Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Concussion Awareness and Education 
Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents of this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Findings; purposes.
Sec. 4. Surveillance of sports-related concussions.
Sec. 5. Research.
Sec. 6. Dissemination of information.
Sec. 7. Concussion Research Commission.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) There is currently no comprehensive system for 
        acquiring accurate data on the incidence of sports- and 
        recreation-related concussions across youth age groups and 
        sports.
            (2) Overall, according to a report entitled ``Sports-
        Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing 
        the Culture'', issued by the National Academies in 2013, each 
        year in the United States, there are approximately 1.6 to 3.8 
        million sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain 
        injuries, including concussions and other head injuries. These 
        figures are based on conservative estimates.
            (3) Between 2001 and 2009, the reported number of our youth 
        ages 21 and under treated in an emergency department for 
        concussion and other non-fatal sports and recreation-related 
        traumatic brain injuries increased from 150,000 to 250,000.
            (4) Over the same time period between 2001 and 2009, the 
        rate of emergency room visits for concussive injuries increased 
        by 57 percent.
            (5) Yet, according to the National Academies there 
        currently is--
                    (A) a lack of data to accurately estimate the 
                incidence of sports-related concussions across a 
                variety of sports and for youth across the pediatric 
                age spectrum; and
                    (B) no comprehensive system for acquiring accurate 
                data on the incidence of sports- and recreation-related 
                concussions across all youth age groups and sports.
            (6) Currently, there are significant information gaps in 
        the proper protocol for diagnosis and treatment of sports-
        related concussions and more research desperately is needed.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to increase awareness and knowledge about concussions 
        through development of, implementation of, and evaluation of 
        the effectiveness of, large-scale collaborative efforts and 
        research by entities including, but not limited to, national 
        sports associations, State high school associations, trainers' 
        associations, appropriate Federal entities, and other 
        stakeholders such as parents, coaches, and students; and
            (2) to change the culture (including social norms, 
        attitudes, and behaviors) surrounding concussions among 
        elementary school youth and their parents, coaches, sports 
        officials, educators, trainers, and health care professionals, 
        taking into account demographic variations across population 
        groups, where appropriate.

SEC. 4. SURVEILLANCE OF SPORTS-RELATED CONCUSSIONS.

    Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting 
after section 317T of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-22) the following:

``SEC. 317U. SURVEILLANCE OF SPORTS-RELATED CONCUSSIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, and taking into account other Federal data collection 
efforts, shall--
            ``(1) establish and oversee a national system to accurately 
        determine the incidence of sports-related concussions among 
        youth; and
            ``(2) begin implementation of such system not later than 1 
        year after the date of enactment of the Concussion Awareness 
        and Education Act of 2015.
    ``(b) Data To Be Collected.--The data collected under subsection 
(a) shall, to the extent feasible, include each of the following:
            ``(1) The incidence of sports related concussions in 
        individuals 5 through 21 years of age.
            ``(2) Demographic information of the injured individuals, 
        including age, sex, race, and ethnicity.
            ``(3) Pre-existing conditions of the injured individuals, 
        such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning 
        disabilities.
            ``(4) The concussion history of the injured individuals, 
        such as the number and dates of prior concussions.
            ``(5) The use of protective equipment and impact monitoring 
        devices.
            ``(6) The qualifications of personnel diagnosing the 
        concussions.
            ``(7) The cause, nature, and extent of the concussive 
        injury, including--
                    ``(A) the sport or activity involved;
                    ``(B) the recreational or competitive level of the 
                sport or activity involved;
                    ``(C) the event type involved, including whether it 
                was practice or competition;
                    ``(D) the impact location on the body;
                    ``(E) the impact nature, such as contact with a 
                playing surface, another player, or equipment; and
                    ``(F) signs and symptoms consistent with a 
                concussion.''.

SEC. 5. RESEARCH.

    Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 409K. RESEARCH ON CONCUSSIONS IN YOUTH.

    ``Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
the Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015, the Director of NIH 
shall conduct or support--
            ``(1) research designed to inform the creation of age-
        specific, evidence-based guidelines for the management of 
        short- and long-term sequelae of concussion in youth;
            ``(2) research on the effects of concussions and repetitive 
        head impacts on quality of life and the activities of daily 
        living;
            ``(3) research to identify predictors, and modifiers of 
        outcomes, of concussions in youth, including the influence of 
        socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sex, and comorbidities; 
        and
            ``(4) research on age- and sex-related biomechanical 
        determinants of injury risk for concussion in youth, including 
        how injury thresholds are modified by the number of and time 
        interval between head impacts and concussions.''.

SEC. 6. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
shall develop and disseminate to the public information regarding 
concussions.
    (b) Arrangements With Other Entities.--In carrying out paragraph 
(1), the Secretary may disseminate information through arrangements 
with nonprofit organizations, consumer groups, Federal, State, or local 
agencies, or the media.

SEC. 7. CONCUSSION RESEARCH COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a Concussion Research 
Commission (referred to in this section as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of the 
        following nine members:
                    (A) Five shall be appointed by the President.
                    (B) One shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives.
                    (C) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the House of Representatives.
                    (D) One shall be appointed by the majority leader 
                of the Senate.
                    (E) One shall be appointed by the minority leader 
                of the Senate.
            (2) Qualifications.--To be eligible for appointment under 
        paragraph (1), an individual shall--
                    (A) have experience with research, treatment, and 
                prevention with respect to all types of concussive 
                injuries; and
                    (B) be a leading medical or scientific expert, or 
                an otherwise authoritatively qualified expert, in one 
                or more relevant fields.
            (3) Terms.--Each member of the Commission shall be 
        appointed for the life of the Commission.
            (4) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy 
        occurring before the expiration of the term for which the 
        member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for 
        the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the 
        expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken 
        office. A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the 
        manner in which the original appointment was made.
            (5) No pay.--The members of the Commission shall serve 
        without pay. Members of the Commission who are full-time 
        officers or employees of the United States or Members of 
        Congress may not receive additional pay, allowances, or 
        benefits by reason of their service on the Commission.
            (6) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall 
        receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under 
        subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
            (7) Resources.--The Secretary shall ensure that appropriate 
        personnel, funding, and other resources are provided to the 
        Committee to carry out its responsibilities.
    (c) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at least 4 times each 
year.
    (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, without 
reimbursement, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist in carrying out this section.
    (e) Study.--The Commission shall--
            (1) study the programs and activities conducted pursuant to 
        this Act; and
            (2) based on the results of such programs and activities, 
        formulate systemic recommendations for furthering the purposes 
        of this Act, as described in section 3(b).
    (f) Review of National Academies Report.--The Commission shall 
review the report of the National Academies entitled ``Sports-Related 
Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture'' and 
recommend corrections or updates to such report, as the Commission 
determines appropriate.
    (g) Reporting.--
            (1) Interim reports.--Every 6 months, the Commission shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an interim 
        report on the Commission's activities.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 36 months after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress, and make available to the 
        public, a final report on the results of the Commission's study 
        under subsection (e) and review under subsection (f).
    (h) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate upon the date of 
submission of the final report required by subsection (g)(2), unless 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services chooses to maintain the 
Commission beyond such date.

Summary: Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to: (1) establish and oversee a national system to accurately determine the incidence of sports-related concussions among youth, and (2) begin implementation of such system within one year of this Act's enactment. Requires the data collected to include: the incidence of sports related concussions in individuals 5 through 21 years of age, demographic information of the injured individuals, pre-existing conditions of the injured individuals, the concussion history of the injured individuals, the use of protective equipment and impact monitoring devices, the qualifications of personnel diagnosing the concussions. And the cause, nature, and extent of the concussive injury. Requires the National Institutes of Health to conduct or support: research designed to inform the creation of guidelines for the management of short- and long-term sequelae of concussion in youth. Research on the effects of concussions and repetitive head impacts on quality of life and the activities of daily living. Research to identify predictors, and modifiers of outcomes, of concussions in youth. And research on age- and sex-related biomechanical determinants of injury risk for concussion in youth. Requires CDC to develop and disseminate to the public information regarding concussions. Establishes a Concussion Research Commission, which shall study the programs and activities conducted pursuant to this Act and formulate systemic recommendations to increase knowledge about, and change the culture surrounding, concussions.