Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 105 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH › Title 105 CMR 201.000 - Head Injuries And Concussions In Extracurricular Athletic Activities › Section 201.006 - School Policies

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(A) All school
			 districts and schools must have policies and procedures governing the
			 prevention and management of sports-related head injuries within the school
			 district or school. The School Committee or Board of Trustees, consulting with
			 the Board of Health where appropriate, shall adopt policies and procedures
			 governing the prevention and management of sports-related head injuries within
			 the school district or school following development of a proposal by a team
			 consisting, at a minimum, of a school administrator, school nurse, school or
			 team physician if on staff, athletic director, licensed athletic trainer if on
			 staff, neuropsychologist if available, guidance counselor, and teacher in
			 consultation with any existing school health/wellness advisory committee.
			 Policies and procedures must address sports-related head injuries occurring in
			 extracurricular athletic activities but may be applied to all head injuries in
			 students. Review and revision of such policies and procedures shall occur as
			 needed but at least every two years. At a minimum, these policies shall
			 include:
(1) Designation, by the
			 superintendent or head master, principal or school leader, of the person
			 responsible for the implementation of these policies and protocols, either the
			 Athletic Director or other school personnel with administrative
			 authority;
(2) Annual training of
			 persons specified in
			 105 CMR 201.007
			 in the prevention and recognition of a sports-related-head injury, and
			 associated health risks including second impact syndrome utilizing
			 Department-approved training materials or program, and documentation of each
			 person's completion of such training;
(3) Documentation of physical examination
			 prior to a student's participation in extracurricular athletic activities on an
			 annual basis, consistent with
			 105
			 CMR 200.100(B)(3)  and
			 information for students participating in multiple sports seasons that
			 documentation of one physical examination each year is sufficient;
(4) Procedure for the school to obtain and
			 ensure review, prior to each sports season, of current information regarding an
			 athlete's history of head injuries and concussions using either the Department
			 Pre-participation Head Injury/Concussion Reporting Form For Extracurricular
			 Activities (Pre-participation Form), or school-based equivalent;
(5) Procedure for medical or nursing review
			 of all Pre-participation Forms indicating a history of head injury;
(6) Procedure for the school to obtain and
			 ensure timely medical or nursing review of a Department Report of a Head Injury
			 During Sports Season Form (Report of Head Injury Form), or school-based
			 equivalent, in the event of a head injury or suspected concussion that takes
			 place during the extracurricular activity season;
(7) Procedure for reporting head injuries or
			 suspected concussions sustained during extracurricular athletic activities to
			 the school nurse and licensed athletic trainer, if on staff;
(8) Procedure for identifying a head injury
			 or suspected concussion, removing an athlete from practice or competition, and
			 referring for medical evaluation;
(9) The protocol for medical clearance for
			 return to play after a concussion that at minimum complies with
			 105 CMR
			 201.011;
(10) Procedure for the development and
			 implementation of post-concussion graduated reentry plans to school and
			 academic activities, if indicated, by persons specified in
			 105 CMR
			 201.010(E)(1);
(11) Procedure for providing information, and
			 necessary forms and materials, to all parents and athletes including the:
(a) annual training requirement,
(b) procedure for the school to notify
			 parents when an athlete has been removed from play for a head injury or
			 suspected concussion sustained during an extracurricular athletic
			 activity,
(c) protocol for
			 obtaining medical clearance for return to play and academics after a diagnosed
			 concussion,
(d) parent's
			 responsibility for completion of the Pre-participation Form, or school-based
			 equivalent, and
(e) parent's
			 responsibility for completion of the Report of a Head Injury Form, or
			 school-based equivalent;
(12) Inclusion in the student and parent
			 handbooks of information regarding the sports-related head injury policy and
			 how to obtain the policy;
(13)
			 Procedure for communicating with parents with limited English
			 proficiency;
(14) Procedure for
			 outreach to parents who do not return completed forms required for students to
			 participate in extracurricular sports and for how to handle situations where a
			 student verifies completion of the annual training requirement but a parent has
			 not;
(15) Procedure for sharing
			 information concerning an athlete's history of head injury and concussion,
			 recuperation, reentry plan, and authorization to return to play and academic
			 activities on a need to know basis consistent with requirements of
			 105 CMR 201.000 and
			 applicable federal and state law including but not limited to the Massachusetts
			 Student Records Regulations,
			 603 CMR
			 23.00, and the Federal Family Educational Rights and
			 Privacy Act Regulations, 34 CFR Part 99.
(16) Instructions to coaches, licensed
			 athletic trainers, trainers and volunteers:
(a) to teach form, techniques, and skills and
			 promote protective equipment use to minimize sports-related head injury;
			 and
(b) to prohibit athletes from
			 engaging in any unreasonably dangerous athletic technique that endangers the
			 health or safety of an athlete, such as using a helmet or any other sports
			 equipment as a weapon;
(17) Penalties, including but not limited to
			 personnel sanctions and forfeiture of games, for failure to comply with
			 provisions of the school district's or school's policy.