Legislation that provides better monitoring of concussions in Pennsylvania’s interscholastic athletes was signed into law by Gov. Tom Corbett on Nov. 9, 2011, and takes effect July 1, 2012, in time for the fall sports season.
To provide an overview of how the law may affect health care providers, schools, students, and parents, below is a list of the law’s major provisions.
Student and parent/guardian must sign an information sheet— A student participating in an athletic activity and the student’s parent or guardian will be required to sign and return to the student’s school an acknowledgment of receipt and review of a concussion and traumatic brain injury information sheet.
Coaches must take training courses—Once each school year, coaches must complete a concussion management certification training course offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Federation of State High School Associations, or another provider approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. A coach should not coach an athletic activity until he or she has completed the required training course.
Schools may hold Informational meetings (optional)—Schools may hold an informational meeting prior to the start of each athletic season regarding concussions and other head injuries; the importance of proper concussion management; and how preseason baseline assessments can aid in the evaluation, management, and recovery process. In additional to students, parents, coaches, and other school district officials, informational meetings may include physicians, neuropsychologists, athletic trainers, and physical therapists.
Students with concussion symptoms must be removed from play—A student who exhibits signs or symptoms of a concussion or traumatic brain injury while participating in an athletic activity, must removed by the coach from participation at that time. This decision can be made by a game official, coach from the student’s team, certified athletic trainer, licensed physician, licensed physical therapist, or other official designated by the student’s school.
Students must be cleared to return to play—The coach is not permitted to return a student to participation until he or she is evaluated and cleared for return in writing by an appropriate medical professional. The legislation defines an “appropriate medical professional” as a licensed physician who is trained in the evaluation and management of concussions, a licensed certified health care professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and designated by such licensed physician, or a licensed psychologist neuropsychologically trained in the evaluation and management of concussions or who has postdoctoral training in neuropsychology and specific training in the evaluation and management of concussions.
The governing body of the school may designate a specific person or persons, who must be appropriate medical professionals as defined above, to provide written clearance for return to participation. In order to help determine whether a player is ready to return to play, an appropriate medical professional may consult any other licensed or certified medical professional.
Schools may penalize coaches who don’t comply—Effective July 1, 2014, the governing body of a school is required to establish the following minimum penalties for a coach found in violation of the requirements outlined above.
- For the first violation—suspension from coaching any athletic activity for the remainder of the season
- For the second violation—suspension from coaching any athletic activity for the remainder of the season and for the next season
- For the third violation—permanent suspension from coaching any athletic activity
Additional information to be posted online—The law also requires the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Department of Education to post guidelines and other relevant materials to their websites to inform and educate student athletes and their parents and coaches about the nature and risk of concussion and traumatic brain injury.