March 15, 2017
Dear Colleagues,
It’s that time of the year again! Many schools and districts are due to renew their registration with Department of Public Health for the school year beginning July 1st. There are a few changes to the application process, including the requirement that the school nurse who has authority and oversight of the school’s or district’s medication administration program must provide us with a copy of their current RN license. Residential programs are required to complete a new application for registration.
The procedure to request an application to reapply for registration for the delegation of medication administration and/or training in epinephrine administration is the same however:
The nurse (RN) who is assuming authority for the medication administration program must submit a request for the application in writing on your school letterhead. You may fax (617-624-6062) or mail (no emails accepted – remember email is not consider a legal record and these are all legal records!) the request to Janet Burke at:
School Health Unit/MDPH
250 Washington Street, 5th floor
Boston, MA 02108-4619.
All applications will be mailed out at the beginning of April, 2017. Once the completed application is singed, returned and reviewed, you will be notified if there are any concerns. Please be sure the application is complete and includes your signature and credentials (school nurses must sign their licensure status on these applications).
Please NOTE: This process is applicable to all school programs including approved, private special education schools and programs. Most school do not fall under the current “MAP” (Medication Administration Program) policies. MAP policies apply only to programs that care for adults over the age of 18, and programs that provide care to children that are funded, operated or licensed by the Department of Development Services (DDS), Department of Mental Health (DMH), or the Department of Children and Families (DCF). All other school programs must adhere to regulations established under 105 CMR 210 which pertain to all public and private schools in Massachusetts, including residential schools and programs.
We hope to see many of the school nurse leaders and the mental health provider accompanying them to tomorrow’s statewide meeting in Marlboro!
Thank you for all you do every day to provide for the health and safety of our students!
Mary Ann, Janet and Carol
“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” — German Proverb
From the Boston University SHIELD Program:
Looking for free on-line training opportunities? The Local Public Health Institute (LPHI) and New England Public Health Training Center (NEPHTC) offer free on-line trainings on a variety of public health topics that are relevant to school nurses. LPHI and NEPTHC are SHIELD’s “sister” workforce training centers sited in the Boston University School of Public Health Activist Lab. See the attached flyer for a listing of course offerings.
The mission of LPHI (http://sites.bu.edu/masslocalinstitute/) is to improve public health and preparedness capabilities by creating, implementing, and sustaining workforce development activities for local public health and other public health system partners in Massachusetts. NEPHTC (http://www.bu.edu/nephtc/) is part of a national partnership that works to strengthen the technical, scientific, managerial, and leadership competencies of the current and future public health workforce in New England.