On Dec. 15, Congress passed the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act, which includes a provision to provide dedicated federal funding for food allergy training to school food service staff. The food allergy training language was originally introduced as standalone legislation by Sens. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE). This legislation represents an important step toward improving the safety and well-being of students with food allergies across the country.
The College’s Advocacy Council endorsed this legislation before it was introduced. Our support was highlighted in the original press release when the bill was introduced in April. The Advocacy Council is proud to see one of our legislative priorities passed into law. This bill is a meaningful win for our patients, their families, and the allergy community.
In the press release introducing the bill, Sens. Durbin and Fischer acknowledged the prevalence of food allergies as a public health concern. “Over the past two decades, the number of children with food allergies in the U.S. has more than doubled. Now, eight percent of children, about two students per classroom, have food allergies, and more than 16 percent of them will have an allergic reaction while at school. Further, 20 percent of all epinephrine shots administered in schools are given to children who have undiagnosed food allergies—which makes it even more important for school food personnel to understand how to recognize and respond to an allergic reaction.”
The legislation will specifically fund a new training module on food allergies for school food personnel who work under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP), two programs that provide federally subsidized meals for students from low-income families.
President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming days.
The Advocacy Council – ADVOCATING FOR ALLERGISTS AND THEIR PATIENTS.
