Reviewed by Dr. Elizabeth Long, Ph.D. — Director of Special Education, 32 years in public schools.
An Individual Health Plan (IHP) — sometimes called an Individualized Healthcare Plan — is a written plan developed by the school nurse in partnership with the family (and often the student's health care provider) that outlines how a student's medical or health needs will be managed during the school day. It's built around the nursing/medical side of a student's needs, separately from academic accommodations or special education services.
| 504 Plan | IEP | IHP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Section 504 (civil rights law) | IDEA (special education law) | Not federally mandated — grounded in school nursing standards and state health/nursing rules |
| Purpose | Removes barriers to access | Provides specialized instruction and services | Manages day-to-day medical/health needs at school, including emergencies |
| Who develops it | 504 team, incl. parents | IEP team, incl. parents | School nurse, with family and often the health care provider |
| What it covers | Classroom/testing accommodations | Academic goals, services, accommodations | Medication administration, health procedures, emergency response, daily health monitoring |
Same Team framing: These plans aren't competing — they're often used together. A student can have a 504 or IEP *and* an IHP, because one addresses educational access and the other addresses the medical management that makes attending school safely possible.
Dr. Long's Assistant answers your specific questions in plain language — built from Dr. Long's expertise, plus state and federal law read at the source — never the open internet.
Get started →This is educational information, not legal advice. IDEA, Section 504, FERPA, and state rules may differ by situation.
Same Team