Effective: April 6, 2017
Latest Legislation: House Bill 216 - 131st General Assembly
(A) As used in this section:
(1) "Board of education" means a board of education of a city, local, exempted village, or joint vocational school district.
(2) "Governing authority" means a governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school.
(3) "Licensed health care professional" means a ny of the following:
(a) A physician authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery;
(b) A registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse licensed under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code ;
(c) A physician assistant licensed under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Co d e.
(4) "Local health department" means a department operated by a board of health of a city or general health district or the authority having the duties of a board of health as described in section 3709.05 of the Revised Code.
(5) "School employee" or "employee" means either of the following:
(a) A person employed by a board of education or governing authority;
(b) A licensed health care professional employed by or under contract with a local health department who is assigned to a school in a city, local, exempted village, or joint vocational school district or a chartered nonpublic school.
(6) "Treating practitioner" means any of the following who has primary responsibility for treating a student's diabetes and has been identified as such by the student's parent, guardian, or other person having care or charge of the student or, if the student is at least eighteen years of age, by the student:
(a) A physician authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery;
(b) An advanced practice registered nurse who holds a current, valid license to practice nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse issued under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code and is designated as a clinical nurse specialist or certified nurse practitioner in accordance with section 4723.42 of the Revised Code;
(c) A physician assistant who holds a license issued under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code, holds a valid prescriber number issued by the state medical board, and has been granted physician-delegated prescriptive authority.
(7) "504 plan" means a plan based on an evaluation conducted in accordance with section 504 of the "Rehabilitation Act of 1973," 29 U.S.C. 794, as amended.
(B)(1) Each board of education or governing authority shall ensure that each student enrolled in the school district or chartered nonpublic school who has diabetes receives appropriate and needed diabetes care in accordance with an order signed by the student's treating p ractitioner. The diabetes care to be provided includes any of the following:
(a) Checking and recording blood glucose levels and ketone levels or assisting the student with checking and recording these levels;
(b) Responding to blood glucose levels that are outside of the student's target range;
(c) In the case of severe hypoglycemia, administering glucagon and other emergency treatments as prescribed;
(d) Administering insulin or assisting the student in self-administering insulin through the insulin delivery system the student uses;
(e) Providing oral diabetes medications;
(f) Understanding recommended schedules and food intake for meals and snacks in order to calculate medication dosages pursuant to the order of the student's treating practitioner;
(g) Following the t reating practitioner's instructions regarding meals, snacks, and physical activity;
(h) Administering diabetes medication, as long as the conditions prescribed in division (C) of this section are satisfied.
(2) Not later than fourteen days after receipt of an order signed by the treating p ractitioner of a student with diabetes, the board of education or governing authority shall inform the student's parent, guardian, or other person having care or charge of the student that the student may be entitled to a 504 plan regarding the student's diabetes. The department of education shall develop a 504 plan information sheet for use by a board of education or governing authority when informing a student's parent, guardian, or other person having care or charge of the student that the student may be entitled to a 504 plan regarding the student's diabetes.
(C) Notwithstanding division (B) of section 3313.713 of the Revised Code or any other provision of the Revised Code, diabetes medication may be administered under this section by a school nurse or, in the absence of a school nurse, a school employee who is trained in diabetes care under division (E) of this section. Medication administration may be provided under this section only when the conditions prescribed in division (C) of section 3313.713 of the Revised Code are satisfied.
Notwithstanding division (D) of section 3313.713 of the Revised Code, medication that is to be administered under this section may be kept in an easily accessible location.
(D)(1) T he department of education shall adopt nationally recognized guidelines, as determined by the department, for the training of school employees in diabetes care for students. In doing so, the department shall consult with the department of health, the American diabetes association, and the Ohio school nurses association. The department may consult with any other organizations as determined appropriate by the department.
(2) The guidelines shall address all of the following issues:
(a) Recognizing the symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia;
(b) The appropriate treatment for a student who exhibits the symptoms of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia;
(c) Recognizing situations that require the provision of emergency medical assistance to a student;
(d) Understanding the appropriate treatment for a student, based on a n order issued by the student's treating practitioner, if the student's blood glucose level is not within the target range indicated by the order;
(e) Understanding the instructions in a n order issued by a student's treating practitioner concerning necessary medications;
(f) Performing blood glucose and ketone tests for a student in accordance with a n order issued by the student's treating practitioner and recording the results of those tests;
(g) Administering insulin, glucagon, or other medication to a student in accordance with a n order issued by the student's treating practitioner and recording the results of the administration;
(h) Understanding the relationship between the diet recommended in a n order issued by a student's treating practitioner and actions that may be taken if the recommended diet is not followed.
(E)(1) To ensure that a student with diabetes receives the diabetes care specified in division (B) of this section, a board of education or governing authority may provide training that complies with the guidelines developed under division (D) of this section to a school employee at each school attended by a student with diabetes. With respect to any training provided, all of the following apply:
(a) The training shall be coordinated by a school nurse or, if the school does not employ a school nurse, a licensed health care professional with expertise in diabetes who is approved by the school to provide the training.
(b) The training shall take place prior to the beginning of each school year or, as needed, not later than fourteen days after receipt by the board of education or governing authority of an order signed by the treating p ractitioner of a student with diabetes.
(c) On completion of the training, the board of education or governing authority, in a manner it determines, shall determine whether each employee trained is competent to provide diabetes care.
(d) The school nurse or approved licensed health care professional with expertise in diabetes care shall promptly provide all necessary follow-up training and supervision to an employee who receives training.
(2) The principal of a school attended by a student with diabetes or another school official authorized to act on behalf of the principal may distribute a written notice to each employee containing all of the following:
(a) A statement that the school is required to provide diabetes care to a student with diabetes and is seeking employees who are willing to be trained to provide that care;
(b) A description of the tasks to be performed;
(c) A statement that participation is voluntary and that the school district or governing authority will not take action against an employee who does not agree to provide diabetes care;
(d) A statement that training will be provided by a licensed health care professional to an employee who agrees to provide care;
(e) A statement that a trained employee is immune from liability under division (J) of this section;
(f) The name of the individual who should be contacted if an employee is interested in providing diabetes care.
(3) No employee of a board of education or governing authority shall be subject to a penalty or disciplinary action under school or district policies for refusing to volunteer to be trained in diabetes care.
(4) No board or governing authority shall discourage employees from agreeing to provide diabetes care under this section.
(F) A board of education or governing authority may provide training in the recognition of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and actions to take in response to emergency situations involving these conditions to both of the following:
(1) A school employee who has primary responsibility for supervising a student with diabetes during some portion of the school day;
(2) A bus driver employed by a school district or chartered nonpublic school responsible for the transportation of a student with diabetes.
(G) A student with diabetes shall be permitted to attend the school the student would otherwise attend if the student did not have diabetes and the diabetes care specified in division (B) of this section shall be provided at the school. A board of education or governing authority shall not restrict a student who has diabetes from attending the school on the basis that the student has diabetes, that the school does not have a full-time school nurse, or that the school does not have an employee trained in diabetes care. The school shall not require or pressure a parent, guardian, or other person having care or charge of a student to provide diabetes care for the student with diabetes at school or school-related activities.
(H)(1) Notwithstanding section 3313.713 of the Revised Code or any policy adopted under that section and except as provided in division (H)(2) of this section, on written request of the parent, guardian, or other person having care or charge of a student and authorization by the student's treating p ractitioner, a student with diabetes shall be permitted during regular school hours and school-sponsored activities to attend to the care and management of the student's diabetes in accordance with the order issued by the student's treating practitioner if the student's treating practitioner determines that the student is capable of performing diabetes care tasks. The student shall be permitted to perform diabetes care tasks in a classroom, in any area of the school or school grounds, and at any school-related activity, and to possess on the student's self at all times all necessary supplies and equipment to perform these tasks. If the student or the parent, guardian, or other person having care or charge of the student so requests, the student shall have access to a private area for performing diabetes care tasks.
(2) If the student performs any diabetes care tasks or uses medical equipment for purposes other than the student's own care, the board of education or governing authority may revoke the student's permission to attend to the care and management of the student's diabetes.
(I)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, a licensed health care professional shall be permitted to provide training to a school employee under division (E) of this section or to supervise the employee in performing diabetes care tasks.
(2) Nothing in this section diminishes the rights of eligible students or the obligations of school districts or governing authorities under the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq., section 504 of the "Rehabilitation Act," 29 U.S.C. 794, or the "Americans with Disabilities Act," 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.
(J)(1) A school or school district, a member of a board or governing authority, or a district or school employee is not liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property allegedly arising from providing care or performing duties under this section unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.
This section does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that a school or school district, member of a board of education or governing authority, or district or school employee may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. or any other provision of the Revised Code or under the common law of this state.
(2) A school employee shall not be subject to disciplinary action under school or district policies for providing care or performing duties under this section.
(3) A school nurse or other licensed health care professional shall be immune from disciplinary action by the board of nursing or any other regulatory board for providing care or performing duties under this section if the care provided or duties performed are consistent with applicable professional standards.
(K)(1) Not later than the last day of December of each year, a board of education or governing authority shall report to the department of education both of the following:
(a) The number of students with diabetes enrolled in the school district or chartered nonpublic school during the previous school year;
(b) The number of errors associated with the administration of diabetes medication to students with diabetes during the previous school year.
(2) Not later than the last day of March of each year, the department shall issue a report summarizing the information received by the department under division (K)(1) of this section for the previous school year. The department shall make the report available on its internet web site.