As of April 15th, all Californian’s 16 years old or older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.  Previously on March 15, California had already included those 16 and up with high risk medical conditions, disabilities and illnesses in COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. This includes all patients who are enrolled in either the Genetically Handicapped Persons Program (GHPP) or California Children’s Services (CCS) who are aged 16 and up.

If you are enrolled in GHPP or CCS, you may have received a notice regarding your eligibility in the mail, but you can also reference this patient bulletin from the Department of Public Health, which states that:

“Examples include: all enrolled consumers of Regional Centers, Independent Living Centers, In Home Supportive Services, Community Based Adult Services/Adult Day Health Centers, Medi-Cal HIV/AIDS Waiver, Medi-Cal Home and Community-Based Alternatives Waiver, Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, California Children’s Services Program (if the child is 16-21 years old), and California Genetically Handicapped Persons Program.”

While you may now be eligible, vaccine supply continues to be an issue in some communities – check the state’s vaccine website for more information. Each county public health department has their own list of vaccine sites on their webpage.

Additionally, HCC does not provide medical advice and encourages you to consult with your hematologist or primary care doctor regarding all medical decisions. The National Hemophilia Foundation has a great resource page about COVID-19 vaccines for people with bleeding disorders that you may also wish to reference.

By way of reminder, those enrolled in GHPP and CCS should always make sure that they keep their contact information up to date so they receive notice and renewal information timely. You can email your updated contact information to GHPP at GHPPEligibility@dhcs.ca.gov or contact your County CCS office with an update.