The battle continues among policymakers, educators and the medical community about the most appropriate way to dispense insulin to diabetic children in public schools.
The issue stems from an advisory sent by the California Department of Education to school districts encouraging them to allow trained, but unlicensed, school staff to administer insulin if a nurse or parent wasn’t available.
However, several nurses organizations, including the California Nurses Association, School Nurses Association and American Nurses Association, challenged the advisory, stating it was in conflict with the Nursing Practice Act of California. A Superior Court Judge agreed.
However, the California Department of Education, along with the American Diabetes Association, filed an appeal in February. The court has temporarily stayed the earlier ruling, meaning the original CDE advisory is still in effect.
Meanwhile, two pieces of legislation are circulating through the Capitol that address this issue. Assembly Bill 1430, Swanson, D-Oakland, is consistent with the Superior Court ruling, in that it would require only “health care professionals” to administer medication, including insulin.
ACSA has come out in opposition to AB 1430. While the health and safety of students is of the utmost importance, the fiscal reality is that there simply isn’t enough money to have a school nurse in every district. Even if some funding was available, school nurse positions are extremely difficult to fill, especially in rural areas. The pay offered by public education simply isn’t enough to lure them away from higher-paying jobs in the private sector, said ACSA Legislative Advocate Adonai Mack.
“We understand the importance of keeping students safe, and recognize the value school nurses provide. But with the deep budget cuts facing every district in California, there simply aren’t enough funds to have school nurses available in every district,” he said.
Another bill, AB 426, by Assemblyman Isadore Hall, D-Los Angeles, would require the CDE, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, California Diabetes Program and Department of Health Care Services, to recommend to the Legislature specific ways to address the issue by July 1, 2010.
To that end, Assemblyman Hall, chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Youth/Adolescent Health and Safety, is soliciting feedback from educators, health care professionals and health advocates. He has schedule three public hearings on the issue and is searching for panelists.
The first hearing will be held Saturday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m.-noon in Paramount. Subsequent hearings will be held in Oakland and Sacramento, with specific dates, times and locations to be determined. Those interested in serving on the panel are encouraged to contact Jim Given in Hall’s office at jimgiven@msn.com or (909) 456-4776.