RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, section 321-241, Hawaii Revised Statutes, established a statewide, comprehensive school health services program within the Department of Health in order to protect, preserve, care for, and improve the physical and mental health of Hawaii's children by making available at the public schools first aid and emergency care, preventive health care, health appraisals and follow-ups, and health room facilities; and

WHEREAS, section 321-242, Hawaii Revised Statutes, allows school health aides to assist students by administering oral and topical medication and, in emergency situations, other premeasured medication if, among other things:

WHEREAS, the administration of prescribed medications, including psychotropics (for the treatment of depression), bronchodilators (for the treatment of asthma), and anti-convulsants (for the treatment of epilepsy), to enable students to attend school is an integral part of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or "IDEA", and state administrative rules regarding the provision of a free appropriate public education for a student with a disability (also known as "FAPE"); and

WHEREAS, each year hundreds of students visit or are referred to school health aides because of allergic reactions, asthma, burns, tooth and gum disease, electrocution, fractures, head injuries, lacerations, loss of consciousness, motor vehicle accidents, attempted suicide, and a myriad of other reasons; and

WHEREAS, approximately one hundred forty schools had no substitute school health aide for one to five school days; approximately forty-four schools had no substitute school health aide for six to ten school days; and approximately eighteen schools had no substitute school health aide for eleven or more school days during school year 2001-2002; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to provide school health aides throughout the State with dependable substitutes in order to ensure that all school health rooms are staffed at all times by qualified health personnel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to submit status reports to the Legislature, at least twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session, concerning its success or failure, as the case may be, in ensuring that all school health rooms are staffed at all times by qualified health personnel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Health, Director of Health, Chairperson of the Board of Education, and Superintendent of Education.

Report Title:

School Health Aides; DOH; DOE