Pupil health: emergency stock albuterol inhalers

Childcare sites operated by or contracted with local educational agencies can keep and use stock albuterol for breathing emergencies. The law also broadens the supply chain through which educational agencies may obtain inhalers.

What the law does ​

• Allows local educational agencies to provide emergency stock albuterol inhalers and disposable holding chambers to qualifying childcare programs.
• Allows trained volunteer employees at those childcare programs to administer stock albuterol to people experiencing, or reasonably believed to be experiencing, respiratory distress.
• Authorizes pharmacies to furnish stock albuterol inhalers to local educational agencies under a written order from an authorized prescriber.
• Permits prescriptions for stock inhalers to be filled by wholesalers and distributors, in addition to pharmacies and manufacturers.
• Requires an inhaler used in an emergency to be restocked as soon as reasonably possible and no later than two weeks after use.
• Updates responsibility for statewide training standards from the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the Education Commissioner.

Who it affects ​

• School districts, county offices of education, and charter schools that choose to maintain emergency stock albuterol.
• Childcare programs operated by or under contract with those local educational agencies.
• School nurses and trained volunteer employees who administer emergency stock albuterol.
• Pharmacies, manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors that supply stock albuterol inhalers.

Context ​

Covered childcare programs include state- or federally subsidized programs operated by or contracted with a local educational agency, such as California State Preschool and Head Start programs.