Marin County Grand Jury
• 2015-2016
2015/2016 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Head Injuries and Concussions: Are Our High Schools Keeping Our Children Safe?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
Neurocognitive baseline testing provides a record of cognitive functioning in student-athletes prior to their participation in sports. Re-testing the student after a suspected head injury is a valuable tool in helping medical professionals evaluate if a student has recovered.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Each district should require mandatory annual neurocognitive testing of all high school athletes and mandatory re-testing post-injury.
F2
Marin County high schools are using baseline testing to varying degrees and are often not re- testing.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
A certified athletic trainer should administer and interpret all tests.
F3
The costs of neurocognitive testing for high school athletes is currently funded in various ways, including booster clubs and other outside sources.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
A certified athletic trainer should attend high-risk high school sporting events.
F4
Certified Athletic Trainers, as medically-trained individuals, provide a necessary resource for protecting the health and safety of student-athletes.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Each district should add the cost of neurocognitive testing to its annual budget.
F5
Many schools do not have a Return-to-Learn Protocol in place for head injuries. Various systems for reporting head injuries to relevant high school staff are presently used in Marin high schools.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Each district should hire a certified athletic trainer for each of its high schools.
F6
Student-athletes and their parents do not receive adequate education in recognizing a concussion and the importance of prompt reporting of symptoms.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
Each district should adopt a protocol for reporting a head injury so that all relevant persons are informed of a student’s head injury and can work together as a team to ensure full recovery in the classroom and on the field.
F7
Data regarding head injuries sustained by high school student-athletes in Marin County high schools is not currently being maintained in a central database.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
Each school should adopt Return-to–Play and Return–to Learn Protocols for all athletes.
Additional Recommendations 2
These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.
-
R8Mandatory concussion education for student-athletes such as the Barrow Brainbook, the HEADS UP concussion training or some other equivalent education should be adopted by each school district. No student-athlete should begin participation before completing this education.
-
R9The Marin County Office of Education should collect head injury data and compile the data in a centralized database. Data should include date of injury, sport, type of injury, diagnosis, recovery information and other critical details. The data should be reported to MCAL and CIF for analysis and summary and the results published for the public annually while keeping all names of students confidential.