Childcare & School Policies and Guidance
Verified federal, state, and professional guidance for managing food allergies, asthma, and anaphylaxis in childcare and school settings
Federal Agency Guidance
Official guidance from CDC, USDA, EPA, NIH, and the Department of Education
CDC Healthy Schools: Food Allergies Overview
CDC overview page with resources and guidance on food allergies in schools and early care settings.
Protecting Students with Disabilities: Section 504 and Food Allergies
Federal guidance on how Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act applies to students with food allergies and asthma in schools.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools
EPA framework for improving indoor air quality in schools to reduce asthma triggers and improve respiratory health.
Managing Asthma in the School Environment
EPA guidance on managing asthma triggers in school environments, including indoor and outdoor air quality management.
Strategies for Addressing Asthma in Schools
CDC strategies for schools to help students manage asthma, including asthma action plans, medication access, and indoor air quality.
Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in School Nutrition Programs
USDA guidance on accommodating children with food allergies and special dietary needs in federally funded school meal programs.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Meal Patterns
USDA CACFP meal pattern requirements and guidance on accommodating food allergies in childcare and early care settings.
Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs
Comprehensive federal guidelines for managing food allergies in schools and early care programs, covering identification, epinephrine access, and emergency response planning.
CDC — Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies (Schools, Early Care, OST & Camps)
CDC voluntary guidelines for managing food allergies in schools and education programs, widely used as a best-practice baseline by camps and out-of-school-time programs.
Professional Organization Guidelines
Clinical and school health guidelines from medical and nursing organizations
Caring for Child Health in Out-of-School Time & Camp Settings (AAP)
AAP guidance on health, safety, and inclusion in out-of-school time (OST) and camp programs, including accommodations for children with chronic illnesses.
Asthma in Schools: Tools and Resources
AAFA resources for creating asthma-friendly schools, including action plans and staff education materials.
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management in the School Setting
NASN clinical guidelines for school nurses managing food allergies and anaphylaxis in school settings.
Asthma Management in the School Setting
NASN position statement on the role of the school nurse in managing student asthma.
Guidelines for Food Allergy Management in Schools and Preschools
AAP clinical report on food allergy management in schools and early education settings.
2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines
NHLBI clinical practice guidelines for asthma diagnosis and management, relevant to school nurses and healthcare providers.
Improving Health and Safety at Camp (AAP Policy Statement)
AAP policy statement with recommendations for health appraisal and preparation of youth before day, resident, or family camps, including stocking unassigned epinephrine.
Model Policies & Best Practices
Model policies, frameworks, and best practice recommendations
ACA Accreditation Standards — Camp Health, Safety & Risk Management
The American Camp Association is the only national accrediting body for camps; its accreditation standards cover health, safety, and risk management including medication management and emergency response.
YMCA of the USA — Child Protection & Program Safety Standards
YMCA of the USA's national child-protection and program-safety framework for YMCA camps, child care, and afterschool programs; medication and allergy policies are set by each local branch following state law.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America — National Safety Policies and Actions
BGCA's national safety framework requiring background checks, mandatory reporting, board-led safety committees, and annual safety assessments at every local Club; health and medication policies are managed locally.
School Health Resources for Asthma and Allergies
Comprehensive school health resources including guidelines, downloads, and training materials for managing allergies and asthma at school.
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan
FARE's model emergency care plan template for students with food allergies, designed for use by schools and childcare programs.
Epinephrine at Camp (Alliance for Camp Health Practice Guideline)
Alliance for Camp Health practice guideline on epinephrine access and anaphylaxis preparedness at summer camps.
Epinephrine Auto-Injectors: Accessibility Laws and Camps (State-by-State)
ACA-maintained state-by-state list of laws allowing camps and authorized entities to obtain and administer emergency stock epinephrine; 32 states currently permit this.
AAP Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan (Fill-in Form)
AAP's fill-in Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan for use in schools, camps, and youth programs; completed by a physician and shared with program staff.
State-Level Guidance
State Department of Education and health department guidance documents
FAQs - Epinephrine (NYS Center for School Health)
New York State Center for School Health FAQs on epinephrine use in schools, covering administration, training, storage, and reporting.
State Compliance Dashboard
States with enacted legislation for food allergy, asthma, anaphylaxis, and stock epinephrine in childcare and school settings
33
Food Allergy
35
Asthma
28
Anaphylaxis
53
Stock Epinephrine
Related Legislative Resources
These guidance documents complement state-level legislation. For enacted laws and pending bills in childcare and school settings, explore:
While we strive for accuracy, information may change over time. Always double-check and verify against official sources before relying on it.