Regulation JGCD-R(1): Medication

Staff members of the DeKalb County Health Department and the DeKalb County School District are prohibited from providing or administering any medication to a student except as authorized by the parent or guardian in accordance with the following procedures. Medications are administered in schools only according to prearrangements involving appropriate medical and school personnel and the parent. Medications must be administered by the appropriate personnel, and students generally are prohibited from carrying and self-administering medications. In accordance with state law, however, a student may carry asthma medication, auto-injectable epinephrine, and insulin upon written authorization by the student’s physician and consent of the student’s parent or guardian.

1. Parental Consent

For each discrete illness and for each medication ordered, whether given simultaneously or sequentially, written parental consent is required annually for the administration of any medication(s) to a student.

1. Responsibility of Parent/Guardian

The parent/guardian is responsible for the following:

1. Obtaining form, “Physician’s Request for Administration of Medication in School Building During School Hours” (attached as JGCD-E) and having this form signed by the student’s physician, or obtaining a signed statement from the physician providing the following information:

2. Name of student.

3. Name of the medication.

4. Dosage and hours medication is to be given during the school day.

5. Expected duration of administration of medication.

6. List of possible side effects/contraindicators.

7. Personally delivering to the school principal or his/her designee the completed medication authorization form or the physician's statement, and the medication, properly labeled by a pharmacist.

8. Submitting to the school written notification from the physician of any change in dosage or time of administration of medication.

9. Administering the first day's dosage of any new medication at home.

10. Personally collecting from the school any unused portion of the medication within one week after expiration of the physician's order. (Medication not personally collected by the parent/guardian is destroyed.)

11. Responsibility of Principal or Designee

The principal or his/her designee is responsible for assuring that the administration of medication to a student meets the requirements of this regulation.

1. Responsibility of School Health Service Personnel or Principal/Designee

​​​​​​​The school health service personnel, or, if none is available, the principal or his/her designee, is responsible for the following:

1. Reviewing and determining that:

2. The medication authorization form is properly completed.

3. Each prescription is accompanied by a separate medication authorization form or physician's statement containing all required information, as set forth in Section II.A. above.

4. The medication is properly labeled.

5. The first day's dosage of any new prescription has been given to the student at home.

6. Filing the original of the completed medication authorization form or the physician's statement with the student's health record.

7. Prohibiting any change in dosage or time of administration of medication unless authorized in writing by the physician and assuring that the administration of medication is not continued without a renewal order from the physician.

8. Storing all medications kept in the school in a secure area that is accessible only to authorized personnel.

9. Destroying any unused portion of the medication not personally collected by the parent/guardian within one week after expiration of the physician's order.

10. Maintaining a current listing of students receiving medications, including the following information:

11. Student's name.

12. Name of medication.

13. Date initially prescribed or represcribed and termination date.

14. Dosage and time medication is to be administered. ​​​​​​​

15. Administering Medication

16. In schools where assigned student health services personnel are on staff, it is the responsibility of the student health services personnel to administer medications according to schedule.

In schools where student health services personnel are not on staff, it is the responsibility of the principal/designee to arrange for the administration of medications according to schedule. ​​​​​​​

1. Auto-Injectable Epinephrine, Asthma Medication, and Insulin ​​​​​​​

2. Carrying and Self-Administration by Students

Although students generally are prohibited from carrying and self-administering medications, state law provides that a student may carry asthma medication, auto-injectable epinephrine, and/or insulin upon written authorization by the student’s physician and written consent of the student’s parent or guardian.

Students carrying auto-injectable epinephrine or insulin shall be instructed in the proper use of such medication and must certify that they will not allow other students to use such medication under any circumstances, subject to revocation of the privilege to carry such medication.

​​​​​​​If, because of age or any other reason, a student is not able to self-administer prescribed asthma medication, auto-injectable epinephrine, or insulin, the medication may be stored and administered by school personnel in accordance with the other provisions of this regulation, upon written authorization by the student’s physician and written consent of the student’s parent or guardian.

1. Administration of Auto-Injectable Epinephrine by School Personnel

In accordance with state law, school personnel shall be authorized to administer auto-injectable epinephrine, when it is available, to a student upon the occurrence of an actual or perceived anaphylactic adverse reaction by a student, whether or not such student has a prescription for epinephrine.

​​​​​​​Student Health Services shall provide all school principals with information on how to recognize the symptoms of anaphylactic shock and the correct method of administering auto-injectable epinephrine, and school principals shall ensure that this information is provided to school personnel.