The Riverview School District is excited to announce a new partnership with CarePoint Clinic in Fall City, allowing all school nurses to soon have access to stock epinephrine in each of our school buildings.
Launched in 2016 in the Family Life Center on the Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church campus, CarePoint offers free healthcare to residents of the Snoqualmie Valley and surrounding areas. Services are offered by a volunteer staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and coordinators, with no one turned away. Clinics are held each Wednesday and during the second Saturday of every month.
In partnering with CarePoint, Tolt Middle School Nurse Rachel Tomczek indicates that this collaboration offers a chance for the district and CarePoint to partner together to not only open greater access and awareness for families in need of healthcare services in our community, but to also create a collaboration that meets an important need within our school communities.
When the state legislature reconvenes in January 2024, Nurse Rachel is hopeful that House Bill 1608 (HB 1608) will land on the desk of the Governor during the next legislative session. HB 1608 seeks to expand access to anaphylaxis medications in schools, with a specific focus on epinephrine and epinephrine autoinjectors being available for use by school nurse or other designated trained school personnel.
“Having stock epinephrine in schools allows nurses to administer life-saving medication in the event of a person having anaphylactic reaction without knowing they have a life-threatening health condition or being diagnosed with life-threatening allergies,” shares Nurse Rachel. “Stock epinephrine also allows students to return to school more quickly after using their own epinephrine if they are waiting for a refill. In the event of the student having another anaphylactic reaction, we would have access to epinephrine if the student did not have their own epinephrine refilled.”
To learn more about CarePoint Clinic in Fall City, please visit: www.carepointclinic.com.
To learn more about HB 1608, please visit the Washington State Legislature website information page at: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1608&Initiative=false&Year=2023