Pupil health care services: school nurses.

(1) Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils, and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law authorizes a school nurse, subject to approval by the governing board of the school district, to perform various pupil health services, including, among others, evaluating the health and developmental status of pupils, and designing and implementing health maintenance plans to meet the individual health needs of pupils. This bill, on and after July 1, 2016, would require the governing board of a school district that is eligible for concentration funding pursuant to the provisions of the local control funding formula to employ at least one school nurse as a supervisor of health, and would require a supervisor of health to supervise other school nurses, registered nurses, or other licensed vocational nurses employed by a school district and, if applicable, a nurse of a county office of education under contract, as provided. The bill would require the governing board of a school district to consider specified factors in determining the number of nurses to be supervised by the supervisor of health, including, among others, the acuity of pupil health care needs. The bill would authorize the governing board of a school district to bill a pupil's health insurer, or the Medi-Cal program pursuant to a specified provision, or both, for the cost of health care services provided to the pupil. Because the bill would require school districts to perform new duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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.