Health and Wellness

Dear Parents or Guardians,

The mission of the Webster Postsecondary Program at St. John Fisher University is to develop skills to support the young adults’ transition to living as independently as possible in their community.  To ensure the safety of these young adults, we are asking that if they have a prescription for one of the medications listed below that they carry the medications while at school.  By doing so, this will help teach them the importance of their health and safety while out in the community.  To be able to carry these medications at school, New York State law allows students with respiratory(breathing) conditions, allergies, and/or diabetes the right to independently carry and use their inhaled respiratory rescue medications; epinephrine auto-injectors; and insulin, glucagon, and related diabetes supplies if the following is provided to the school:

1. written permission from the parent/guardian; and

2. written provider order with an attestation stating both the diagnosis, and that the student has demonstrated they can effectively administer the medication(s).

Independent carry and use of medications means that your child will take their own medicine without any help.  The program may not know if your child takes their medicine independently. If you want your child to independently carry and use the medication during the school day or at school sponsored events, you will need to ask their health care provider to put in writing that your child can self carry and self administer their medication. If a medication order is received without this information, we may ask you to have your provider clarify the order with the required information if it is not on the medication order you bring to school. Medication must be the original pharmacy container. All over-the-counter medication must be brought in the original container.

It is the expectation of this program that if your child does have a medication order for an inhaler, epipen, or diabetes that these medications be available daily and for all community activities. If a student does not have their medication with them and there is a community activity the parent/guardian will be contacted and asked to drop off the medication or the student may not be able to participate.

After review by our medical director, students with other health conditions who need medications quickly during the school day or at school sponsored events may also be given permission to independently carry and use their medications if they provide the same written notes. Examples of these medications may be over the counter medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 585-670-5208 or e-mail me at amanda_porter@webstercsd.org .

Sincerely,

Amanda Porter 

WCSD Flex Nurse 

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Students experiencing illness should stay home from the SJF campus. Students with a fever greater than 100° need to stay home and not attend campus until they are fever-free without fever-reducing medication and have significant improvement of symptoms. If a student has a cough, the cough should be manageable. Persistent coughs should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. 

In addition, students experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, (fever, loss of taste or smell, persistent cough or headaches, sore throat, nasal congestion, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea), should test negative for COVID-19 before returning to campus.

There are no nurses available to students on the SJF campus. If a student becomes sick throughout the day a parent or guardian will be notified and asked to come and pick up the student for the remainder of the day. The student should not return to SJF campus until symptoms are improved and they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications. 

If your child requires over the counter medications you can complete the attached form. This form will need to be completed by your child's doctor.