Code of Maine Rules › 10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › 144 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - GENERAL › Chapter 262 - POST-SECONDARY SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONS RULE › Section 144-262-1 - PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A.
Purpose.
This rule identifies certain preventable diseases for
				which immunization is required of all students attending public or private
				post-secondary schools in the State, unless exempt under Maine law; specifies
				the prescribed schedule for required immunizing agents; and defines the chief
				administrative officer's responsibilities, exclusion periods, record-keeping
				and reporting requirements for school officials, in accordance with
				20-A MRS
				§6359.
B.
Definitions.
As used in this
				rule, unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms have the
				following meanings:
1.
Certificate of
				Immunization
means a written statement from a physician, nurse or public
				health official who has administered an immunizing agent to a student,
				specifying the vaccine administered and the date it was administered.
2.
Chief administrative
				officer
means the person designated by the legal governing authority as
				president, administrator or director of a public or private post-secondary
				school.
3.
Disease
means diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus.
4.
Distance learning program
means an educational course or course of study offered by a public or private
				post-secondary school and delivered remotely, exclusively.
5.
Immunizing agent
means a
				vaccine, toxoid, or other substance used to increase an individual's immunity
				to a disease.
6.
Parent
means a student's parent, legal guardian or custodian. A
				person shall be regarded as a student's custodian, if that person is an adult
				and has assumed legal charge and care of the student.
7.
Public health official
means
				the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or any
				designated employee or agent of the Department of Health and Human
				Services.
8.
Post-secondary
				school
means any public or private educational or training institution
				that is not a public or private nursery, elementary or secondary school defined
				in 20-A MRS §6353(7) and
				22
				MRS §8301-A(1-A)(D).
				Post-secondary schools include schools that issue certificates or degrees,
				after completion of requisite studies, apprenticeships, professional
				certificate programs and trade certificate programs. Post-secondary schools
				include, but are not limited to, colleges, universities, vocational-technical
				colleges, institutes, schools for the health professions and trade
				schools.
9.
School
means, for the purpose of this rule, any public or private post-secondary
				school in the State.
10.
Student
means any person entering school who was born after 1956
				who attends school full time or who is otherwise a candidate for a degree or a
				diploma or graduate certificate. Part time students who are degree candidates
				are included under this definition.
11.
School health provider
means
				a physician, physician's assistant, registered nurse, or nurse practitioner,
				licensed to practice by the State and appointed by the Chief Administrative
				Officer to provide health care to the student population.