Code of Maine Rules
10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
144 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - GENERAL
Chapter 261 - Immunization Requirements for School Children (a joint rule with the Department of Education, Ch. 126)
Section 144-261-7 - RECORDS AND RECORD-KEEPING

1. The school nurse (or head school nurse) in each school unit or private school is responsible for the maintenance of immunization records. If no school nurse has been employed, the superintendent must designate another responsible person.

2. If immunization and student health records are physically maintained in individual school buildings, a designated person in each building must have responsibility for supervision of the records.

1. Each school/unit is required to adopt a uniform student health record for maintaining information regarding the health status of each child as defined under Section 1.

2. The immunization status of each student regarding each disease listed in this rule must be noted on the child's individual student health record. These records are confidential, except that state and local public health personnel may access them to ensure compliance with immunization and documentation requirements of this rule, or as it relates to an emergency, as provided by the United States Family Educational Right and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1) and the regulations adopted under that act.

3. Whenever a superintendent permits a non-immunized student to attend school based on an exemption in accordance with this rule and 22 MRS §6355, the school official responsible for maintaining student health records must keep a record of such exemptions. Each such record must include the date of acceptance and date that the exemption expires.

1. The school official responsible for maintaining student health records in each school unit or school must keep a listing of the names of all children within the school unit or school who are not currently immunized against each disease. This list must include the names of all students with authorized exemptions from immunizations, including time-limited exemptions permitted in accordance with Section 3(A) of this rule and 20-A MRS §6355(1), as well as any who might not be in compliance with the law. The purpose of the list is to provide an efficient means of identifying non-immunized children in the event of a disease outbreak.

2. A child who has not received all the required doses of vaccine must not be permitted to attend school beyond the first day, except as provided in Section 3 of this rule. When the child is permitted to return, the list must be updated accordingly.