I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 582 
To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to provide for the 
establishment and implementation of guidelines on best practices for 
diagnosis, treatment, and management of mild traumatic brain injuries 
(MTBIs) in school-aged children, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 28, 2015 
Mr. PASCRELL (for himself and Mr. ROONEY of Florida) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to 
provide for the establishment and implementation of 
guidelines on best practices for diagnosis, treatment, and 
management of mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs) 
in school-aged children, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Concussions are mild traumatic brain inju-
ries, the long-term effects of which are not well un-
derstood. 
(2) According to the Centers for Disease Con-
trol 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 chil-
dren 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. 
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(7) Many States have adopted concussion man-
agement 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 sec-
tion 317T the following: 
‘‘SEC. 317U. GUIDELINES ON BEST PRACTICES FOR DIAG-
NOSIS, 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 
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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 prac-
tices 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 dis-
seminating such guidelines to elementary and 
secondary schools; and 
‘‘(B) ensuring that elementary and sec-
ondary schools— 
‘‘(i) implement such guidelines; 
‘‘(ii) are adequately staffed with ath-
letic trainers and other medical profes-
sionals necessary to implement such guide-
lines; and 
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‘‘(iii) implement computerized pre-sea-
son 
baseline 
and 
post-injury 
neuro-
psychological testing for student athletes. 
‘‘(2) GRANT APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this section, a State shall 
submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(B) MINIMUM CONTENTS.—The Secretary 
shall require that an application of a State 
under subparagraph (A) contain at a min-
imum— 
‘‘(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 imple-
mentation of such guidelines by such 
schools, including any strategic partner-
ships that the State will form; and 
‘‘(ii) an agreement by the State to pe-
riodically provide data with respect to the 
incidence of MTBIs and second impact 
syndrome among student athletes in the 
State. 
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‘‘(3) UTILIZATION
OF
HIGH
SCHOOL
SPORTS 
ASSOCIATIONS AND LOCAL CHAPTERS OF NATIONAL 
BRAIN
INJURY
ORGANIZATIONS.—The Secretary 
shall require States receiving grants under this sec-
tion to utilize, to the extent practicable, applicable 
expertise and services offered by high school sports 
associations and local chapters of national brain in-
jury organizations in such States. 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION
OF ACTIVITIES.—In carrying 
out this section, the Secretary shall coordinate in an ap-
propriate manner with the heads of other Federal depart-
ments 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 Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report on the implemen-
tation 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-sea-
son baseline and post-injury neuro-psychological 
testing for student athletes; and 
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‘‘(3) the data collected with respect to the inci-
dence 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 in-
dividual 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 indi-
vidual suffers an MTBI while symptomatic and heal-
ing 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 Pre-
vention. 
‘‘(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 ele-
mentary or secondary school. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there are authorized to be appro-
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priated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2016 and such sums 
as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2017 through 
2020.’’. 
Æ 
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