04-R 277

2004 -- H 8313

05/20/04

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DEVELOP

RULES AND REGULATIONS TO INSURE THAT RHODE ISLAND CHILDREN WITH

DIABETES ARE MEDICALLY SAFE IN THE SCHOOL SETTING

Introduced By: Representatives Savage, McHugh, Giannini, McManus, and Cerra

Date Introduced: March 18, 2004

     WHEREAS, Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that impairs the body's ability to use

energy from food; and

     WHEREAS, Diabetes must be managed twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a

week, in order to avoid the potentially life-threatening short term consequences of blood sugar

levels that are either too high or too low; and

     WHEREAS, The serious long-term complications of high blood sugar levels may include

blindness, lower extremity amputation, heart disease, kidney failure, and premature death; and

     WHEREAS, In order to manage their disease, students with diabetes must have support

and access to the means to balance food, medications and physical activity levels while at school-

related activities; and

     WHEREAS, There are inconsistent policies regarding the management of diabetes from

school to school and community to community; and

     WHEREAS, Parents express difficulty negotiating with the schools for the care of

children with diabetes due to unclear rules and regulations regarding the management of diabetes

in the school; and

     WHEREAS, The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) in cooperation with the

National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the support

of the National Association of School Nurses, Elementary and Secondary School Principals

Associations, State Boards of Education, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American

Association of Diabetes Educators, the American Medical Association and other professional

organizations and associations have developed best practice guidelines to help students with

Diabetes succeed in the school setting; and

     WHEREAS, The Pediatric Education for Diabetes in School, a Resource Manual for

School Nurses, has been developed by the Pediatric Adolescent Diabetes Research Education

Foundation in collaboration with the National Association of School Nurses and the Rhode Island

Certified School Nurse-Teachers, Inc., Guidelines for Management of Students with Diabetes in

School; and

     WHEREAS, Students with diabetes need to be medically safe at school, while having the

same access to educational opportunities provided to all students; and

     WHEREAS, The significant number of students with type 1 diabetes and the increasing

prevalence of type 2 diabetes, amongst our school population, has a direct effect on a student's

ability to learn and places them at risk for serious long and short term complications; now,

therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby urges the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary

Education in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Health, to develop rules and

regulations that will insure the medical safety for Rhode Island's school children, with minimal

interruption to their regular school program; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the development of such rules and regulations shall consider, though

not be limited to, the following:

     Establishment of individual health care plans, emergency medical management

plans and/or 504 plans, if necessary for any student having a diagnosis of

diabetes.

     Allowance for and the encouragement of self-management by the diabetic child,

if capable, by permitting self-testing in the classroom, and snacks in the

classroom.

     Establishing protocols for care of the diabetic child in the school environment

regarding bathroom privileges, water fountain privileges and accompaniment of a

symptomatic child to a health area by a designated individual.

     Encouraging school policies that ensure that students receive appropriate diabetes

care at their neighborhood school by a certified school nurse-teacher, and not be

obliged to travel to another school in the district to receive appropriate care; and

be it further

     RESOLVED, That upon completion of the aforementioned tasks, such rules and

regulations will be incorporated, following usual procedures, into the Rules and Regulations for

School Health Programs (R16-21-SCHO) and that the Rules and Regulations for School Health

Programs (R16-21-SCHO) as amended, be promulgated to all parties of interest; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the promulgation of the Rules and Regulations for School Health

Programs as amended by the aforementioned guidelines will be instituted by May 1, 2005; and be

it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Rhode Island

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Board of Regents for the Rhode Island

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Director of the Rhode Island

Departments of Health.

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LC02972

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