PDH – Memo Informs LEAs of New Laws for Type 1 Diabetes and Tick Removal (January 13, 2025)

On January 10, 2025, the PA Department of Health (PDH) Division of School Health has sent a memo to make all LEAs aware of several recent changes made to the PA School Code pertaining to student health initiatives. Act 117 of 2024 requires all school entities, including school districts, area career and technical schools, charter schools, regional charter schools, cyber charter schools, and intermediate units, and nonpublic schools to share Type 1 Diabetes educational materials with parents and guardians of students either in writing, electronically, or on the school entity or nonpublic school’s publicly accessible internet website. The attached Type 1 Diabetes educational materials must be made available beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. The materials are also available on the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website at this link: Act 117 – Parental Education of Type 1 Diabetes | Department of Health | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Additionally, Act 120 of 2024 established a new protocol for tick removal from students. This protocol must be implemented in all public school entities including school districts, intermediate units, charter schools, cyber charter schools, regional charter schools and area career and technical schools as soon as possible. Please see the attached guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which is also available online at this link:  Act 120 Tick Legislation Guidance for School Nurses

Documents and information can also be accessed on the PAPSA website by clicking on the items below or visiting the “Resources” drop-down and selecting “Downloads.”

School Health Room Tick Removal Flyer
Act Act 117 of 2024 – Type 1 Diabetes Educational Materials to be Shared with Parents and Guardians
Diabetes Parent Fact Sheet
Act 120 of 2024 Establishes a New Protocol that Must be Used for Tick Removal
Tick Legislation Guidance for School Nurses

Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden administration’s Title IX Rule Nationwide (January 12, 2025)

On Thursday, January 9, 2025 a federal judge struck down the Biden administration’s Title IX rule nationwide, declaring that the regulations violated the U.S. Constitution. The rule, released last April, offered protections for the first time for LGBTQI+ students and employees at federally funded schools and colleges by prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. However, the rule quickly drew legal challenges and Courts blocked the regulations in at least 26 states.

On Friday, January 10th, U.S. Secretary Miguel Cardona told K-12 Dive that he was disappointed by the ruling by saying, “We really pushed for better protection on college campuses for victims of sexual violence, and we have some judge out of Tennessee — who’s probably looking to make a name for themselves — blocking it for the whole country.” The rule “was going to make sure that all students were respected and honored. I think we’re taking steps backwards when we are lessening protections for students.”

The January 9th decision effectively vacates regulations altogether, which had enshrined protections for the first time for LGBTQI+ students and employees.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

School Shootings in 2024 Show Slight Decline from a Record-breaking 2023 (January 11, 2025)

According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, the number of school shootings in 2024 (a total of 330) showed a bit of a decline from 2023, which saw an all-time high of 349 incidents.

Sadly, the database also revealed that the highest number of annual school shootings over the past six decades came in 2021-2024, despite increased security efforts in schools that include installing cameras and weapons detection systems and providing resources to help address student emotional and mental well-being.

The database defines school shootings as any time a gun is fired or brandished with intent or when a bullet hits school property, regardless of the number of victims, time, day, or reason.

If the current trend continues, it is predicted that approximately 30 school shootings could occur in January 2025.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

Congress Extends Autism CARES Act for 5 More Years (January 11, 2025)

The Autism CARES Act is a federal law that for the next five years will provide nearly $2 billion for research, training and services, including for early detection and interventions.

-The newly signed federal law calls on federal agencies to update a report on the challenges faced by youth with autism when transitioning from school-based services into adulthood.

-The mandated report is required by the reauthorized Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act, or the Autism CARES Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in December after passage with bipartisan support in Congress. The law authorizes nearly $2 billion for autism research and training programs in fiscal years 2025-2029.

-About 13% of students with disabilities were identified with autism during the 2022-23 school year. That’s an increase of 8 percentage points from the 2008-09 school year, when about 5% of students participating in special education services were identified with autism, according to the U.S. Department of Education. 

For more details from K-12 Dive click here.

DHS Highlights Research, Resources on Trauma-Informed Training to Improve Community Safety for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, Autism (January 10, 2025)

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) today released the latest issue of the Positive Approaches Journal, which aims to provide the most recent research for people with mental and behavioral health challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities to help them live an everyday life. This edition focuses on the importance of trauma-informed training so that interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism can be de-escalated and handled safely for all involved. 

“DHS works to ensure that Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism have the services and supports they need, but we also want to make sure that all Pennsylvanians have these resources,” said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. â€œWe know that there is no one way to approach a law enforcement interaction but it is our hope that the research in this edition of the Positive Approaches Journal can help law enforcement, as well as individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism and their families, find the resources they need to improve their everyday lives.”

In June 2024, informed by conversations with individuals with autism and their families, the Pennsylvania State Police created a card that can be carried by people with autism and presented during any encounter with law enforcement to ensure the interaction is as safe and productive as possible. PSP’s Office of Community Engagement developed the informational card, which is available on the Safety Resources page of PSP’s website. Individuals may print the card from the website and carry it in a wallet, or they can choose to save it on their phone.

“Trauma-informed training and resources like this are critical in fostering safer and more effective interactions between law enforcement and individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “When officers are aware of and prepared for the unique needs of these individuals, they can respond in ways that promote safety and reduce the risk of misunderstandings.”

The Shapiro Administration believes that every Pennsylvanian with intellectual disabilities and autism deserves to receive the supports they need to achieve an everyday life with dignity and opportunity to pursue their goals and live, work, and recreate among their families and peers. Life-changing investments in Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2024-25 budget secured historic increases in funding for home and community-based services for Pennsylvanians with intellectual disability and autism (ID/A) as well as increases in rates for the providers responsible for essential care and support of these individuals every day.

This edition of the Positive Approaches Journal features research and articles on the following:

  • Data Discoveries investigates encounters between the justice system and individuals with autism and outlines how interactions can be prevented or deescalated and can result in more equitable outcomes. 
  • How WE Can Keep Our Autistic Loved Ones Safer details trainings and provides case studies for both law enforcement and individuals with autism and their loved ones to help have safer interactions with law enforcement.
  • Police Department Mental Health Liaison Program details the successes of a pilot program in Lehigh County to assess the needs of individuals who engage with the police and refer them to the appropriate service providers. 
  • Aid in PA: Resources for Emergency Preparedness demonstrates the Aid in PA website, which was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a source for accurate emergency information and resources for Pennsylvanians who are autistic and/or have an intellectual/developmental disability (IDD).
  • Pennsylvania Crisis Intervention Teams: Enhancing Police Responses to Mental Health Crises details the development of Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs) in police departments across the Commonwealth to respond appropriately to behavioral health crises.
  • THE POINT: Empowering Youth outlines an organization that provides an after-school community center, on-campus support and mentoring, and a program to support students in juvenile detention.

The journal is a collaboration of DHS’ Office of Developmental Programs and Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. It collects resources, observations, and advancements in mental and behavioral health in order to better serve people in their communities.

Read this edition of the Positive Approaches Journal.

For more information visit www.dhs.pa.gov.