3422 - Student Sports – Concussion, Head Injury, And Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Concussion and Head Injury 

The Richland School District’s Board of Directors recognizes that concussions and head injuries are commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who participate in sports and other recreational activities. The Board acknowledges the risk of catastrophic injuries or death are significant when a concussion or head injury is not properly evaluated and managed. 

Therefore, all competitive sport activities in the district will be identified by the administration and all appropriate district staff, coaches and volunteers, will complete training as required in the District procedure to recognize warning signs and symptoms of concussion and head injury. Additionally, all coaches and appropriate staff, including volunteers, will comply with Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) guidelines for the management of head injuries and concussions. 

Consistent with Washington law, the District will utilize guidelines developed with WIAA and other pertinent information to inform and educate coaches, youth athletes, and their parents/guardians of the nature and risk of concussions or head injuries, including the dangers associated with continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. Annually, the district will distribute a head injury and concussion information sheet to all parents and guardians of student participants in competitive sport activities. 

Prior to their first use of school facilities, all private nonprofit youth programs must provide a written statement of compliance with this policy regarding concussion and head injury with proof of insurance as required by RCW 4.24.660. 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest 

The Board of Directors further recognizes that sudden cardiac arrest is reported to be the leading cause of death in young athletes. The district will maintain a link on its website to the OSPI website where an online guide will be posted. 

Annually, prior to participating in an interscholastic athletic activity, students and their parent/guardian must review the online pamphlet and return a signed statement to the school documenting their review. This form may be combined with the annually distributed head injury and concussion information sheet referenced above. 

The board will also work with the WIAA and the University of Washington medicine center for sports cardiology to make available an existing online sudden cardiac arrest prevention program for coaches. Every three years, prior to coaching an interscholastic athletic activity, all coaches will complete the online program and provide a certificate of completion to the district. 

All coaches and appropriate staff, including volunteers, will complete training as required by the district procedure Additionally, all coaches will comply with WIAA guidelines for the management of sudden cardiac arrest. 

Prior to their first use of school facilities, all private nonprofit youth programs must provide a written statement of compliance with this policy regarding sudden cardiac arrest with proof of insurance as required by RCW 4.24.660. 

Athletic Director or Administrator in Charge of Athletics Duties: 

1. Updating: Each spring, the athletic director, or the administrator in charge of athletics if there is no athletic director, shall review any changes that have been made in forms required for concussion and head injury management by consulting with the WIAA or the WIAA Web site. If there are any updated forms, they will be adopted and used for the upcoming school year. 
2. Identifying Sports: By June 30 of each year, the District will identify competitive sport activities in the district for which compliance with the concussion and head injury policy is required. This list of sports will then be communicated to all athletic directors or the administrator(s) in charge of athletics if there is no athletic director, prior to the beginning of the next school year. 

Coach Training: 

All coaches will undergo training in head injury and concussion management at least once every two years by one of the following means: (1) through attendance at a WIAA or similar clock hour presentation which uses WIAA guidelines; or (2) by completing WIAA online training. All coaches will undergo training in sudden cardiac arrest prevention every three years by completing an online program developed by the WIAA and the University of Washington medicine center for sports cardiology and providing proof of completion of same to the district. 

Parent Information Sheet: 

On a yearly basis and prior to the youth athlete’s initiating practice or competition, a concussion and head injury information sheet will be signed and returned by the youth athlete and the athlete's parent and/or guardian prior to the youth athlete's initiating practice or competition. The information sheet will also incorporate a statement attesting to the student and parent/guardian’s review of the online pamphlet on sudden cardiac arrest posted on the OSPI website. The statement must be signed by both the student and parent. This information sheet may be incorporated into the parent permission sheet which allows students to participate in extracurricular athletics. 

Coach’s Responsibility: 

A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game or one who exhibits symptoms of cardiac arrest will be immediately removed from play. 

Return to Play After Concussion or Head Injury or Symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest: 

A student athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and sudden cardiac arrest and receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider. The health care provider may be a volunteer.