Medical Statement for Special Dietary Needs
A fillable form for requesting special dietary accommodations that can be completed electronically or printed and filled out by hand. This form provides guidance and documentation for special dietary requests.
- Medical Statement - English
- Spanish and Hmong versions coming soon
Special Dietary Needs Policy
All SFAs must have procedures to inform parents and guardians how to request a meal modification and their right to file a grievance.
Fluid Milk Substitutions
School Food Authorities (SFAs) may offer students a fluid milk substitute that is nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk without a signed medical statement. If your SFA would like to offer a fluid milk substitute to your students, please complete and submit the approval form below.
Guidance
- Special dietary needs rules and carbohydrate counting for students with diabetes participating in the USDA Child Nutrition Programs (Update to SNT Memorandum dated March 19, 2015) DPI SNT, 11/28/17
- Accommodating Children with Disabilities in the School Meal Programs: Guidance for School Food Service Professionals USDA, 07/25/17
- Accommodating Disabilities in the School Meal Programs: Guidance and Questions and Answers SP 26-2017, USDA, 04/25/17
- Modifications to Accommodate Disabilities in the School Meal Programs SP 59-2016, USDA, 09/27/16
- Q&As: Milk Substitution for Children with Medical or Special Dietary Needs (Non-Disability) SP 07-2010, USDA, 11/12/09
Training & Resources
- Webcast: Special Dietary Needs
- Webcast: Carbohydrate Counting for Students with Special Dietary Needs DPI, 06/13/16
- Special Dietary Needs Flowchart - DPI
- The Food Allergy Book: What Employees Need to Know - National Education Association Health Information Network
- Managing Food Allergies in Schools Toolkit - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The first national comprehensive guidelines for school food allergy management (2013)