Michigan's New Sports Concussion Law
Michigan was the 39th U.S. state to enact a law that regulates sports concussions and return to athletic activity. The law goes into full effect on June 30th, 2013.
The sports concussion legislation requires all coaches, employees, volunteers, and other adults involved with a youth athletic activity to complete a concussion awareness on-line training program.
Schools must provide educational materials on the signs/symptoms and consequences of concussions to each youth athlete and their parents/guardians and obtain a signed statement acknowledging receipt of the information for the organizing entity to keep on record.
The law also requires immediate removal of an athlete from physical participation in an athletic activity who is suspected of sustaining a concussion. The student athlete must then receive written clearance from an appropriate health professional before he or she can return to physical activity.
Because this law is less stringent than current MI High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) requirements for MHSAA regulated sports, it applies to non MHSAA sport activities such as physical education, intramurals and out-of-season or summer camps and clinics. Schools are required to continue following existing MHSAA requirements for all regulated sports.
For More Information
The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) have information and tools needed to help schools comply, including educational materials for coaches, parents, and students. You can go there by clicking the following links: