Pupil health: diabetes: insulin injections.

Existing law provides that each pupil who is required to take, during the regular schoolday, medication prescribed for him or her by a physician, may be assisted by the school nurse or other designated school personnel if the school district receives a written statement from the physician detailing the method, amount, and time schedules by which the medication is to be taken and a written statement from the parent or guardian of the pupil indicating the desire that the school district assist the pupil in the matters set forth in the physician's statement. Existing law, in the absence of a credentialed school nurse or other licensed nurse, authorizes a school district to provide voluntary emergency medical training to school personnel, as defined, to administer emergency medical assistance to pupils with diabetes suffering from severe hypoglycemia, subject to specified conditions. This bill would authorize a parent or guardian of a pupil with diabetes to designate one or more school employees as parent-designated school employees for the purpose of administering insulin to the pupil as necessary during the regular schoolday when a credentialed school nurse or other health care professional is not immediately available onsite at the school. The bill would authorize a parent-designated school employee to administer insulin. In order to designate an employee for these purposes, the bill would require that the parent or guardian submit a written statement, valid for a maximum of one year, as specified. The bill would require the school district to keep a copy of that statement, to obtain other specified statements from the physician of the pupil and the parent or guardian, and, upon receiving a written request from the parent or guardian of a pupil with diabetes, to notify school staff regarding the intent of the parent or guardian to designate school employees to administer insulin to the pupil. The bill would authorize a licensed health care professional, as described, to provide training to parent-designated school employees in the administration of insulin and to supervise those employees in performing that task. The bill would provide a parent-designated school employee who administers insulin pursuant to the bill's provisions with immunity from criminal and civil liability, as specified. By requiring school districts to perform additional duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.