Comprehensive Health Screening for Grades K-1
The parent/guardian of a student in kindergarten or first grade shall submit to the Superintendent or designee a certification form developed by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and signed by the student's health examiner certifying that the student has completed a comprehensive health screening within 18 months prior to entry into first grade or within 90 days thereafter. (Health and Safety Code 124040, 124085)
(cf. 5111 - Admission)
(cf. 5141.3 - Health Examinations)
(cf. 6173 - Education for Homeless Children)
(cf. 6173.1 - Education for Foster Youth)
(cf. 6173.2 - Education of Children of Military Families)
(cf. 6173.3 - Education for Juvenile Court School Students)
The Superintendent or designee shall notify parents/guardians of all kindergarten students of the requirement to obtain a health screening and of the availability of the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) program established pursuant to Health and Safety Code 124025-124110 to assist eligible low-income families in obtaining the health screening. (Health and Safety Code 124100)
(cf. 5145.6 - Parental Notifications)
The notice and certification form shall be included with the notification of immunization requirements provided to parents/guardians prior to their child's enrollment in kindergarten and shall encourage completion of the health screening simultaneously with immunizations. The notice shall also be provided to the parent/guardian of any student who is enrolling in first grade without having attended kindergarten in the district.
(cf. 5141.31 - Immunizations)
In lieu of the certification, the parent/guardian may submit a waiver on a form developed by DHCS indicating that he/she does not want or is unable to obtain a health screening. If the waiver indicates that the parent/guardian was unable to obtain the services, the reasons should be included in the waiver. (Health and Safety Code 124085)
The waiver form shall be provided to a parent/guardian upon request.
The completed certification form or the waiver shall be maintained in the student's health file or cumulative record. (5 CCR 432)
(cf. 5125 - Student Records)
During the first 90 days of the school year, the Superintendent or designee may contact any parent/guardian of a first-grade student who has not provided either the certification form or the waiver to ensure that the parent/guardian understands the health screening requirement and, if appropriate, his/her possible eligibility for the CHDP program.
The Superintendent or designee shall exclude from school, for not more than five school days, any first-grade student who does not present evidence of a health screening or a waiver on or before the 90th day after entering first grade. The exclusion shall begin on the 91st day after the student's entrance into the first grade, or if school is not in session, then on the next succeeding school day. (Health and Safety Code 124105)
The Superintendent or designee may exempt a student from exclusion when his/her parents/guardians have been contacted at least twice between the first day and the 90th day after the student's enrollment in first grade and the parents/guardians refuse to provide either a certification form or a waiver. (Health and Safety Code 124105)
(cf. 5112.2 - Exclusions from Attendance)
Oral Health Assessment for Grades K-1
No later than May 31 of the school year, the parent/guardian of any kindergarten student or of any first-grade student who was not previously enrolled in a public school shall certify that the student has received an oral health assessment. The oral health assessment shall have been performed by a licensed dentist or other authorized dental health professional no earlier than 12 months prior to the date of the student's initial enrollment. (Education Code 49452.8)
The Superintendent or designee shall notify parents/guardians of students in grades K-1 of the oral health assessment requirement. The notification shall, at a minimum, consist of a letter that includes all of the following: (Education Code 49452.8)
1. An explanation of the administrative requirements of the law
2. Information on the importance of primary teeth
3. Information on the importance of oral health to overall health and to learning
4. A toll-free telephone number to request an application for Medi-Cal or other government-subsidized health insurance programs
5. Contact information for county public health departments
6. A statement of privacy applicable under state and federal laws and regulations
The notification, along with a copy of the certification form developed by the California Department of Education, shall be provided to parents/guardians when they register their child for school.
Following completion of the assessment, the parent/guardian shall submit to the Superintendent or designee a completed certification form which has been signed by the dental health professional.
A parent/guardian may be excused from complying with the oral health assessment requirements if he/she indicates on the certification form that the assessment could not be completed for any of the following reasons: (Education Code 49452.8)
1. Completion of an assessment poses an undue financial burden on the parent/guardian.
2. The parent/guardian lacks access to a licensed dentist or other dental health professional.
3. The parent/guardian does not consent to an assessment.
If the district hosts a free oral health assessment event at which licensed dentists or other licensed dental health professionals perform school site assessments of students enrolled in the school, any student who has not had an oral health assessment shall be given an assessment unless his/her parent/guardian has indicated on the certification form that he/she does not consent to the student receiving an assessment. However, a student shall not receive dental treatment of any kind without his/her parent/guardian's informed consent for the treatment. (Education Code 49452.8)
Students who are not assessed, or for whom the parents/guardians fail to return the certification form, shall not be excluded from school attendance.
By July 1 of each year, the Superintendent or designee shall report data on oral health assessments to the state dental director and/or the county office of education in accordance with Education Code 49452.8.
The report shall also be provided to the Board of Trustees. The identity of any student shall not be included in the report.
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
48985 Notice to parents in language other than English
49060-49079 Student records
49452.8 Oral health assessment
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
104395 Child Health and Disability Prevention Program expansion
124025-124110 Child Health and Disability Prevention Program, especially:
124085 Certificate documenting health screening and evaluation services; waiver by parent/guardian
124100 Distribution of program information to parents/guardians of kindergarten children
124105 Exclusions and exemption; legislative intent of notification contents
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
432 Student records
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 17
6800-6874 Child Health and Disability Prevention Program
Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES PUBLICATIONS
Child Health & Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program: Oral Health Educational Resources for Children and Teens (6-20 years), rev. July 2013
CHDP School Handbook: School Entry Health Examination Requirements, rev. January 2006
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Dental Association: http://www.cda.org
California Department of Education, Health Services: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn
California Department of Health Care Services, Child Health and Disability Prevention Program: http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/chdp
California Healthy Kids Resource Center: https://www.ccrcca.org/resources/family-resource-directory/item/california-healthy-kids-resource-center
Regulation SOUTHERN TRINITY JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved: August 21, 2018 Mad River, California