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Vaccines For Children Program
The Vaccines For Children (VFC) program is a federally funded, state-administered program that provides free vaccines to eligible children ages 18 and younger. Vaccines are provided at no cost to the provider or the patient.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) administers the VFC program within the state, excluding the city of Chicago, which is administered by the Chicago Department of Public Health.
Program Requirements
Guidance and tools are supplied to Illinois VFC providers for the administration of the VFC program.
Program Enrollment
See the VFC Program Manual to learn more about enrollment.
To learn more about enrolling in the Illinois VFC program, contact dph.vaccines@illinois.gov.
Information for Parents
Children through 18 years of age who meet at least one of the following criteria may be eligible to receive VFC vaccines:
- Enrolled in Medicaid.
- Not insured: A child who has no health insurance coverage.
- American Indian or Alaska Native: As defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
- Under-insured: A child who has commercial (private) health insurance, but the coverage does not include vaccines, a child whose insurance covers only selected vaccines (VFC-eligible for non-covered vaccines only), or a child whose insurance caps vaccine coverage at a certain amount. Once that coverage amount is reached, the child is categorized as underinsured. Underinsured children are eligible to receive VFC vaccine only through a federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, or deputized local health department.
Check with your primary health care provider to see if they are participating in the VFC program.
