This page is designed to provide School Nursing and Health Staff with specialized resources and detailed information on the guidelines surrounding School Health Services in Arizona. Resources found on this page should be used to supplement information already made available by your local school board and county health department.
This resource guide may assist school personnel in developing a plan of care in cooperation with the parent/guardian, medical provider, and school nurse. These guidelines were developed to assist the RN in making delegation decisions in the school environment.
This document contains guidelines for helping an ill or injured student when the school nurse is not available. It is recommended that Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) utilize the in the absence of a nurse.
In 2022, SB 1654 Schools; seizure management; treatment plans was introduced in the State of Arizona 55th Legislature Second Regular session and was signed by the Governor on April 29, 2022. The bill became ARS 15-160.02 and included language for the Board of Education to adopt rules as necessary to administer this law. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the parent or guardian of a student who has a seizure disorder and who is enrolled in a school that is operated by a school district or a charter school in Arizona may submit to the school district or charter school in which the student is enrolled a copy of a seizure management and treatment plan for school personnel to use if the student suffers a seizure at school or while participating in a school-sponsored activity. The plan must be developed by the student’s parent or guardian and the physician or registered nurse practitioner responsible for the student’s seizure treatment. The law also stipulates a review of the plan and training for school staff. Below are resources and information to assist schools with law implementation. In June 2024, the Board of Education approved rules to accompany implementation of ARS 15-160.02.
Introduction of SB1654; Schools; Seizure management; Treatment Plans Resources:
ADE wants to remind you of the behavioral health services available to students. Behavioral health services for children who qualify for Medicaid (AHCCCS) may receive services through their AHCCCS health plan. Further, uninsured and underinsured students may also receive behavioral health services paid by AHCCCS under the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG), the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), and, for a limited time, with the Children’s Behavioral Health Services Fund.
Arizona offers three stock medication programs for schools: Stock Inhalers, Epinephrine, and Narcan. A school may decide to participate in none, one, two, or all programs. The following information will help you learn more about each program and the necessary steps to complete to offer these programs at your school.
Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) offers an online program, the School Surveillance and Medication Program (SSMP), to assist schools in participating in the stock programs. The SSMP walks you through the requirements including annual training and items that will be needed to implement the program. Currently, MCDPH is working with all Arizona public schools to implement the stock inhaler and epinephrine programs, collecting data and offering the annual standing orders assuming schools sign up through the SSMP and follow the requirements. By starting with the SSMP site, you will gather the information and tips to establish a stock medication program. For schools to participate, they must enroll in the School Surveillance and Medication Program (SSMP) web application. After completing and submitting each of the requirements, your school can obtain and receive annual standing orders and a prescription from the MCDPH Medical Director.
The Stock Albuterol Program in Schools was put in place in 2017 by state law HB 2208, Emergency administration of inhalers by trained personnel; immunity; definitions, and is in law as ARS 15-158. The Arizona Asthma Coalition has a thorough description of the program. Questions specific to the implementation may be sent to Ashley Lowe via email at [email protected].
New! Training: Stock Albuterol Inhaler Training for School Personnel 2023-2024
The Stock Epinephrine Program in School. If a school opts to implement the Stock Inhaler Program there are rules, R7-2-810 Emergency Administration of Inhalers, in place by the State Board of Education regarding training, obtaining the medication standing order, and administering procedures in emergencies.
This program was put into place in 2018 by state law HB 2085, Emergency administration of epinephrine auto-injectors by trained personnel; immunity and is in law as ARS 15-157.
If a school opts to implement the Stock Epinephrine Program there are rules, R7-2-809 Emergency Administration of Auto-Injectable Epinephrine, in place by the State Board of Education regarding training, storage, and use of the medication in schools. The Kyah Rayne Foundation also helps with the Stock Epinephrine Program in Schools.
This e-learning course provides mandatory training for school personnel designated to administer the epinephrine auto-injector.
The Stock Narcan Program is part of the AZ Opioid Epidemic Act/Action Plan implemented in 2018. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) has a website with information offering a standing order for Narcan and a form to complete to receive a supply of the medication. ADHS also offers some links to Narcan administration training though none are specific for schools. Development of training for schools is in development and discussions are underway to incorporate the Stock Narcan Program within the SSMP. This site will be revised as updates are available. The SSMP Program can also support this, and Naloxone for School Personnel training will be available soon.
Arizona law does not require AEDs in schools. However, a school site that obtains an AED is not authorized to allow its use until all requirements of the state law have been met at that site.
Here are the Arizona laws for AEDs.
Note: the law does not require or indicate what type of AED should be utilized in schools. When considering which AED to purchase, consider these 5 important factors: total cost of ownership, size and weight, connectivity, pediatric capabilities and fully automatic vs. semi-automatic.
It is important to advocate for AEDs in our schools as AEDs can drastically improve the survival rate of students and adults in schools who suffer from sudden cardiac arrest.1 Once trained, anyone can use an AED; here are some tips to follow when implementing AEDs in your school.
AEDs should be within 3 minutes of every location within the school. Each school is different and may have a different policy on where to place their AEDs, but you may want to ensure they are placed near the gymnasium, in the main lobby, with the nurse, with the athletic trainer, and/or in the middle of the hallways.
A designated staff member should be responsible for maintaining all AEDs within the school. This means doing monthly maintenance checks such as ensuring the battery and pads are plugged in, ensuring the machine is not beeping, and checking the Active Status Indicator Light is flashing green. A log of all monthly maintenance checks should be kept to be sure the AED is ready to be used.
A Cardiac Emergency Action Plan is a written plan that explains the exact actions that will take place in an emergency. These actions should be very clear and very specific. Click here for sample plans that can be utilized at your school.
Implement Life-Saving Drills to be prepared for a sudden cardiac arrest emergency. This will help the Cardiac Response Team practice their Cardiac Emergency Action Plan to help save a life in an emergency. These drills should be done once annually as cardiac arrest can affect anyone at any age and it is crucial these steps are in place to give someone the best possible chance of surviving.
[1]Andersen LW, Holmberg MJ, Granfeldt A, Lofgren B, Vellano K, McNally BF, et al. on behalf of the CARES Surveillance Group. Neighborhood characteristics, bystander automated external defibrillator use, and patient outcomes in public out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 2018;126:72–79.
The SADS Foundation recommends all children with a SADS condition have an Individualized Care Plan, a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan and an AED program at their school. If you have a SADS child at your school and have not had a discussion with their parents about care plans, we strongly suggest you do so today. Please view the SADS Foundation School Nurse webpage for additional information, support and resources.
It is a general practice for Arizona school districts across Arizona to measure and record the height and weight of each student in the student's health file on an annual basis. It is recommended that schools calculate and record each student's Body Mass Index (BMI).
Each district should determine if they will calculate and/or notify parents of BMI results that are in the overweight and/or obese categories. If a district elects to notify parents of BMI scores indicating overweight and/or obese status and the accompanying health risks, a policy and procedure should be developed to address this health issue in an appropriate manner. The following links are available to assist school districts with this screening:
ADE partnered with Touchstone Health Services, Teen Lifeline and Project AWARE to educate Arizona school nurse and health office staff on how to identify and respond to common mental health challenges youth face in relation to COVID-19. Click the link below and enter the passcode to access the recorded event!
Maricopa County's Office of Oral Health administers basic oral screenings, education and referrals at no cost to pregnant women and children 0-5 years of age. Eligible children can also receive fluoride varnish.
Local & National Programs, Agencies & Organizations
Project AWARE is a federal initiative funded by SAMHSA to build and expand the partnership between education and mental health systems at both the state and local levels.
