Advisory  Parent/guardian authorization to administer medication to a camper

Date:	03/29/2018
Referenced Sources:	105 CMR 430.00

CONTACTS: Steven F. Hughes, Director [phone], or David T. Williams, Senior Analyst [phone]

TO: Parent/Guardian

DATE: March 29, 2018

RE: Clarification of Recreational Camp document titled: Authorization to Administer Medication to a Camper (completed by parent/guardian)

If your child may require any medication during their time at camp,  Massachusetts regulations require the camp to follow certain procedures to ensure minimum safety requirements are met (105 CMR 430.000: Minimum Standards for Recreational Camps for Children (State Sanitary Code, Chapter IV)). The attached consent form gives the camp permission to store and administer medication to the camper by certain trained camp staff. The criteria below explain the requirements for those medications and the procedures the camp must follow. It is important for you to carefully review these criteria and discuss any specific questions with camp staff.

• If providing prescription medications for the camp to administer to your child, please complete the attached form “Authorization to Administer Medication to a Camper” completely.
  • Specify “NA” – Not Applicable, where appropriate. 
  • Be sure to sign the form.
     
• Medication that will be administered at camp must be provided by the parent/guardian to the camp in the original container(s) bearing the pharmacy label with the following information:
  • the date of filling
  • the pharmacy name and address
  • the filling pharmacist’s initials
  • the serial number of the prescription
  • the name of the patient
  • the name of  the prescribing practitioner
  • the name of the prescribed medication
  • directions for use and cautionary statements contained in such prescription or required by law
  • if tablets or capsules, the number in the container
  • All over-the-counter medications must be kept in the original containers containing the original label, which shall include the directions for use

• Medications must be stored at camp in a secure location.
   
• When camp session ends, all remaining medications must be returned to the parent or guardian whenever possible or destroyed.
   
• Prescription medication may only be administered by the camp’s Health Care Consultant (HCC) or designated Health Care Supervisor (HCS)¹
  • The Health Care Consultant is a licensed health care professional authorized to administer prescription medications, but may not be required to be on-site at all times
  • The Health Care Supervisor may or may not be a licensed health care professional authorized to administer prescription medications. If they are not a licensed health care professional, they must be trained by the Health Care Consultant and the administration of medications must be under the professional oversight of the Health Care Consultant. A Health Care Supervisor must be on-site at all times the camp is operating.
     
• If your child is insulin dependent, you may grant them permission to self-administer if you deem appropriate. The camp’s Health Care Consultant will also need to approve self-administration, and a    Health Care Supervisor will need to be present to oversee self-administration. There are boxes in the attached forms where you can confirm or deny this permission.
   
• If your child has an allergy requiring an epinephrine prescription (epinephrine auto injector):
  •  You may grant them permission to self-administer if you deem appropriate. The camp’s Health Care Consultant will also need to approve self-administration.
  • You may consent to trained employees, other than the HCC or HCS, administering the epinephrine auto injector during an emergency.
     
• Every camp must have a written policy for the administration of medications that identifies the individuals who will administer medications, as well as storage and record keeping procedures. You may ask the camp for a copy of their policy.

¹ There is an exception for epinephrine auto injectors, where other trained employees may administer with parent/guardian consent.