Virginia School Diabetes Care Legislation - Diabetes and School Care in Virginia

Virginia School Diabetes Care Legislation
Beginning with the 1999-2000 school year, students with diabetes attending public schools in Virginia are now afforded greater protection due to the passage of Senate Bill 88 School System.

The law, which took effect July 1, 1999, requires all Virginia public schools attended by a student with diabetes to have employees who have been trained by a licensed medical professional to administer glucagon and insulin. Schools with an instructional and administrative staff of ten or more people must have two such full time employees; smaller schools are required to have at least one trained employee. Training guidelines issued by the Virginia Board of Nursing require all Virginia school districts to provide designated staff members with a four-hour diabetes training workshop conducted by a diabetes health care professional. View the text of the Virginia legislation.

This new law, which provides important protections for children with diabetes, came about as a result of lobbying efforts by parents in Loudoun County, Virginia, and the American Diabetes Association. Families of children with diabetes should confirm that the laws and policies in their state and school district meet the needs of their children. In the event that laws and policies do not afford the child with the needed protections, families should consider contacting school policy makers and/or legislators to change the rules at either a local, statewide or national level.

For additional help, call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) and ask for your state ADA contact for discrimination matters.