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    PDF Version of Food Allergy Management Plan  |  Transcribed below:

     

    S.B. 27: Food Allergy Management Plan

    Background   S.B. 27 from the 82nd Texas legislative session requires school districts to adopt board policy by 8/1/12 addressing health and safety protocols for students with severe food allergies. Cuero ISD Student Health Services collaborated with Child Nutrition Services, Maintenance, and Transportation to develop this plan.

    GENERAL PROCEDURES

          Procedures to limit the risk posed to students with food allergies shall include:

    1. Specialized training for employees responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of the District’s food allergy management plan.

    Resources used to develop the plan include ‘Guidelines for the Care of Students with Food Allergies At-Risk for Anaphylaxis to Implement Senate Bill 27’ from the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) as well as other school health resources.

    1. Awareness training for employees regarding signs and symptoms of food allergies and emergency response in the event of an anaphylactic reaction.
    1. All instructional, and support staff will complete or review the district’s Food Allergy Training online or with a school nurse. The training details signs/symptoms of anaphylaxis, emergency response actions, and general strategies to reduce exposure to allergens.
    2. Child Nutrition staff will annually provide department trainings regarding recognition of allergic reactions, how to avoid cross-contamination and how to handle anaphylaxis in the cafeteria.
    3. General strategies to reduce the risk of exposure to common food allergens.

      Strategies to reduce food allergen exposure include:
    • Reviewing cafeteria menu items, identifying potential allergens and making appropriate accommodations as outlined in dietary orders received from licensed healthcare providers for meals served to students with life-threatening food allergies
    • Limiting or reducing the use of potential food allergens in classroom projects/activities
    • Allowing only pre-packaged food items with complete ingredient lists in the classroom for projects, activities, and celebrations
    • Training Child Nutrition staff to prevent cross-contamination during food preparation, to read product labels and identify hidden allergens
    • Identifying areas in the classroom that will be ‘allergen-safe’ when needed, and enlisting the help of parents in this process
    • Implementing appropriate hand washing procedures, including washing hands before and after meals
    • Ensuring that appropriate staff are trained in reading product labels and identifying hidden allergens in foods
    • Ensuring that Child Nutrition procedures used to review menu items, identify potential allergens and make appropriate menu accommodations as ordered by Health Care Provider (HCP) orders are consistently followed by every staff member
    • Encouraging and enforcing no sharing of food wherever it may be available
    • Monitoring and enforcing strict cleaning procedures, particularly if after-school activities involve any consumption of food allergen-containing foods in the areas used by afterschool activities
    • Enforcing no eating policies while on the school bus with appropriate medical considerations and exceptions made as needed
    • Considering assigned school bus seating arrangements if necessary
    • Ensuring that the Transportation department keeps a current list of students who have food allergies, including whether they self-medicate for anaphylaxis
    • Notifying all pertinent staff in advance of field trips to allow time for necessary food preparation
    • Building training and response provisions regarding food allergies into contracts for outsourced programs
    1. Methods for requesting specific food allergy information from a parent of a student with a diagnosed food allergy.

      Campuses shall ensure that:
    • A completed ER form (hard-copy and/or online) which inquires about food allergies, if present, is received from every student
    • The school nurse follows up with parents of students listed as having a life-threatening food allergy and a ‘Food Allergy Action Plan’ (FAAP) is on file for those if the student’s HCP states they have a life-threatening food allergy
    • Documentation, including the FAAP is provided to the campus cafeteria manager so that appropriate dietary accommodations can be made  
                                                                                      
      Annual review of the District’s Food Allergy Management Plan.
    1. Each instructional campus shall have a food allergy management team composed of the school nurse, campus administrator (principal or assistant principal), cafeteria manager, and head custodian. This team will review the campus food allergy management plan annually and as needed.

    The District Food Allergy Management Plan, developed by the District’s Food Allergy Coordinator (Health Services Coordinator)  and Food Allergy Management Team (Directors of Child Nutrition, Transportation, and Maintenance/Facilities), and a campus administrator will be reviewed at least annually and more often as needed, taking into consideration any recommendations from campus & department food allergy management teams.  

    Field trip guidelines.

    • Students with food allergies should participate in all school activities and must not be excluded based on their condition.
    • Communication between nursing, parent and staff is of utmost importance. Evaluate if field trip locations are appropriate for students with food allergies. (E.g. to a dairy farm should not be scheduled for a class of a milk-protein allergy. Not a lactose allergy; must be a true doctor documented allergy. During this communication it shall be determined if a nurse is needed to accompany students while on the field trip. No campus can be uncovered by nursing staff so last minute notices are hard to cover.
    • Encourage, but do not require parents/guardians of food-allergic students to accompany their child on school trips if they so choose too.
    • Two week notice recommended for nurse to make necessary arrangements and trainings to be made.
    • Have a plan for emergency staff communications while on field trip, cell phone service not available at certain locations.
    • Inform parents when possible, of school-sponsored field trips or events when food will be used or served.
    • After notification of the field trip, nursing will communicate with parent and if needed, call field trip location to ensure what the surroundings will consist of and if any food or drink will be served; and if needed to rule out preparation in a peanut product for students with peanut allergies. Nursing will educate staff, train per principal request and pack all ER supplies needed for the field trip.

    STUDENTS AT RISK FOR ANAPHYLAXIS

    Procedures regarding that care of students with diagnosed food allergies who are at risk for anaphylaxis shall include:

    1. Development and implementation of food allergy action plans, emergency action plans, individualized healthcare plans, and Section504 plans, as appropriate

    Principals will ensure that specific food allergy information requests (the ‘Allergy portion of the Student Emergency Form is sent out in each student registration packet); have been completed by parents at the beginning of the school year.

    Health Services staff shall refer to Student Emergency Form to identify students with food allergies. If a potential food allergy is identified, the parent/guardian will be contacted by the school nurse to discuss the extent of the life-threatening allergy and to request a Food Allergy Action Plan. After this information has been received, an Individualized Healthcare Plan will be developed in coordination with each campus nurse and if needed with each food allergy management team and the supervising RN. The campus food allergy management team, student’s counselor if indicated and supervising RN will help determine whether a Section 504 plan is warranted as well.

     

    1. Training, as necessary, for employees and others to implement each student’s care plan, including strategies to reduce the student’s risk of exposure to the diagnosed allergen

    Principals and Campus nurse (District RN as needed) will ensure that all pertinent instructional staff is trained on how to administer medications and handle an anaphylactic emergency.

    1. Review of individual care plans and procedures periodically and after an anaphylactic reaction at school or at a school-related activity
    1. Reports detailing event occurrences (an incident report will be completed by the school nurse) after any student’s anaphylactic reaction incident shall be followed up on, with input from the district’s Food Allergy Management Team as appropriate
    2. Feedback to the District Food Allergy Management Team regarding the district’s Food Allergy Plan will be provided annually and as needed

    DISTRIBUTION

    Information regarding this policy and the District’s food allergy management plan shall be made available at each campus and available on the Cuero ISD website.