New Concussion Safety Law Introduced

New legislation was signed into law earlier this month in the state of Illinois to introduce a strict set of rules to youth sports organizations when dealing with concussions.

The new Youth Sports Concussion Safety Act, designed to help youth organizations across the state better prepare for sports-related concussions, was signed earlier this month.

The clear set of rules is much more concrete than the previously followed method and offers administrators specificity when dealing with a concussion – making the process easier for clubs to follow and enforce.

The law requires every school to implement an emergency plan to follow when a concussion occurs. Each district is required to construct a Concussion Oversight Committee, which is to be made up of a doctor, nurses, coaches, athletic trainers, and other individuals to ensure the school district is adhering to appropriate concussion policies.

Coaches are required to take at least two hours of educational clinics every two years, working to keep them more informed about how to deal with concussions.

The law also requires school to create “Return to Learn” guidelines to regulate how and when student athletes are able to return to the classroom after having experienced a concussion.

The goal of the Youth Sports Concussion Safety Act is to educate school administrators and coaches about proper concussion protocols so each incident can be managed to the best of their ability the first time it occurs – which in turn will increase the chances of each student-athlete returning to the field.

What are your thoughts on the introduction of this new Concussion Safety Act? Leave your comments in the section below!