was very behind she denied saying that it was only one vaccine . Then pulled the you can't deny care by law comment.

Originally Posted by Second Home:
I feel like she lied , and when I said she was very behind she denied saying that it was only one vaccine . Then pulled the you can't deny care by law comment.

She sounds like she will be a gem to work with.

I wouldn't.

She told you who she is. :ouch:

Bully flag on the play.

We went through something similar with my daughter. She reacted to the first round of shots. She got retested by an allergist to confirm. My family DR granted us an exemption for all vaccines except the MMR so we needed a personal exemption for that one. When she started school we handed both forms in.

A few years ago we decided to try again with the vaccines and my DR let us know that there is no “catch up” schedule. The 2 MMR shots have to be given within two months of each other but other than that they can have the rest in one day if we chose. She got all of her shots within two weeks.

Just sharing my story because the mom might be confused about what she needs and where to get it and maybe her DR told her there was no catch up schedule. I am a pretty proactive parent and was able to figure it all out before my kid started school but it is confusing. I would just be clear about what she needs to provide before care begins.

Originally Posted by Second Home:
Then pulled the you can't deny care by law comment.

You can't deny care based on her religious beliefs but you can deny care due to not being vaccinate.

That is two different things.

Denying care because someone is Catholic, for example, is against the law.

Denying care due to not being immunized is not against the law.

WHY this parent/child isn't fully immunized isn't the issue NOR is it why you would be denying care.

Make sense?

I was willing to work with her when she said a vaccine , I just don't know how long it will take to get up to date on that many.

The health Dept nurse said that I can't deny care for the vaccination issue unless my policies state no unvaccinated children accepted for care( I don't have anything about that in my current policies) . And I can't add it now to deny care . I would have to have all families enrolled sign new contracts with the vaccination policy added .
All I can do is enroll and terminate before the trial period ends.

The health department nurse is overstepping and wrong.

Do all of your other clients have an immunization form in their file? Is it required for attendance? Are they required to update it?

Originally Posted by Second Home:
I was willing to work with her when she said a vaccine , I just don't know how long it will take to get up to date on that many.

The health Dept nurse said that I can't deny care for the vaccination issue unless my policies state no unvaccinated children accepted for care( I don't have anything about that in my current policies) . And I can't add it now to deny care . I would have to have all families enrolled sign new contracts with the vaccination policy added .
All I can do is enroll and terminate before the trial period ends.

I don't understand why your health department nurse is the one that says you can/can't deny care. Wouldn't that be up to licensing? Also not having a written policy doesn't mean you didn't have a policy, it just means you haven't had to put it in writing as all your families ARE vaccinated.

I don't know but something says letting them in the door even for a day is just asking for trouble. I bet this mom goes absolutely bonkers when you terminate. Even within the two week trial period. :ouch: Hoping for the best outcome for you! :hug:

Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
The health department nurse is overstepping and wrong.

Do all of your other clients have an immunization form in their file? Is it required for attendance? Are they required to update it?

Agreed! ....and because your state requires immunizations to enter child care and/or school there is no need for you to have a written policy stating the opposite. That's just silly

I'd also be curious to know what religion this family is as there are virtually no canonical basis for vaccine avoidance among the world’s major religions, most of which came into being before Edward Jenner developed the first widely used vaccine, against smallpox, at the end of the 18th century.

Rabbis since then have repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting children through vaccination. Regardless, religious waivers provide cover to those who resist vaccines simply because they chose to question established science.

If you did not sign a contract with her than just move forward with that. Remind her that paperwork was never completed and you did not sign a contract for care with her and let her know that you have decided you are no longer enrolling children.

If no money was exchanged and paperwork is incomplete, use that reason to run as far away from her as possible!!!

Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
The health department nurse is overstepping and wrong.

Do all of your other clients have an immunization form in their file? Is it required for attendance? Are they required to update it?

All my other dck do have vaccine records in their file . After each vaccine I am given an computer printed copy of the newly given vaccine .

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't understand why your health department nurse is the one that says you can/can't deny care. Wouldn't that be up to licensing?

I did contact licensing and she referred it to the nurse . Here licensing does not like to get involved in much other than making sure we are compliant with regulations ( I thought the vaccine would fall under regs).

Any problems with parents/contracts and they do not get involved.

Originally Posted by boy_mom:
If you did not sign a contract with her than just move forward with that. Remind her that paperwork was never completed and you did not sign a contract for care with her and let her know that you have decided you are no longer enrolling children.

If no money was exchanged and paperwork is incomplete, use that reason to run as far away from her as possible!!!

I haven't signed the contract and they actually never even filled out the form completely , just signed the back. No money or anything to hold the spot .

Originally Posted by Second Home:
I haven't signed the contract and they actually never even filled out the form completely , just signed the back. No money or anything to hold the spot .

Then i think it’s time to just decline their enrollment. Mom is trying to bully you into things before she’s even enrolled! Imagine how much she’s going to push back on every single policy.

I am not going to enroll this family . I just feel like she is going to retaliate somehow.

Originally Posted by Second Home:
I am not going to enroll this family . I just feel like she is going to retaliate somehow.

Smart decision!

Not a good fit. Has nothing to do with immunizations, but 100% with attitude and passive aggression during interview, and not completely filling out paperwork.