1. Why must I (we) sign an authorization form for release of health information about my (our) student-athlete?
Federal law, known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), prohibits health care providers and professionals in most situations from releasing any information about a person’s health status unless the person has signed an authorization form specifically permitting such release. If the person whose health information is being released is a minor, a parent or guardian must sign the authorization.
2. Why does the school need health information about my (our) student-athlete?
Such information is necessary to evaluate the student's eligibility to participate in organized sports programs sponsored by the school, or to participate in physical education classes.
3. What information about my (our) student-athlete will the school receive?
A student’s health information, which may be released pursuant to your signed authorization, includes: 1) records of physical examinations performed to determine the student's eligibility to participate in school sponsored activities; 2) the Pre-participation Evaluation form or other similar document required by the school prior to determining eligibility of the student to participate in classroom or other school sponsored activities; 3) records of the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of injuries which the student incurred while engaging in school sponsored activities, including practice sessions, training and competition; 4) and other records as necessary to determine the student's physical fitness to participate in classroom or school sponsored activities.
4. How will this information be used by the school?
The school needs the information to make decisions about the student's health and ability to participate in certain school sponsored and classroom activities, which require physical activity. The student’s health information will not be used for any other purpose unless you sign another authorization form permitting such additional use.
5. Can the school disclose this information to anyone outside the school system?
Once the school receives the student’s health information from the health care provider, that information becomes subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and further disclosures are limited by federal law. You can find out more about FERPA atwww.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html.
6. What if a parent refuses to sign the authorization?
In accordance with OHSAA rules, the school shall not allow the student to participate in interscholastic athletics.
7. How many times will this authorization need to be signed?
The authorization form is valid for the duration of the student’s enrollment in the school.
8. Can I revoke the authorization at any time?
Yes, but such revocation must be in writing and sent to the school principal or designee. Note that such revocation will only apply to uses of the student’s health information after the date of the revocation. When such revocation is received by the school administrator, the student-athlete will no longer be eligible for participation in interscholastic athletics.
9. For how long is a student's Preparticipation Physical Evaluation form valid?
In accordance with Bylaw 3-5-1, the Preparticipation Evaluation is required to be completed once every 13 months. However, there is one excpetion and it reads: If the preparticipation athletic evaluation is conducted between May 1 and June 1, the preparticipation evaluation, signed by the medical examiner, is valid for one calendar year plus the remainder of that current school year's spring sports season (i.e. through mid-June).