Educational Services » Home-Hospital Instruction

Home-Hospital Instruction

Overview:

The purpose of Home-Hospital Instruction (HHI) is to help students maintain continuity of instruction during a temporary, short-term disability. Any student with a temporary, short-term disability that makes attendance in regular school or an alternative education program impossible or inadvisable must receive individual instruction provided by the student’s school district (Education Code 58206.3[b][2]).


A temporary disability is a temporary physical, mental or emotional disability incurred while a pupil is enrolled in regular day classes or an alternative education program. The student will be expected to return to regular day classes or an alternative education program without special intervention pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).


Examples of temporary, short-term disabilities include, but are not limited to: broken limbs, hand injuries, or short term impairments following surgery or medical treatments.

 

Eligibility:

  • Student must be a San Marino USD (SMUSD) student enrolled in grade K-12. The district in which the student’s home or residential health facility is located is responsible for instructing and educating students who must be hospitalized or remain at home due to a temporary but extended illness or disability. For example, if the student’s home is located in the city of San Marino, San Marino USD is responsible for providing HHI to the student.
  • Student has an anticipated absence of four weeks (20 school days) or more from regular school due to a temporary, short-term disability.
  • The licensed physician verifies in writing the student’s diagnosis and need for HHI services.
  • The referring physician must be responsible for continuing treatment and service while the student is out of regular school.

 

Referral Process:

Parents request the Home-Hospital Instruction (HHI) Referral Form from the School Office of Administration. The referral form must be completely filled out by the doctor in order to be considered, and must include the diagnosis and the length of time the student is anticipated to be confined. The parent must have one of two forms completed: Medical Referral Form or the Psychiatric Referral Form. The differences between the two forms will be explained to the parent at the School Office of Administration. Many students with temporary health problems may still be able to attend regular school with modifications. The modifications are determined through planning sessions with the family, student’s physician, school nurse, and other school officials. In some cases, a temporary modification of the school schedule is sufficient to accommodate the student’s needs, and home instruction is not necessary.


Continuation of HHI services is always subject to review and requires re-verification every 25 days with a new HHI Referral Form filled out and authorized by the student’s physician.


Service Options:

An eligible student for HHI may receive 300 minutes of instruction per week by a credentialed teacher, one hour per day per week. It is the responsibility of the parent to be present in the home while the HHI teacher is present or other family adult 21 years old and over. It is also the parent's responsibility to provide a quiet, appropriate learning environment for HHI instruction in the home. When the physician determines the student may return to regular school, the physician authorization must indicate the level of activity in addition to the limitations or instructions regarding the student’s care at regular school.


HHI can also be provided to a student in a hospital or other residential health facility, or under other circumstances prescribed by the California State Board of Education.


The School Office of Administration shall notify parents at the beginning of a school term of the availability of HHI for students with a temporary, short-term disability (Education Code 48206.3[d] and 48980).

 

What a parent should know about Home-Hospital Instruction (HHI):

What it is…

HHI allows students to receive temporary, short-term instruction who are severely restricted and unable to attend school due to a temporary disability. A temporary disability is a temporary physical, mental or emotional disability incurred while a pupil is enrolled in regular day classes or an alternative education program. The student will be expected to return to regular day classes or an alternative education program without special intervention pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).

 

The student will receive an hour of teacher instruction for each day school is in session, for a maximum of five hours per week. The schedule of visits is arranged between the parent and the student and the HHI teacher.

 

The HHI teacher will work to continue, as much as possible, the regular teacher class assignments. HHI is offered on school days only.  No instruction is offered on weekends or school holidays.

 

What it is NOT…

HHI is not an alternative education program for your student. The purpose of HHI is to minimize the loss of instruction while a student is recovering from a temporary disability. The severity of disability is determined through a physician diagnosis and educational alternatives are considered before HHI is authorized. The student will return to regular school or an alternative education program as soon as the student is healthy enough to do so as determined by a physician.


Within HHI, instruction is not the same as instruction at the regular school. The HHI teacher may not have the academic background to teach all subjects. Therefore a student could be behind schedule with completing assignments and tests when the student returns to regular school.


A physician does not authorize HHI. Only the School Office of Administration can authorize HHI. In completing the Referral Form, a physician must provide medical information so a valid and proper student placement can be considered.


HHI does not apply to students identified as individuals with exceptional needs pursuant to Education Code 56026 (Education Code 48206.3).


Who can be placed on HHI...

Any regularly enrolled SMUSD student who will miss school for a minimum of four weeks (20 school days) due to a temporary disability may be eligible for HHI.

 

Student placement is considered through careful review of the Referral Form.

 

Home Hospital Instruction (HHI) Forms: