Durbin Introduces Bill To Expand Concussion Safety In School Sports

Durbin Introduces Bill To Expand Concussion Safety In School Sports

The Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act is endorsed by major professional and college sports organizations

WASHINGTON-In observation of National Concussion Awareness Day, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) reintroduced the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act to strengthen elementary and secondary school procedures for preventing, identifying, and treating students who sustain concussions. U.S. Representative Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10) sponsors the bill in the House.

While athletics are important to helping students learn team-building skills and connect with their peers, participating in school sports is not without risk. The National Federation of State High School Associations found that across a national sample of nine high school sports, approximately 254,126 students sustained concussions in the 2023-24 school year. Concussions are not always easily diagnosed, athletes are not always honest about their symptoms, and symptoms do not always manifest themselves immediately.

The legislation would require states to adopt a "when in doubt, sit it out" policy, which prevents student athletes suspected of having sustained a concussion from returning to play the same day and only allows them to return to play once they have been evaluated and cleared by a qualified health care professional. The "when in doubt, sit it out" policy is based on an American College of Sports Medicine's 2021 report on concussions and the American Academy of Neurology's guidelines on sports concussions that recommend that any athlete suspected of a concussion should not return to play on the day of their injury under any circumstance.

"'Walking it off' is a dangerous mentality that underplays the severity of concussions. Especially when it comes to youth sports, we must take head injuries seriously," Durbin said. "Implementing a 'when in doubt, sit it out' policy will protect the health of our students on the field, court, and track."

"As a former football and lacrosse player, I know the serious, long-term consequences that concussions can have for young athletes, whose brains are still developing. By creating science-backed national standards for the prevention and treatment of concussions, we can protect student athletes' ability to compete in the sports they love while keeping them safe," said DeSaulnier.

"The health and safety of student athletes has always been a top priority for the American College of Sports Medicine," said Carrie A. Jaworski, MD, FACSM, President of the American College of Sports Medicine. "We wholeheartedly support the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act and look forward to the safer, healthier future it will afford youth athletes across our country."

Organizations endorsing the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act include: American College of Sports Medicine, American Academy of Neurology, Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), U.S. Soccer Federation, Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy, American Physical Therapy Association, Easterseals, Illinois High School Association, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), National Parent Teacher Association, Pop Warner Little Scholars, Safe Kids Worldwide, The Arc, The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), and USA Cheer.

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