Maryland Governor Signs Elijah's Law to Save Lives in Childcare Facilities.
Annapolis, Md. (April 25, 2024) – Governor Wes Moore today signed into law House Bill 1195, also known as Elijah’s Law. The law requires childcare facilities to take the appropriate steps to reduce anaphylaxis-related incidents by managing the food allergies of the children in their care.
"With the passage of Elijah's Law, Maryland continues to be a national leader in ensuring safe, high-quality childcare for our youngest residents," said bill sponsor, Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, District 17, Montgomery County. "As the parent of a child with a food allergy, I'm proud to have sponsored this legislation to better educate childcare providers on how to keep the children in their care safe."
Maryland childcare providers must develop procedures to reduce the risk of exposure to anaphylactic events, including training to recognize the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, implementing emergency protocols, and establishing comprehensive guidelines for the storage and administration of an epinephrine auto-injector of the appropriate weight-based dose.
Jason Linde(FARE) Jenna Riemenschneider (AAFA) Ondina Hawthorne (EAF) Gary Riddle (Kaleo) Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr (Bill Sponsor)
“The adoption of Elijah's Law sets a foundation of health and safety for licensed childcare/early childhood settings across the state,” said Chris Peusch, executive director of the Maryland State Child Care Association and co-chair of the Office of Child Care Advisory Council. “No child should be at risk with documented food allergens in childcare settings due to lack of training, policies, and resources that can easily be developed, adopted, and implemented in our state.”
Maryland is now the fourth state to enact Elijah’s Law, named after our three-year-old son, Elijah-Alavi Silvera, who went into anaphylaxis and died in 2017 after his daycare served him a grilled cheese sandwich.
“The tragic loss of our son, Elijah-Alavi, highlights the urgent need for such protective measures and fuels our ongoing mission,” said Thomas Silvera, co-founder of the Elijah-Alavi Foundation. “The collective efforts of key organizations such as Kaléo, FARE, the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, Kids with Food Allergies, and the Allergy & Asthma Network and other organizations were crucial in making this legislation a reality. Ondina Hawthorne, co-founder of the Elijah-Alavi Foundation, continued, “We hope this law will prevent further tragedies and safeguard our most vulnerable children."
This achievement is a testament to the power of our community's advocacy and collective action. You made this happen, and we are deeply grateful for your support and partnership in this vital cause. Let’s continue to work together to protect our most vulnerable children.
For more information on Elijah’s Law, go to https://community.kidswithfoodallergies.org/blog/elijah-s-law-protecting-children-with-food-allergies-child-care. Let's Get Elijah's Law Enacted In Your State!
Sincerely,
Thomas Silvera
Co-Founder
Elijah-Alavi Foundation
The Elijah-Alavi Foundation, Donate & Support By Visiting www.elijahalavifoundation.org.
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