Preventing and Treating Student Athlete Concussions (H.R. 3532)

What is H.R. 3532?

(Updated November 14, 2014)

H.R. 3532 requires that states enforce the minimum requirements for preventing/treating concussions in student athletes before local schools can receive federal education funding.

Educational agencies under this legislation would be mandated to create and execute plans for concussion safety in public schools. These plans or guidelines would include:

• educating students, parents, and school personnel on how concussions happen;
• supporting a student while they recover from a concussion;
• create best practices for making uniform safety standards, treatment, and management.
• making concussion information  publicly available on campuses and on public school websites.
  

If a member of public school staff thinks that a student has sustained a concussion during a school-sponsored activity, the protocol will be as follows:

• Use the "when in doubt, sit it out" policy and remove the student immediately from participation in that activity;
• Prohibit the student from participating in school athletics until they can provide a release form from a health care professional;
• Report all available information about the student's injury to a "concussion management team" who can confirm and report the date, time, type of injury, and recommended steps for recovery to the student's parents.
• Offer the affected student support by offering:
• periods of cognitive rest during school;
• modified academic activities;
• gradually re-introduce cognitive demands;
• see that any other academic adjustments needed are made.
  

Argument in favor

Protects the developing brains of student athletes by creating minimum requirements for every public school on how they should address concussions.

Argument opposed

This requirements are excessive and hard to enforce. If a student athlete wants to play, and their parent grants them permission, they should be able to get back on the field.

Impact

Students involved in public school sports, their parents, school personnel, and the funding granted to public schools across the country.

Cost of H.R. 3532

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

Of Note:

The number of young athletes suffering from concussions and other traumatic brain injuries who went to emergency rooms increased by 62 percent between 2001 - 2009.

If passed, H.R. 3532 would be the first federal mandate to set minimum safety standards for concussion management in public schools. Supporting Rep. George Miller (D-CA) noted: 

“We’ve come to learn more about the grave, long-term dangers of concussions, and young people are at the greatest risk for sports-related concussions because their developing brains are more susceptible to injury. Unfortunately, these serious injuries often go ignored or undiagnosed."

H.R. 3532 has received support from six major sports organizations: the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, U.S. Soccer, NCAA, and USA Football (the organization that oversees youth football).

Media:

Sponsoring Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) Press Release

American Physical Therapy Association (In Favor)

Think Progress

NPR

(Photo Credit: Flickr user USAG-Humphreys)