September '07 Bulletin
(Meeting held: 9/19)
Guest Speaker:
Paul Stellino
504 Plan Coordinator
Sachem School District (Long Island, NY)
Topic:
How to keep Kids safe
with Life Threatening Food Allergies in School
Paul Stellino discussed the growing food safety concern in schools and the challenges they face to keep the children safe. He reviewed the IEP (individual education plan), IHP (individual health plan) and the 504 Plan.
What is an IEP (Individual Education Plan)?
It is part of the special education laws of the IDEA. IDEA allows for more services and protections.
What is a 504 Plan?
Section 504 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities. Your child may receive this even if he/she doesn't qualify for special education. All schools that receive federal funding must comply with this law.
What is an IHP (Individual Health Plan)?
Required by law, the parent and prescribing medical professional writes a letter to the school that the student must have access to epinephrine and staff must be trained to provide care. IHP is a result of case law, "best practices" where the parents and schools come to a meeting of the minds to ensure a child's safety.
NY Legislation
In June '08, NY State Education and Health departments must follow the
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2007 (AAMA;A.4051).
Mr. Stellino also explained the Appeal process/due process where you can ask for an impartial hearing. You can contact your District Clerk to request one of these plans mentioned above. You can also ask for a list of advocates (you may have to pay for) should you appeal. The parents, school nurse, your child's allergist, the school physician and staff should all be involved in making an Anaphylactic Management Plan for your child 2 months before school starts. He suggested beginning of June if your child starts school in September.
If you have a 504 plan that the school is not following, you can report them to the NY Office of Civil Rights. Mr. Stellino was kind enough to answer specific questions from parents who attended our meeting.
For more information, see our Resources page for special links.
Does your child have severe food allergies?
You've come to the right place.
