I. Individual Health Plan (IHP)
All students known to have diabetes must have an Individual Health Plan in place at school. The Individual Health Plan must be distributed to appropriate staff, and must include the following information:
- Provisions for the storage of medical equipment and medication provided by the parent;
- A description of the student鈥檚 school day schedule for the timing of meals, snacks, blood glucose testing, administration of insulin, and related activities;
- An individualized emergency plan that prepares for both a health emergency for the student and a school disaster preparedness plan;
- Legal documents allowing a parent designated adult to provide care for the student if the parent has designated such a person;
- Any requests, instructions, and orders from Licensed Health Care Providers; and
- Permission for the diabetic student to perform blood glucose tests, administer insulin, treat hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, with easy access to the necessary supplies, equipment and medication as outlined in the student鈥檚 Individual Health Plan. This includes the option for students to carry the necessary supplies, equipment and medication on their person and perform monitoring and treatment functions wherever they are on school grounds or at school sponsored events.
If the student needs medications/treatments while at school, an Authorization for Administration of Medication at School/Self-Administration of Medication form must be completed, signed by the Licensed Health Care Provider and on file at the student鈥檚 school. The Individual Health Plan must be updated at least annually or more frequently if necessary.
II. Food and Drink
Students with diabetes must be allowed to eat or drink when necessary. This includes classrooms, buses or in other areas where food and drink are generally prohibited. Students with diabetes must have unrestricted access to water and bathroom use. Food or water will never be withheld as a disciplinary action or because of nonpayment of fees.
If a diabetic student does not have food at school for whatever reason, the school will provide food and fluids for them. The charge for the meal will be billed to the parent or adult student and collected consistent with district policies.
Parents and licensed health care providers of students with diabetes will be provided with a description of their student鈥檚 school schedule to facilitate the timing of, and monitoring of food consumption.
III. Parent-Designated Adult
A parent designated adult is a volunteer, who may or may not be a school district employee, who receives additional training from a district certificated school nurse or expert in diabetic care selected by the parents, and who provides care for the student consistent with the student鈥檚 Individual Health Plan.
To be eligible to be a parent designated adult, a school employee who is not a licensed nurse must file a voluntarily written letter of intent with the school district. The letter must be dated, and will be valid for not longer than one year. An employee who is not a licensed nurse and who wants to act as a parent designated adult must file a valid letter of intent each year. No employee who refuses to file such a letter will be subject to reprisal or disciplinary action. No employee may be coerced into filing such a letter.
A non-employee may become a parent designated adult by filing a letter of intent with the school district and completing the non-school employee training as outlined below.
The school nurse is not responsible for the supervision of the parent designated adult or for those procedures that are authorized by the parents.
IV. Training-School Employees
In-service Training
In schools attended by diabetic students, all school employees must undergo an in-service training on symptoms, treatment, monitoring of students with diabetes, and on the additional observations that may be needed in different situations that may arise during the school day and during school sponsored events.
Specific Training
All school employees who have responsibility for diabetic students must complete training in proper procedures for care of students with diabetes. The district certificated school nurse will offer such training. This training will include information on the student鈥檚 Individual Health Plan as well as information regarding symptoms, treatments, and monitoring of students with diabetes.
The district certificated school nurse will train all employees.
V. Training Parent Designated Adults
Parent designated adults who are school employees must undergo both the In-service and the Specific trainings, as outlined above. Parent designated adults who are not school employees must show evidence of comparable training. Additionally, all parent designated adults must receive training from a health care professional or expert in diabetic care selected by the parents. This additional training is required to allow the parent designated adult to provide the additional care the parents have authorized the parent designated adult to provide.
VI. Indemnity
State law provides that a school district, school district employee, agent, or parent designated adult who, acting in good faith and in substantial compliance with the student鈥檚 Individual Health Plan and the instructions of the student鈥檚 licensed health care provider, provides assistance or services under RCW 28A.210.330 will not be liable in any criminal action or for civil damages in his or her individual or marital or governmental or corporate or other capacities as a result of the services provided under this law.