POLICY NUMBER:
500.40
ADOPTED:
12.14.2021
Board Policy
- The Board of Education recognizes that students with special health care needs are entitled to public education.
- Therefore, the Board delegates to the Administration responsibility for developing regulations to provide necessary health care services for students with special health care needs in accordance with state and federal law. (See Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Utah Nurse Practice Act, the Nurse Practice Act Rules, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990.)
- The Board authorizes the Superintendent and District Administration to establish administrative regulations consistent with this policy, subject to review and approval by the Board.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.40-1
APPROVED:
12.14.2021
Definitions - 500.40-1
- Individual Health Care Plan: A individual health plan (HIP) is a plan developed by a heath care team written for students at risk for physical or mental health needs.
- Health Care Team: A team comprised of a school administrator and school nurse and other school staff as needed that work closely with student and parent/legal guardian to determine student health needs and a plan to address those needs.
- Student Support Team (SST): A team of school staff assigned to meet regularly to address concerns about individual students or groups of students. Examples of issues that may be addressed by an SST include, but are limited to: academic performance, school attendance, school discipline, health-related issues, substance abuse, and school climate.
- Special Health Care Needs: A student shall be considered as having a special health care need if one or more of the following conditions applies:
- The student requires administration of medication during the school day in order to access his/her educational program.
- (Note: If the student’s only special health care need is administration of medication during the school day, the student’s services shall be administered according to Policy—500.42—Administering Medicine to Students and the regulations of this policy shall not apply.)
- The student requires administration of support procedures during the school day in order to access his/her educational program.
- The student uses a particular health care device that monitors or compensates for the loss of a body function.
- The student’s health condition may require routine or emergency health care procedures.
- The student’s health condition may require substantial, complex, or frequent health care services to avert death or further disability.
- The student’s individual education program requires support health care services.
- The student requires administration of medication during the school day in order to access his/her educational program.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.40-2
APPROVED:
12.14.2021
Requesting Special Health Care Services
- The student’s parent formally requests special health care services/interventions by completing the “Canyons School District Request For Special Health Care Services and Release of Confidential Information” form available online, or from the school principal. This form must be submitted each year.
- The student’s parent shall provide all of the forms and information necessary to enable the school nurse to make an initial assessment of the student’s condition. This may include:
- A statement from the student’s primary health care provider which describes the special services/interventions required and how they are to be administered
- Other health-related evaluations or information as requested by the school nurse.
- Except for students subject to IDEA or §504 of the Rehabilitation Act, expenses for health-related evaluations and assessments shall be the responsibility of the parent. Parents who need financial assistance obtaining required health-related evaluations or information shall be advised to contact the Utah State Department of Health.
- The principal shall provide liaison services and facilitate communication with the parents, school nurse, primary health care provider, school staff, and other agencies as necessary.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.40-3
APPROVED:
12.14.2021
Review and Approval/Denial of Health Care Services Request
- The school principal shall forward the “Request for Special Health Care Services” form to the school nurse for an initial health care assessment.
- The school nurse shall review the “Request for Special Health Care Services” form and all accompanying documents and evaluations to determine the following:
- What health care services/interventions are required; e.g., medications, special diet, school or classroom modifications, equipment, supplies, etc.
- Whether the requested services/interventions are necessary during the school day to enable the student to access his/her educational program.
- Whether the requested services/interventions can reasonably be accommodated by school personnel.
- Whether the requested services/interventions can be provided by school personnel who are not licensed nurses or health care practitioners.
- (Note: Nursing activities not specifically addressed in the Utah Nurse Practices Act may be performed by a nonlicensed individual provided the activity does not require exercising nursing judgment and the activity is delegated and supervised by a licensed nurse.)
- Whether the requested services/interventions constitute supportive rather than medical services.
- The school nurse shall report the findings of the initial health care assessment to the school principal with a recommendation to grant or deny the request for special services/interventions.
- The school principal and school nurse shall organize a Health Care Team to develop an individual health care plan for the student.
- The principal shall forward the request to the Director of Responsive Services or designee if any of the following conditions apply:
- The requested services are “medical” (services that can only be rendered by a physician) rather than “support” services.
- The requested special services/interventions cannot be provided by school personnel in accordance with the Utah Nurse Practice Act.
- The request for services is denied by the school nurse.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.40-4
APPROVED:
12.14.2021
School Review and Appeal
- The Director of Student Services or designee shall notify the parents and school nurse in writing if the request for special services/interventions is denied.
- The parents shall be informed in writing that decisions of the Director of Student Services or designee may be appealed to a Health Services Panel composed of a School Performance Director, a school principal, and a school nurse. Appeal procedures are as follows:
- A written appeal shall be submitted to the Office of School Performance within 10 days of the determination of the Director of Student Services or designee.
- The Health Services Panel shall review the findings of the Director of Student Services or designee and make a determination about the school’s ability to provide the special health care services requested.
- Parents shall be notified of the Health Services Panel’s decision in writing.The school principal shall forward the “Request for Special Health Care Services” form to the school nurse for an initial health care assessment.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.40-5
APPROVED:
12.14.2021
Individual Health Care Plans
- An individualized Health Plan (IHP) shall be developed by the school nurse in conjunction with a school administrator for all students who qualify for special health care services/interventions.
- Each IHP is developed to address an individual student’s health needs. Attached in Exhibit-2- is a Sample Template only, indicated the general sections of a Health Plan. For specific questions regarding individual health plan concerns, please contact Responsive Services or a school nurse.
- Plans shall be developed prior to placement if the student’s condition is life threatening or capable of causing serious injury to the student or to other students or staff members. Until a health care plan can be developed, the student may be placed in the Home and Hospital or other appropriate instruction program. For students with qualified disabilities under IDEA or Section 504, the IEP team or Section 504 team must be convened prior to any change in placement to address the health needs for school.
- The completed individualized health care plan shall be maintained by the school as a “private” record in accordance with the Government Records Access Management Act. Students with qualified disabilities under IDEA or Section 504 must have health care plans attached to their IEP or 504 plan.
- Parents shall notify the principal in writing of any changes in the student’s condition which may require a modification of the health care plan. The health care team shall be reconvened, if necessary. The principal shall notify the school nurse of any changes in the student’s condition.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.40-6
APPROVED:
12.14.2021
Staff Assignments
- The school principal, in conjunction with the school nurse, shall assign staff members to perform special health care services/interventions outlined in the Individualized Health Care Plan. Such assignments shall be within the limits of Policy—500.42—Administering Medicine to Students, and the Utah Nurse Practices Act and other applicable statutes and regulations.
- The school principal shall see that staff members assigned to provide special health care services/interventions for students understand and use Universal Precautions Against Blood Borne Diseases.
- The school principal and school nurse shall cooperatively determine the inservice training necessary to enable the assigned staff members to successfully perform the required services/interventions.
- Following in-service and prior to rendering special health care service/interventions, the school nurse shall verify the staff member’s ability to safely perform the assigned duties.
- The school nurse shall advise the school principal regarding supervision of staff members assigned to perform special health care service/interventions.
- The school principal may notify other staff members of the student’s need for special health care services/interventions within the limits of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Government Records Management Access Act (GRAMA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- The school principal shall notify the school nurse and staff members assigned to provide special services/interventions of any changes in the student’s condition which have necessitated changes in the Individualized Health Care Plan.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:
500.40-7
APPROVED:
12.14.2021
Provisions for Health and Safety
- The school principal shall be responsible to see that all staff members receive annual health and safety training needed. Health and safety training requirements include:
- All staff in the use of Universal Precautions Against Blood Borne Diseases.
- Administration of student medication for designated staff.
- At least two designated staff shall be onsite to administer epinephrine auto-injector.
- At least two designated staff shall be onsite that have a current Red Cross basic first aid and CPR certificate or equivalent training (R392- 200-9)
- The school principal shall be responsible to see that the necessary equipment, materials and supplies are provided to staff members who are required to perform special health care services/interventions.
- Universal Precautions Against Blood Borne Diseases shall be used in handling and disposing hazardous materials.
- Upon the recommendation of the State Health Department or recommendation of a personal physician based on a staff member’s special medical condition, the school shall pay for immunizations and/or related testing for staff members whose assignment to provide special health care services/interventions places them at increased health risk.
- Staff members shall not be required to perform special health care services or interventions if so doing places them in imminent danger or exposes them to serious health risk.
- If the safeguards outlined in this policy are not implemented, staff members may refuse to perform special health care services/interventions and shall appeal to Legal Counsel or designee in accordance with the procedures outlined in Policy—Concerns/Complaints/Grievances Instructional Staff.
Exhibits
None
References
None
Forms
None
Document History
Revised – 12.14.2021. Policy-500.40-Student Health Service Requirements is updated to: Add definitions regarding individual healthcare plans, health care teams, and student support teams; Update language for health and safety; Update the Appeal Process through the Responsive Services Department in the event a individual health plan is challenged; Separate administrative regulations for clarity; and Update Forms and Exhibits.
Adopted – 7.10.2007
This online presentation is an electronic representation of the Canyons School District’s currently adopted policy manual. It does not reflect updating activities in progress. The official, authoritative manual is available for inspection in the office of the Superintendent located at 9361 South 300 East Sandy, UT 84070.
