Schools should have protocols and procedures for: 

• Educating school personnel regarding symptoms and management of communicable diseases 
• Training for handling blood-borne pathogens (Required by OSHA) 
• Keeping children with signs of communicable disease at home and seeking appropriate treatment 
• Record-keeping regarding non-immunized children during outbreaks 
• Exclusion and follow-up of children who are not immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases or who have contracted a communicable disease. 
• Designating the school nurse (or other school official) as liaison with public health officials for the reporting of notifiable diseases and conditions. 

Maine CDC Communicable Disease School Health Resource 

• Most diseases, such as ringworm, impetigo, and scabies, must be handled locally and not reported to public health officials. The School Health page managed by the Maine CDC contains disease-specific information sheets that include symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and role of the school nurse, including prevention recommendations and links to more information. Questions and consults may be addressed to disease.reporting@maine.gov or 1-800-821-5821 

Communicable Disease Quick Guide for Schools and Childcare Centers 2023  (for printing, use 11x17 paper)

• Checklist for Suspected Outbreak 
• Norovirus Fact Sheet-CDC 
• School Closure Guidance 
• Template Letter for GI Illness 
• Sample Respiratory Illness Letter
• Considerations for Increased Illness in Schools

• Concussion Management Toolkit
• Concussion Awareness Now -  Collection of resources from the Brain Injury Association of America 

Staff who are in a position to provide first-aid to students are recommended to complete an approved first-aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course. 

Policies/procedures for a school AED should include: 

• Location of AED(s) and related equipment 
• Designation of who is responsible for the AED program and identification of the medical director 
• Process, schedule, and checklist for inspecting and maintaining equipment and supplies 
• Process of communication when AED is used 
• Record keeping when AED is used 
• Initial and periodic refresher training of staff 

Maine Emergency Medical Service (EMS) for Children 

CPR Training for Students

Maine Department of Education Rule Chapter 41  requires public schools to offer training to students on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Certification for students is not required in CPR or AED use; however, a certification course would meet the requirement. Contact a local CPR trainer or visit the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross website.

Maine DOE Notice for Updated Chapter 41, March 24, 2024

Stop the Bleed^R

Maine Department of Education is proud to be an Educational Licensee of Stop the Bleed^R. Join the growing number of people who are trained. In under one hour, you can learn to save the life of a friend, a family member, a colleague or someone you don’t know! If you are a Maine school interested in having your staff trained, email us at DOESchoolandStudentSupports@Maine.gov.

Visit stopthebleedcoalition.org to find out more. 

• Anyone Can Save A Life is a first-of-its-kind emergency action program for after-school practices and events. It is designed to save lives from emergencies, including sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a leading cause of death among adults and student athletes nationwide. 
• Emergency Action Plan Checklist     
• Fainting Protocol 
• Emergency Medications Toolkit from NASN 

Life-threatening Allergy Protocol is required for all schools which must be available on the governing body's publicly accessible website or the publicly accessible website of each school under the governing body's jurisdiction or, if those websites do not exist, make the protocol publicly available through other means as determined by the governing body.  
Life-Threatening Allergy Protocol Sample 

American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology: Stock Epinephrine Toolkit for Schools

Collaborative Practice Agreement (Optional) This agreement directs trained unlicensed school staff to “administer an epinephrine auto-injector in good faith to any student experiencing anaphylaxis during school or a school-sponsored activity.” This agreement will be in force for twelve months and must be renewed annually.  

Sample Collaborative Practice Agreement [Includes both Naloxone and Epinephrine] (PDF) (Word) 

• Epinephrine Standing Order Sample   
• Food Allergy Action Plan  
• Student Self-Carry Assessment 

Training materials that can be used by school nurses

• Clinical Conversations/Skills Training from NASN 
• Anaphylaxis Management Training  Pre-Test  Post-Test 

Schools may utilize programs to assist in supplying a stock of Epinephrine: 

• EpiPen4Schools 
• Convenient MD Walk-In Clinics

As directed by the 130th Maine legislature, the Department provides these guidelines and resources for schools that choose to stock emergency medication for a suspected opioid overdose on school grounds.  As directed by 131st Maine Legislature, Public Law 2023, Chapter 460 all public schools are required to offer training to secondary students in the administration of naloxone hydrochloride in nasal spray form. Resources to assist schools in both stocking naloxone and offering training to students and staff are included here. Maine DOE Notice for Updated Chapter 41, March 24, 2024 

Chapter 41 Adopted Language

• Sample Naloxone Policy (docx) 
• Nasal Spray Naloxone Administration Protocol  
• Sample Collaborative Practice Agreement [Includes both Naloxone and Epinephrine] (PDF) (Word) 
• Training from the American Heart Association 

Procurement  

• Schools in Maine can work with the Maine Naloxone Distribution Initiative to access naloxone free of charge. Schools interested are instructed to fill out the Tier 2 Request Form or reach out to the Tier 1 Distributor in your area.  

Training

• US CDC Naloxone Training offered as a full module or as separate mini-modules
• American Heart Association Opioid Education 
• American Red Cross Opioid Signs and Symptoms of an Overdose (YouTube)
• National Harm Reduction Coalition Opioid Overdose Basics Training Guide

Other Resources 

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Opioid Overdose Learn the warning signs of opioid overdose and how naloxone and medications for OUD treatment can help treat and prevent it.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse NIH Naloxone Facts 
• Naloxone Quick Facts for Schools - University of Maine, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center 
• Naloxone In Schools Toolkit National Association of School Nurses 
• National Harm Reduction Coalition - Harm Reduction Truth (YouTube) 
• Resources from Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS): Preparing for Opioid-Related Emergencies for K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education 

• Maine School Safety Center Emergency Management 
• Online Courses School Emergency Planning: Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center  
• National Pandemic Strategy from U.S. CDC  
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Training