An Act To Improve Health Services to Schools
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6402-A, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 258, §2, is amended to read:
§ 6402-A. School health advisor
Each school board shall appoint one or more school physicians or family or pediatric nurse practitioners to act as school health advisor.
1. Duties. The school physician health advisor shall advise the administrative unit on school health issues, policies and practices and may also perform any other health-related functions assigned by the board.
2. Other functions. A school physician health advisor may perform other medical and health-related duties assigned by the school board , which may include all or some of the following:
A. Examine and diagnose students referred by teachers and other school employees to protect against the outbreak of contagious diseases in the schools;
B. Examine students for participation in physical education and athletic activities;
C. Advise and serve as medical consultant to the school nurse; or
D. Examine school employees and property if the physician school health advisor believes it is necessary to protect the health of students.
3. Prohibition. A school physician health advisor may not treat any student examined under this subchapter unless the physician school health advisor is also the student's personal physician health care provider. A school health advisor that advises a school board pursuant to subsection 1 or performs other functions under subsection 2 may not act outside the scope of practice of the physician or nurse practitioner who functions as a school health advisor as established by law or rule of the applicable licensing board.
4. Appointment. Appointment shall be is on a yearly basis.
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 126th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.