Youth Sports – Head Injury
Guidelines
And Procedures
“The Lystedt Law” HB 1824
Policies for the management of concussion and head injury in youth sports.
AN ACT Relating to
requiring the adoption of policies for the management of concussion and head
injury in youth sports; amending RCW 4.24.660 and adding a new section to
chapter 28A.600 RCW.
Each school district's
board of directors shall work in concert with the Washington Interscholastic
Activities Association (WIAA) to develop the guidelines and other pertinent
information and forms to inform and educate coaches, youth athletes, and their
parent(s)/guardian(s) of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury
including continuing to play after concussion or head injury. On a yearly basis,
a concussion and head injury information sheet shall be signed and returned by
the youth athlete and the athlete's parent and/or guardian prior to the youth
athlete's initiating practice or competition.
A youth athlete who is
suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game shall
be removed from competition at that time.
A youth athlete who has
been removed from play may not return to play until the athlete is evaluated by
a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of
concussion and receives written clearance to return to play from that health
care provider.
What is needed to be in compliance?
WIAA MEMBER SCHOOLS:
-
Adopt policies for the management of
concussion and head injuries in youth sports.
-
Shall ensure that all coaches (paid or
volunteer) are educated in the nature and risk of concussion or head injury
prior to the first practice/competition.
This education shall include signs and symptoms of concussion/brain
injury. This education is available
at no charge to coaches via the sports specific WIAA online rules clinics.
-
Shall annually require all athletes and the
parent(s)/guardian(s) of those athletes to sign and return an information
sheet relating to the nature and risk of concussion or head injury.
This information sheet shall include the signs and symptoms of
concussion/brain injury.
-
Shall ensure that any athlete showing signs
or symptoms of concussion/brain injury is removed from participation
immediately, and not allowed to return to play until they have written
clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and
management of concussion/brain injury.
-
Shall require all non-profit youth sports
groups utilizing school facilities to provide a statement of compliance with
the policies for the management of concussion and head injury (Statement
of Compliance: Word doc
Acrobat PDF). This
statement of compliance shall be returned to the school district prior to
the group’s first practice/competition.
-
Shall be educated
as to the nature and risk of concussion and head injuries including continuing
to play after concussion or head injury.
This education shall include signs and symptoms of concussion/brain
injury. This education is available
at no charge to coaches via the sports specific WIAA online rules clinics.
Coaches shall educate their athletes on the signs and symptoms of
concussion and encourage athletes to notify a coach if they or a teammate
exhibits those signs or symptoms.
-
Shall immediately
remove from participation/competition any athlete who is suspected of sustaining
a concussion or head injury.
- Shall not allow an athlete who has been removed from play because of a suspected concussion/brain injury to return to play until the athlete has received written clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of brain injuries.
Video on Concussion for High School Coaches
Coaches resource packet English:
Coaches resource packet Spanish:
-
Shall annually review, sign and return to
the school, a concussion and head injury information sheet prior to the
youth athlete's initiating practice or competition. (Parent/Athlete Information Sheet:
Word doc
Acrobat PDF)
Parents resource packet English:
Parents resource packet Spanish:
-
Shall annually review, sign and return to
the school, a concussion and head injury information sheet prior to
initiating practice or competition. (Parent/Athlete
Information Sheet:
Word doc
Acrobat PDF) Athletes
are encouraged to notify a coach if they or a teammate exhibit signs or
symptoms of a concussion/brain injury.
Athletes resource packet English:
Athletes resource packet Spanish:
What licensed health care
providers are trained in the evaluation and treatment of concussions/brain
injuries and authorized to allow the athlete to return to play?
Medical Doctors (MD)
Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP)
Physicians Assistant (PA)
Licensed Certified Athletic Trainers (AT/L)
Research is currently being
done to determine which other licensed health care providers may have sufficient
training to qualify to authorize return to play.
The WIAA will update schools and this website as this information becomes
available.
Video on Concussion for High School Coaches
Parent/Athlete Information Sheet (English
WORD)
Parent/Athlete Information Sheet (Spanish WORD)
Non-profit youth sports group statement of compliance (WORD)
WSSDA - Policy News Article - Concussion and Head Injuries Legislation
Heads Up: Concussion in
Youth Sports
Coaches resource packet English:
Coaches resource packet Spanish:
Parents resource packet English:
Parents resource packet Spanish:
Athletes resource packet English:
Athletes resource packet Spanish:
Heads Up Poster for Bulletin Boards