North Carolina lawmakers instate new school health assessment form

Some students attending a North Carolina public school this year may need to make a visit to the doctor soon.

Channel 9's Stephanie Maxwell found out that lawmakers have updated who needs to have a health assessment to start school.

CLICK HERE for health assessment form

Jonetta Card remembers when her back-to-school checklist for her sons not only included getting vaccines, but also getting a doctor to fill out a North Carolina health assessment form.

“You don't want the other children if they have anything. You don't want them to spread any communicable diseases. It’s important,” Card said.

The assessment that's filled out by a doctor wants to know about a student's medical history, including medications, allergies and special diet instructions.

The assessment used to be just for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students, as they were entering school for the first time, but North Carolina lawmakers have expanded the criterion for who needs one beginning this new school year.

“So anyone who's moved from a different state coming to North Carolina for the first time any students that were previously home-schooled or in a private school and transitioning into North Carolina public schools, they all require this,” CMS coordinated school health specialist Monica Adamian said.

Mecklenburg County's health director, Dr. Marcus Plescia, is a huge advocate for schools gathering all of this information about students.  He believes it encourages families to find a doctor and stick with that doctor.

“It's an opportunity to try to link a child and family up to a medical home and get them established with a physician, someone who knows them,” Plescia said.

Just like required vaccines, students have 30 days after the first day of school to submit the assessment form or they can't be in class.

The assessment also asks for a copy of immunization records, which is why card says the assessment shouldn't be a hassle for parents.

“Before we get school started, we went to the doctor and got our shots.  so it's basically the same thing,” Card said.

Cox Media Group