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Q1. What is the Access to Emergency Epinephrine in Schools Amendment Act of 2015?

A law establishing procedures for schools to acquire and maintain undesignated epinephrine auto –injectors (UEAs) for administration by a certified employee or agent of the school to a student who is in good faith believed to be suffering or about to suffer from anaphylactic episode during the school day or at any school sponsored or affiliated event on or off school property.

Q2. Is my school required to participate in the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE’s) Undesignated Epinephrine Auto-Injector Program?

Yes, in accordance with this law, District schools are required to:

1. Possess UEAs for emergency use during the school day or at a school- sponsored event or school affiliated event on or off school property.

2. Adopt and implement training policies and procedures for the administration of a UEA by a certified school employee or other person affiliated with a District school for use during the school day or at a school- sponsored or school affiliated event on or off school property, to a student believed in good faith to be suffering or about to suffer from an anaphylactic reaction.

Q3. How does my school get the epinephrine auto-injectors?

The following two forms must be completed before epinephrine auto- injectors are received:

1. Visit OSSE’s Website and scroll to the bottom of the page to obtain “Certification form for the order of Free and Discounted EpiPens” complete forms for each campus and submit to [email protected].

2. Visit OSSE’s Website, click on the hyper link titled “complete this short online form” and complete the “Access to Epinephrine in Schools Point of Contacts” form.

After completing the forms requested, OSSE will provide an online Undesignated Epinephrine Auto-Injector training, with 24/7 access and accompanying resources to assist schools in providing emergency assistance to students who are believed to be experiencing anaphylactic reactions. In addition, schools can receive on-site, in-person training if at least 15 participants are present. OSSE will schedule in-person trainings for school employees and agents to attend.

Please DO NOT send any forms to Mylan (oversees the EpiPen 4 Schools Program), OSSE will coordinate the ordering of the epinephrine auto- injectors as needed, and support LEAs in meeting the requirements of the law.

OSSE is asking each LEA to utilize the QuickBase platform to comply with regulations and to access information about reporting and restocking EpiPens.

To comply with regulations, each LEA must:

1. Upload Undesignated Epinephrine Auto- Injector Plan
2. Upload at least two OSSE approved training certificates for each school’s certified employees or agents (each school is required to have at least two employees or agents)
3. Upload an order form for Epinephrine Auto-Injectors

For reporting and restocking, each LEA must:

1. Confirm receipt of undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors
2. Report use of the undesignated epinephrine auto-Injectors
3. Document method of disposal, and provide information for restocking of EpiPen
4. Update point of contact information

Q4. Does my school need a prescription before being able to receive the undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors?

OSSE is in receipt of a District-wide Standing Order which acts as a prescription for obtaining the undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors for all schools. LEAs will need to complete the order form for their schools and submit it directly to OSSE for processing. Individual schools are unable to use the District-wide Standing Order to obtain the undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors directly.

Q5. Will my two agents or employees receive training?

Yes, OSSE will provide a free online Undesignated Epinephrine Auto-Injector training, with 24/7 access and accompanying resources to assist schools in providing emergency assistance to students who are believed to be experiencing anaphylactic reactions. If schools meet the minimum of 15 required attendees, a free on-site, in- person training can be held on your school’s campus. OSSE will schedule additional in-person trainings for school employees and agents to attend.

Q6. Is there a fee associated with getting an epinephrine auto-Injector for my school?

Free UEAs are made available to LEAs who only services grades K- 12. Discounted UEAs are made available to LEAs who services pre- kindergarten and/or adults separately or in addition to servicing grades K-12. OSSE will cover the cost of the discounted UEAs. There is no fee for schools for any grades served. 

Q7.  Can individuals that are trained by the Department of Health’s Administration of Medication (AOM) Program serve as the two designated certified agent or employees for my school?

Yes, but they will need to complete OSSE’s Undesignated Epinephrine Auto-Injectors online or in- person training for 2016-17 school year in addition to the AOM training. School nurses that are staffed by Department of Health and serve as AOM designees are unable to serve as the two certified agent or employees during 2016-17 school year.  

Q8. Can my school nurse that is staffed by Department of Health serve as one of my two designated certified agents or employees?

No. LEAs will not able to use nurses staffed by Department of Health (DOH), however LEAs are able to have their private nurses that are funded directly from their schools budget serve as one of their two designated certified agents or employees for the 2016-17 school year.

Q9. My school has just administered an undesignated epinephrine auto-Injector on a student. What are the next steps? Where do I report the incident?

Immediately after the administration of an undesignated epinephrine auto-injector, 911 should be called. The discharged epinephrine auto- injector(s) should be placed back in the carrying case, and given to Emergency Medical Services upon arrival.

Following the administration of medication, the LEA should inform the parents or guardians of the involved student; informing them that medication was administered.

A LEA shall report within 24 hours of each incident that involves administration of undesignated epinephrine auto-injector(s) to OSSE using the QuickBase Platform.

Using QuickBase, LEAs must indicate:

1. Name of the staff person who administered the undesignated epinephrine auto-injector(s).
2. Date and time epinephrine auto-injector was administered
3. Location of where epinephrine auto-injector was used
4. Type of epinephrine auto-injector used (adult or junior)
5. Actions taken after epinephrine auto-injector was administered

Schools must also develop and maintain their own internal processes on how to report and document incidents related to the administration of UEAs.

Q10. Where do I get additional information about OSSE’s Undesignated Epinephrine Auto-Injector Program?

Additional information can be found on OSSE’s website.

Q11. Who do I contact if I have any questions or need technical assistance?

For any questions or concerns contact [email protected].

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Related Content: Access to Emergency Epinephrine in Schools Amendment Act of 2015