I was told in my child’s 504 meeting today at his school that he no longer meets eligibility requirements for a 504 because of changes in the law and that all he needs is an Individualized Health Plan. I want to know if he is still protected with this IHP. It is a one-page document with signs and symptoms of hyper- and hypoglycemia similar to the emergency sheets we give to teachers at the beginning of each year. The school administrator told me I could add anything I wanted to the document to protect my child. I maintain that he is still eligible for the 504. Do you have any information?

There have not been recent changes to Section 504 and I urge all parents to initiate the process for putting a Section 504 Plan (or IEP if applicable) in place BEFORE the next school year. The IHP is a nursing care plan used to implement a physician’s order or a physician approved health care plan – period! It is not a legal document in the sense that it is not an agreement between parent and school that requires related services and aids be provided to the child. And, developing a 504 plan is not just about the plan; rather, it represents a process by which a student with a disability (such as diabetes) has been determined by an evaluation team of knowledgeable school staff, diagnosticians, and parent to be eligible for services. Although a 504 plan should first and foremost be a pro-active document, a 504 plan provides recourse and a method of resolution for non-compliance with the plan or for when things just are not going well.

CJ