Law
Requirements for Public, Charter, and Accredited Nonpublic Schools
Venue Specific Emergency Action Plans for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and External Automated Defibrillator (AED)
Per IC 20-34-8-9, all public, charter, and accredited nonpublic schools must:
- Develop a Venue Specific Emergency Action Plan for SCA that:
- Includes detailed instructions regarding how to respond to a SCA that includes elements recommended by the American Heart Association, Heart Safe Schools Program (Project Adam), or other nationally recognized evidence-based programs
- Indicates the location of the nearest AED at the venue
- Share the Plan with each head coach, assistant coach, and marching band, drama, and musical leaders
- Share the Plan with students, before the beginning of the season for each athletic, band, drama, or musical event
Resources
If schools need local assistance developing a Venue Specific Emergency Action Plan, including the placement of AEDs, the following entities may be contacted:
- Local EMS Department
- American Heart Association - Indiana CERP School Implementation Resource Guide – document containing numerous resources, links, list of contacts, and funding options
- Project ADAM – schools may send their questions and/or requests for assistance to projectadam@iuhealth.org
- Parent Heart Watch – schools may send their questions and/or requests for assistance to contact@parentheartwatch.org
- EMS District Managers – schools may reach out to their EMS District Managers as a supplemental resource to their local EMS Department
Websites to assist schools with developing a Venue Specific Emergency Action Plan:
- American Heart Association – website containing cardiac emergency response plans, protocols, and an implementation guide
- Project ADAM – website containing sample signage, checklists, policy statements, response plans, and drills for developing a School AED Program
- Parent Heart Watch – website containing cardiac emergency response plans and resources
Requirements for Coaches, Band, Drama, and Music Leaders
Training Requirements
Per IC 20-34-8-9, head coaches, assistant coaches for interscholastic sports (including cheerleading), and band, drama, and music leaders are required to complete SCA and AED training. School personnel may choose either an online or in-person option for meeting this requirement.
Online Option (coach or leader must complete both the SCA course and view the AED video) (no cost)
In-Person Option (coach or leader must complete CPR/AED certification) (cost at discretion of provider)
AED Requirements
Per IC 20-34-8-9, head coaches, assistant coaches for interscholastic sports (including cheerleading), and band, drama, and music leaders must:
- Ensure an operational AED is present at the venue for each event (athletic activity, cheerleading, marching band, drama, and musical) in which the coach or leader is providing coaching or leadership for students
- Inform all adults who are coaching or providing leadership at an event the location of an AED
Requirements for Coaches and Band Leaders
Information Sheets
Per IC 20-34-8-5, public, charter, and accredited nonpublic schools must distribute fact sheets to inform and educate coaches, marching band leaders, applicable students and their parents of the nature and risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Per IC 20-34-8-6, each year, before beginning practice for an athletic or band activity, an applicable student and their parent must be given an information sheet, and both the student and the parent must sign and return a form acknowledging receipt of the information to the student’s coach or band leader.
Schools should develop a policy regarding distribution of these forms through printed or electronic means, obtaining electronic or written signatures, and the process for monitoring the completion and returning of forms.
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest Fact Sheet for Students
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest Fact Sheet for Parents
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest Parent and Student Acknowledgement and Signature Form
Return to Participation Protocols
Per IC 20-34-8-7 and 8, if an applicable student is suspected of experiencing a symptom of sudden cardiac arrest in a practice or game, the student shall be removed from practice or play, and the parent shall be notified of the student’s symptoms. The student may not return to practice or play until the coach, marching band leader, or other official designated by the school has provided the student’s parent with the fact sheet regarding sudden cardiac arrest and received verbal permission from a parent for the student to return to practice or play. Within twenty-four hours after giving verbal permission, the parent must provide a statement giving written permission for the student to return to practice or play.
Schools should develop return to participation protocols for students exhibiting symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. Once schools develop these protocols, the following sample forms may be used.
- Sample Suspected Sudden Cardiac Arrest Symptoms Documentation Sheet for Schools
- Sample Sudden Cardiac Arrest Release to Play Form for Parents
AED Grant Funding
A school corporation, a charter school, a state accredited nonpublic school or an accredited nonpublic school (as defined in IC 10-21-1-1) may apply for a grant under IC 10-21-1-2(a)(1)(C)(viii) to purchase an automated external defibrillator (AED) once the school corporation, charter school, state accredited nonpublic school or accredited nonpublic school develops a Venue Specific Emergency Action Plan for SCA.