PRIVIT Supports the Proposed Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2014
Focusing on improving the health and safety of athletes and individuals, PRIVIT® announced its support of Representatives Joyce Beatty’s and Ann Wagner’s proposed Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2014 (H.R. 3954) for developing best practices for sports-related and other concussions.
Introduced in January 2014 the bill addresses the need to establish a national system for tracking and managing incidences of sport-related concussions and the side effects on athletes and military personnel. In addition, the bill will develop information to educate the public on concussion awareness, treatment, and prevention.
“This legislation is about protecting our nation’s youth. We can, and must, do better in coordinating research on the causes of concussive injuries and protecting the overall brain health of student athletes and military trainees. H.R. 3954 will ensure that those who suffer from brain injuries receive effective treatment and enable them to return to society and the sport or activity they love, as healthy and productive as possible,” stated Congresswoman Beatty.
“With the number of sport related concussions and the long-term side effects impacting athletes and military personnel, we need to make an effort to change the ‘culture of resistance’ surrounding concussions,” stated Congressman Steve Stivers.
According to a 2013 report issued by The National Academies, entitled, “Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, Improving the Science, Changing the Culture,” each year in the United States there are approximately 1.6 to 3.8 million sports and recreation-related brain and concussive injuries. Studies have shown, during the recovery period, high school athletes exhibited memory impairment up to 21 days post-concussion (Field et al. 2003; McClincy et al. 2006; Covassin et al. 2010) while collegiate athletes demonstrated memory impairment up to 5 days post-concussion (Macciocchi et al. 1996; Field et al. 2003).
“As of January 2014, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, have adopted return to play legislation for concussed athletes participating in youth sports. We are proud to support Congresswoman Beatty and Congressman Stivers on H.R. 3954 for developing best practices for concussions, regardless of which state you play,” said Jeff Sopp, CEO of PRIVIT®.
