The Board of Education shall not be responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of student illness. The administration of prescribed medication and/or medically-prescribed treatments to a student during school hours will be permitted only when failure to do so would jeopardize the health of the student, the student would not be able to attend school if the medication or treatment were not made available during school hours, or if the child is disabled and requires medication to benefit from his/her educational program.

For purposes of this policy, "medication" shall include all medicines including those prescribed by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs and any nonprescribed (over-the-counter) drugs, preparations, and/or remedies. "Treatment" refers both to the manner in which a medication is administered and to health-care procedures which require special training, such as catheterization.

Before any prescribed medication or treatment may be administered to any student during school hours, the Board shall require the written prescription from a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs accompanied by the written authorization of the parent. Before any nonprescribed medication or treatment may be administered, the Board shall require the prior written consent of the parent along with a waiver of any liability of the District for the administration of the medication (See Form 5330 F1a). These documents shall be kept in the office of the principal, and made available to the persons designated by this policy as authorized to administer medication or treatment. No student is allowed to provide or sell any type of over-the-counter medication to another student. Violations of this rule will be considered violations of Policy 5530 -   Drug Prevention and of the Student Code of Conduct/Discipline Code.

Only medication in its original container; labeled with the date, if a prescription; the student's name; and exact dosage will be administered. The Superintendent shall determine a location in each building where the prescribed medications to be administered under this policy shall be stored, which shall be a locked storage place, unless the medications require refrigeration in which case they shall be stored in a refrigerator not commonly used by students. Parents, or students authorized in writing by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs and parents, may administer prescribed medication or treatment but only in the presence of another adult.

However, students shall be permitted to carry and use, as necessary, an asthma inhaler, provided the student has prior written permission from his/her parent and physician and has submitted Form 5330 F3, Authorization for the Possession and Use of Asthma Inhalers/Other Emergency Medication(s), to the principal and any school nurse assigned to the building.

The following staff are designated as being authorized to administer medication and treatment to students:

Additionally the Board shall permit the administration by a licensed nurse or other authorized staff member of any medication requiring intravenous or intramuscular injection or the insertion of a device into the body when both the medication and the procedure are prescribed by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs and the nurse/staff member has completed any and all necessary training.

Students who may require administration of an emergency medication may have such medication in their possession upon written authorization of their parent(s) or, such medication, upon being identified as aforenoted, may be stored in the principal’s office and administered in accord with this policy.

All dental disease prevention programs, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Health and administered by school employees, parents, volunteers, employees of local health districts, or employees of the Ohio Department of Health, which utilize prescription drugs for the prevention of dental disease and which are conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Ohio Department of Health are exempt from all requirements of this policy.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines, as needed, to address the proper implementation of this policy.

R.C. 3313.711, 3313.712, 3313.713, 4729.01

Revised 8/11/97
Revised 1/28/02
Revised 1/26/04
Revised 4/24/06