Efficient care coordination for children with chronic and complex health needs demands not just strong individual efforts, but robust, interdisciplinary collaboration among school nurses, pediatricians, families, and other professionals. Too often, however, communication between schools and health care providers is blocked by confusing or incomplete consent processes. Without shared information, vital opportunities for intervention and continuity of care can slip through the cracks.

To address these challenges, experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) have developed a FERPA- and HIPAA-compliant information sharing consent form template, along with a comprehensive Implementation Toolkit. These tools are designed to streamline communication, support legal compliance, and help school and health care teams work in sync to meet the full range of students’ needs.

This joint effort represents more than just a new form—it’s a renewed commitment to collaboration that puts students and families at the center of care.

Why Interdisciplinary Collaboration Matters

Sharing information across systems isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about equity and impact. When school nurses and pediatricians work in partnership, the result is stronger support for the whole child. The benefits include:

• Comprehensive Support: Uniting educators, health professionals, and families ensures all aspects of a student’s development—academic, medical, and social-emotional—are addressed in a coordinated way.

• Continuity of Care: Students with chronic conditions often move between home, school, and medical settings. Shared communication reduces errors and ensures care plans follow the child wherever they go.

• Family-Centered Approach: Engaging families as equal partners builds trust and leads to more responsive, personalized care.

• Improved Efficiency: Thoughtful, streamlined communication helps avoid duplicated efforts and frees up time to focus on what matters most.

• Legal Clarity and Compliance: By using standardized, FERPA- and HIPAA-compliant forms, teams ensure privacy laws are followed without unnecessary confusion or delay.

The information sharing consent form template and accompanying Implementation Toolkit offer practical, actionable solutions to long-standing barriers between schools and health systems.

Here’s what’s included:

• Standardized Template: A ready-to-use, legally compliant consent form that enables safe and effective information exchange between school staff and medical providers.

• Flexible Formats: Available in both fillable PDF and Word formats—use as-is or tailor to meet local district or clinic needs. (PDF and Word files attached)

• Implementation Toolkit: A collection of support materials including:

  • FAQs to guide both families and professionals

  • Planning and implementation checklists

  • Communication scripts for talking to families

  • Environmental scan tools to assess your current processes

  • Quick-reference documents on FERPA and HIPAA

• Educational Materials for Families: Plain-language explanations to help caregivers understand why sharing information matters and how it benefits their child.

Download the Implementation Toolkit

Learn more about FERPA and HIPAA Basics

The Impact: With these tools in hand, teams can:

• Quickly identify and respond to changes in health or learning needs

• Align treatment and school-based interventions

• Foster cultures of trust, transparency, and accountability

• Improve both health and educational outcomes

• Reduce stress for families by improving coordinated care.

Ultimately, these resources provide a framework for truly integrated care.                Let’s continue to move forward—together.

Resources:

Official statement released by AAP to introduce the toolkit:

Tools to Support School Health Information Sharing