Policy on Infectious Disease Issues
It is the policy of NLU to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The Illinois and Florida Departments of Public Health have requirements for reporting the occurrence of infectious diseases. A listing of diseases, how to report an incident, and the timelines during which they are required to be reported can be found here:
Illinois Department of Public Health
http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-reporting
Florida Department of Public Health
http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/disease-reporting-and-management/index.html
In the case that an infectious disease occurs for one of our students, the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) will assess the situation and create a plan of action for managing the incident and reporting to appropriate authorities. Confidentiality will be maintained as much as possible in reporting and sharing information with the campus population. Illinois law mandates the following information be reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health:
- the disease or condition being reported
- patient’s name, date of birth, age, sex, race, ethnicity address and telephone number
- physician’s name, address and telephone number
- significant lab results, if available
The BIT will seek to respect the confidentiality of any individuals involved and will determine if anyone has a “need to know” before sharing out information. Individuals that may be considered for ” need to know” are listed below:
- Director of Student Experience (BIT Chair)
- Vice Provost
- Appropriate Academic Official (Dean, Program Director, or Faculty)
- University Legal Representation
- Facilities Personnel