Okaloosa County moves student medical forms online and ends first-day paper cards
Okaloosa County, Florida – One familiar first-day-of-school tradition is disappearing this year. Instead of finding a paper medical card tucked inside a student’s backpack, parents will now handle the entire process online.
The change may seem small, but the form carries real weight. Without a completed Student Medical Information & Parent Consent Form on file, a student cannot receive services from the school clinic.
Families can access the form now through the Focus Parent Portal. School officials are asking parents to complete and submit it by the end of the first week of classes, ensuring clinic staff have current health information and permission to provide appropriate care when needed.
The online form replaces the medical card that was traditionally sent home on the first day of school. Moving the process into the portal is intended to place the information in one central location and give families an opportunity to complete it before the school year becomes busy.
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Beginning Wednesday, August 12, the requirement will also affect access to Focus. Parents will be prompted to complete the medical information and consent form before they can continue into the Focus Parent Portal. Families are encouraged to submit it as soon as possible to prevent an interruption when checking grades, schedules or other student information.
Parents using the Focus mobile app should first log in and tap the Forms icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. From there, they can select the green “Not Yet Started” button, complete the Student Medical Information & Parent Consent Form and submit it electronically.
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The steps are slightly different on a computer. After signing into a Focus Parent Portal account, parents should select Forms from the menu on the left side of the page. The medical information and consent document will appear under Available Forms. Parents can then enter the requested details and submit the completed form.
Families that do not yet have a Focus Parent Portal account will need to create one before completing the process.
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Submitting the form early can help schools begin the year with accurate medical records already in place. More importantly, it gives clinic staff the information and authorization they may need if a student becomes sick, is injured or requires care during the school day.
