Personal Injury Law

Concussion Awareness and Prevention Program Legislation Signed into Law in New Jersey

By Bruce Stern

Yesterday, Governor Chris Christie signed into law new legislation which will create a concussion awareness and prevention program for student athletes throughout the state of New Jersey. Christie was joined by Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner, Woody Johnson, owner of the Jets, and Senator Richard Codey (D-Essex). According to Christie, New Jersey now has the most comprehensive bill on concussions in the country.

The new legislation will require the Department of Education to develop an interscholastic athletic head injury training program and an interscholastic athletic head injury safety program which will have to be implemented by the 2011-12 school. These programs will discuss concussion symptoms and return-to-play protocol. Additionally, school districts will also have to develop a written policy regarding the prevention and treatment of concussions. The program will then be completed by school physicians, coaches and athletic trainers, and fact sheets will be given to the parents of student athletes.

A key component of the law requires student-athletes who have sustained a concussion to be immediately removed from play and not allowed to return to the activity until they have been evaluated by a concussion specialist.

Each school district will also be responsible for developing a written policy concerning the prevention and treatment of concussions that must be approved by the Department of Education each year. The Commissioner of Education will have a model for schools to follow established by March 31, 2011.

Finally, athletic trainers who are licensed by the state are now required to complete 24 credits of continuing education, with a set number of those hours dedicated to concussion-related topics.
I think this is a huge step for the safety of our children in New Jersey, and I'm proud to see so that this law has finally come to fruition.

Full post as published by Traumatic Brain Injury Law Blog on December 08, 2010 (boomark / email).