ConTACT Act of 2015

Summary: Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act of 2015 or the ConTACT Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish guidelines for states on the implementation of best practices for diagnosis, treatment, and management of mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs) in school-aged children, including best practices relating to student athletes returning to play after an MTBI. Requires the Pediatric MTBI Guideline Expert Panel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a final report on best practices by July 31, 2015. Authorizes HHS to make grants to states to: (1) adopt, disseminate, and ensure schools implement the guidelines; and (2) ensure elementary and secondary schools implement computerized preseason baseline and post-injury neuropsychological testing for student athletes. Directs HHS to require states receiving grants to utilize, to the extent practicable, applicable expertise and services offered by local chapters of national brain injury organizations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Concussion Treatment and Care Tools 
Act of 2015'' or the ``ConTACT Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries, the 
        long-term effects of which are not well understood.
            (2) According to the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention (CDC), each year United States emergency departments 
        treat an estimated 173,285 sports- and recreation-related mild 
        traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs), including concussions, among 
        children and adolescents, from birth to 19 years of age. 
        However, this number does not capture the total number, as many 
        MTBIs go undiagnosed.
            (3) There is an increased risk for subsequent brain 
        injuries among persons who have had at least one previous brain 
        injury.
            (4) A repeat concussion, one that occurs before the brain 
        recovers from a previous concussion, can slow recovery or 
        increase the likelihood of having long-term problems.
            (5) In rare cases, repeat concussions can result in second 
        impact syndrome, which can be marked by brain swelling, 
        permanent brain damage, and death.
            (6) Recurrent brain injuries and second impact syndrome are 
        highly preventable.
            (7) Many States have adopted concussion management rules 
        and regulations, but many schools lack the resources to 
        implement best practices in concussion diagnosis and 
        management.

SEC. 3. GUIDELINES ON BEST PRACTICES FOR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND 
              MANAGEMENT OF MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES IN SCHOOL-
              AGED CHILDREN.

    Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243 
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 317T the following:

``SEC. 317U. GUIDELINES ON BEST PRACTICES FOR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND 
              MANAGEMENT OF MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES IN SCHOOL-
              AGED CHILDREN.

    ``(a) Guidelines.--
            ``(1) By secretary.--Not later than 90 days after issuance 
        of the final report under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall 
        establish guidelines for States on the implementation of best 
        practices for diagnosis, treatment, and management of MTBIs in 
        school-aged children.
            ``(2) By panel.--Not later than July 31, 2015, the 
        Pediatric MTBI Guideline Expert Panel of the Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention shall issue a final report on 
        best practices for diagnosis, treatment, and management of 
        MTBIs in school-aged children.
            ``(3) Student athletes returning to play.--The guidelines 
        under paragraph (1) and the report under paragraph (2) shall 
        address best practices for diagnosis, treatment, and management 
        of MTBIs in student athletes returning to play after an MTBI.
    ``(b) Grants to States.--
            ``(1) In general.--After establishing the guidelines under 
        subsection (a)(1), the Secretary may make grants to States for 
        purposes of--
                    ``(A) adopting such guidelines, and disseminating 
                such guidelines to elementary and secondary schools; 
                and
                    ``(B) ensuring that elementary and secondary 
                schools--
                            ``(i) implement such guidelines;
                            ``(ii) are adequately staffed with athletic 
                        trainers and other medical professionals 
                        necessary to implement such guidelines; and
                            ``(iii) implement computerized pre-season 
                        baseline and post-injury neuropsychological 
                        testing for student athletes.
            ``(2) Grant applications.--
                    ``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
                grant under this section, a State shall submit an 
                application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
                manner, and containing such information as the 
                Secretary may require.
                    ``(B) Minimum contents.--The Secretary shall 
                require that an application of a State under 
                subparagraph (A) contain at a minimum--
                            ``(i) a description of the strategies the 
                        State will use to disseminate the guidelines 
                        under subsection (a)(1) to elementary and 
                        secondary schools, and to ensure implementation 
                        of such guidelines by such schools, including 
                        any strategic partnerships that the State will 
                        form; and
                            ``(ii) an agreement by the State to 
                        periodically provide data with respect to the 
                        incidence of MTBIs and second impact syndrome 
                        among student athletes in the State.
            ``(3) Utilization of high school sports associations and 
        local chapters of national brain injury organizations.--The 
        Secretary shall require States receiving grants under this 
        section to utilize, to the extent practicable, applicable 
        expertise and services offered by high school sports 
        associations and local chapters of national brain injury 
        organizations in such States.
    ``(c) Coordination of Activities.--In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary shall coordinate in an appropriate manner with the heads 
of other Federal departments and agencies that carry out activities 
related to MTBIs.
    ``(d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on the implementation of subsection (b) and shall include in 
such report--
            ``(1) the number of States that have adopted the guidelines 
        under subsection (a)(1);
            ``(2) the number of elementary and secondary schools that 
        have implemented computerized pre-season baseline and post-
        injury neuro-psychological testing for student athletes; and
            ``(3) the data collected with respect to the incidence of 
        MTBIs and second impact syndrome among student athletes.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) The term `MTBI' means a mild traumatic brain injury.
            ``(2) The term `school-aged child' means an individual in 
        the range of 5 through 18 years of age.
            ``(3) The term `second impact syndrome' means catastrophic 
        or fatal events that occur when an individual suffers an MTBI 
        while symptomatic and healing from a previous MTBI.
            ``(4) The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention.
            ``(5) The term `State' means each of the 50 States and the 
        District of Columbia.
            ``(6) The term `student athlete' means a school-aged child 
        in any of the grades 6th through 12th who participates in a 
        sport through such child's elementary or secondary school.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2016 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2017 through 
2020.''.