Saving lives : incorporation of student organizations in medical amnesty policies

College campuses across the United States are faced with issues regarding underage and overall reckless drinking. Because these habits violate state laws and university policies, if a student or member of an organization is in violation of these laws and policies but sees someone in need of emergency medical assistance, they may delay calling for emergency care for fear of facing consequences for their own transgressions. Many states and universities have created Medical Amnesty Protocols (MAPs) that provide legal or university amnesty when an individual calls an ambulance for someone experiencing a medical emergency. The most common form of amnesty is caller amnesty, protecting the caller if they risked revealing their own violations in order to seek help. This paper examines the necessity of MAPs, outcomes where MAPs have been implemented and researched, and the impact of alcohol education programs following violations. The purpose is to determine whether expanding MAPs to include organizations is beneficial. Although no published research has shown the specific effects of organizational amnesty, it is recommended that Ball State University use this opportunity to implement an organizational policy and collect data to help its students and to inform the entire Student Affairs community of the efficacy of organizational amnesty.