In accordance with Senate Bill 12 (SB 12), parental consent for certain, school-provided healthcare services must be given via a health consent form. However, not all parents have submitted the form which can lead to some delays at the school’s health clinic.

Some healthcare services, like administering medication, checking students’ blood sugar, and administering a G-tube feeding, have always required parental consent. Now, the services needing consent have expanded, but it’s a quick process according to at least one parent. 

“It was electronic—online,” parent Vinod Thomas said. “I had to sign in through the guardian login and then it showed my two kids. I had to put the student ID in and give consent that I agree for the school to provide physical and mental health services.”

Some services that require consent include routine screenings (vision, hearing), medication access, medical treatment beyond basic first-aid, and mental health counseling.

Regardless of parents’ decisions to opt-out or not, student safety is the top priority and appropriate healthcare will be administered to students in emergency situations. 

“Some emergency examples include CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and administration of Narcan and epinephrine,” McDavid said. “Parents can choose to consent or not consent to health care services. This includes administering ice, heat, Benadryl cream for bug bites and itching, applying Band-Aids, bandages, ace wraps and tape, eye drops, contact lens care, conducting hearing and vision screenings, and even giving out crackers.”

Filling out another form doesn’t take too much time, but ensuring their child’s medical needs are addressed is important to Thomas.

“If [a situation] is time sensitive and health care is required, I didn’t want it not to be provided on time while [they’re] trying to get a hold of the parents, calling them on the spot and asking is this okay,” Thomas said. “[I want them to] provide the necessary care, as much as is required, right on the spot.”