The application process for all students requires that they are enrolled as a student in Alachua County. Unless they have come to our county to receive treatment in the hospital and will be returning at the completion of treatment, all students should be enrolled at one of our schools prior to applying for Hospital Homebound status.

At times, students may need to travel to a facility in Alachua County to receive medical treatment even though they are enrolled in school in another county. Students who are in our county to receive treatment in the hospital may be enrolled as a Hospital Homebound student without enrollment in another Alachua County school.

In order to enroll out of county students in the Hospital Homebound program, we will need a copy of the student's birth certificate and social security card. If possible, transcripts and ESE information from the previous county should also be provided so that we can keep your student on track with their coursework.

• To begin the application process, parents must obtain a copy of the Hospital/Homebound Medical Certificate. You can get a copy by contacting the guidance department of your student's school. If your student is in the hospital, you may speak with Michelle Roberts , our hospital based teacher, to obtain a copy.

• After completing the top two portions of the form, please return this to the school or homebound teacher. They will send the form to the district office and we will contact the doctor directly.

• Your student's doctor will complete the remainder of the form and return it to the Hospital/Homebound office. Within five business days after we receive this completed form, someone from our department will contact you. If you have not heard from us and more than two weeks has elapsed since you submitted the form, please contact our office directly at 352-955-7676.

• Once all portions of the form are complete, a teacher or administrator from the Hospital/Homebound department will contact your student's school to set up a meeting to determine eligibility for the program. Either the school or the Hospital/Homebound teacher will contact you regarding this meeting.

• At the meeting, parent(s)/guardian(s), teacher(s), and a Hospital/Homebound representative will work together to determine how to best meet your students needs. An IEP will be written or amended detailing the services your student is to receive. Responsibilities of the school, parent(s)/guardian(s), Hospital/Homebound staff, and, when applicable, students will also be addressed at this meeting.

• Please note, in order to qualify to receive Hospital/Homebound services, the IEP team must be in agreement that the student would benefit from services. In some situations, a student's mental or psychological state will not allow them to benefit from the program. If the team determines that this program is not a good fit for your student, a doctor's diagnosis will not automatically qualify them for services. Additionally, not every diagnosis causes a student to be unable to attend school. If their needs can be met in a traditional school setting or even in a partial day school setting, your student might not qualify to receive Hospital/Homebound services.