Policy committee moves medication and allergy policy updates to full board, adds nasal-spray epinephrine language

The Norwalk Board of Education policy committee on Dec. 10 voted to send edits to two student-health policies to the full board, including language to allow a newly approved nasal-spray form of epinephrine in schools and to rename state-linked programs previously labeled "school readiness."

Committee Chair (speaker 2) opened the meeting and identified the evening's presenters before asking members to consider revisions to Policy 5,001 (administration of student medications) and Policy 5,009 (management plan and guidelines for students with food allergies, glycogen storage disease and/or diabetes). Jennifer Rawlinson, who presented the revisions, told the committee the change from "school readiness" to "Early Start CT" reflects a statewide name change and should be reflected in policy so staff and delegated personnel in those programs are explicitly included in medication-administration provisions.

Rawlinson also described a new, FDA-approved nasal-spray formulation of epinephrine that the transcript refers to variously as "Nephi" or "Neffy." She said the Connecticut State Department of Education and Public Act 25-143 expanded language around epinephrine delivery and administration in schools, and recommended inserting the term "nasal spray" alongside existing references to "cartridge injector" throughout the policies so school nurses and trained staff can use either delivery method. "Having a needle free, noninvasive option, is really remarkable," Rawlinson said, adding that training is easier for non-nurses and shelf life is several years.

Rawlinson told the committee the district established a relationship with the supplier's school program and obtained an initial supply of the nasal doses at no cost. She said the shipment arrived Nov. 7, seven days after the request, which she contrasted with a typical 4-to-6-month lead time for donated supplies. The transcript records Rawlinson estimating a cost savings of about $26,000 for the nasal units; she also said EpiPens have been obtained at no cost historically ("which is also about 35,000" in the transcript). The district's medical adviser, identified in the transcript as Dr. Weinberger, reportedly created and supported a standing order allowing nurses to administer the epinephrine formulations.

Committee members asked about training and storage. Rawlinson said nurses have been trained and that the district will train additional staff; she noted the nasal sprays and naloxone (Narcan) are stored separately and should not be confused. Rawlinson and others emphasized the district wants policy language updated promptly because the district's current 0.3 mg EpiPens expire at the end of the month and replenishing with cartridge injectors could require a purchase. She urged approval before Dec. 31 so the district can continue to receive the supplied nasal doses.

The chair asked for a motion to move the revised Policy 5,001 and Policy 5,009 to the full board; a motion was made and the chair said both items will go forward (the transcript does not record a roll-call vote or the mover's name beyond "So moved"). The committee then adjourned.

The committee's action was procedural: it referred wording changes and definitions to the full board for final consideration rather than adopting a permanent change at the committee level. The transcript contains several spellings and program names for the nasal product and supplier; the article uses neutral phrasing ("nasal-spray epinephrine") when identifying the medication and notes the transcript's_variant names where helpful.