CONCUSSION LEGISLATION

Evaluation and management of concussion in student athletes is an important area of practice for many neuropsychologists, and in recent years, concern about the safety of student athletes has entered into our national dialogue. The Zackery Lystedt Law passed in 2009 in Washington State in response to a young man who was severely disabled after he sustaining a brain injury during a football game and returning to play after halftime, resulting in experiencing significant and disabling complications. It is viewed as a “model law” for other states to follow in creating legislation to protect student athletes from negative outcomes of returning to play when still symptomatic. 

The law includes Zackery Lystedt Brain Project’s Three Principles:

1. Education for coaches, athletes, and parents/guardians
2. Removal from play for athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury
3. No return to play until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider (LHCP) trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and receives written clearance.

Most states have laws that vary in the degree to which they cover the three principles and in the degree to which they allow neuropsychologists to make independent return to play decisions.  The NAN LAAC has been involved in advocating for the independent practice of neuropsychologists by writing letters of support or suggestions for changes, offering meetings with key legislators, sending action alerts to members, and coordinating efforts with other professional organizations.  Examples of letters and a spreadsheet with state laws are available to NAN members.

Click here  to login to your member account to view the following:

• Letter 1 to Senator Vitale
• Letter 2 to Senator Vitale
• Letter to Senator Durbin
• Letter to Assemblyman Diegnan
• Letter to Education Policy Associate Broughnan
• State Laws Spreadsheet

Resources:

• http://www.nflevolution.com/article/Concussion-Legislation-by-State?ref=767 
• http://zackerylystedtbrainproject.tumblr.com 
• http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/ 
• http://www.acsm.org/
• 5th Concensus Statement on Concussion in Sport

BRAIN Initiative

On July 18, 2013, NAN sent a letter (see below), drafted by LAAC member Dr. Bonny Forrest, to Dr. Francis Collins and members of the Advisory Committee of the Director to express support for President Obama’s Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.  The letter highlighted NAN members’ contributions to cutting-edge research and clinical work related to brain-behavior relationships and offered to make available a working group of members to consult with the Advisory Group.  We received a response from Kathy Hudson, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Science, Outreach, and Policy at the National Institutes of Health on August 5, 2013.  In her response, Dr. Hudson thanked us for our letter and informed us about a meeting of the BRAIN working group of the Advisory Committee focused on human neuroscience, held August 29, 2013, in Minneapolis, MN.  NAN sent Dr. Forrest as a representative.  We also shared a similar draft letter and information about the meeting with the IOPC.  Dr. Forrest drafted another letter in response to the meeting, and NAN sent that letter to the Advisory Committee of the Director's BRAIN Working Group. Dr. Marson and NAN were mentioned as clinical consultants in the final committee report.

  Click here to login to your member account to view the following:

• Initial Letter
• Kathy Hudson Response
• NAN Response