Over 8 million school-age children in the US consider sports a part of their occupations along with their education. Sustaining a concussion during a sport can affect them not only playing their sport but also academically. Concussions can impact concentration and memory making it difficult for an individual to participate in school. Returning back to a sport after sustaining a concussion without proper diagnosis and treatment can lead to an increase in chances of sustaining another concussion or even death. Being able to identify when a student might have sustained a concussion can decrease the risk of continual injuries to the head. 

New York State Assembly Bill A02564 updates the current Concussion Management and Awareness Act of 2011. The proposed bill updates the current act by requiring all medical directors, physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants employed by school districts to complete annual training on concussion treatment and recognize symptoms for students that may have sustained a concussion. Requires students that sustain a concussion be able to attend classes fully and be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before resuming athletic activity. It requires all schools to create concussion management teams, annually report specifics about concussions sustained by students. This bill will also apply to nonpublic schools as while competitive/travel youth teams.

This bill is important to increase education about concussions and increase documentation of when students sustain concussions while playing sports. Here is the link to read more about the bill:

https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=A02564&term=2021&Summary=Y&Text=Y

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