Concussion trainings

Concussion trainings for school staff and healthcare professionals

DPH approved annual trainings

Regulations require that schools must provide Annual Trainings for coaches, school nurses, school and team physicians, certified athletic trainers, athletic directors, trainers, marching band directors, student athletes and their parents. The following annual training programs listed below meet the requirements of the regulations:

• BU SHIELD: Concussion Management in Massachusetts Schools
  School Health Institute for Education and Leadership Development (SHIELD) at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH): SHIELD offers innovative educational programs and leadership opportunities for school nurses and school health professionals. Contact [e-mail] for more information.
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention Heads Up Concussion in Youth Sports On-Line Training Program (available online and free of charge)
• National Federation of State High School Associations Concussion in Sports — What you Need to Know (available online and free of charge)
• Concussion Training for Coaches
• Concussion Training for Parents
• Final Written Quiz for Coaches — English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

The following programs have been approved by DPH to provide the annual training in person that has met the requirements of the regulations:

• Concussion Legacy Foundation
  Phone: [phone]
  Education and Research Programs Manager: Cliff Robbins
• Boston University Continuing Medical Education
  72 East Concord Street, A402
  Boston, MA 02118
  Phone: [phone]
  Training Director: Dr. Robert Cantu
• Brain Injury Center, Boston Children's Hospital
  300 Longwood Avenue
  Boston, MA 02115
  Phone: [phone]
  Training Director: Stefanie Rydstrom Hartman, MS, RN, CPNP
• Southcoast Hospitals Group
  480 Hawthorn St.
  North Dartmouth, MA 02747
  Phone: [phone]
  Training Director: Kathleen Thornton, MS ATC, CSCS, NASM-PES
• Concussion Center
  Emerson Hospital Center for Rehabilitative and Sports Therapies
  310 Baker Avenue
  Concord, MA 01742
  Phone: [phone]
  Medical Director: Dr. Robert C. Cantu, MD
  Project Manager: Jessica Gravel, PT, DPT
• Massachusetts Concussion Management Coalition
  Diane Sartanowicz MS, ATC, LAT, Director
  Boston Children’s Hospital
  20 Hope Avenue, Suite G01
  Waltham, MA 02453
  Phone: [phone]

DPH is interested in approving other programs to meet the annual training requirements of the regulations. The following link describes the training criteria and application process for approval:

• Training Criteria Application (PDF) | (DOC)

DPH approved clinical training for clinicians providing medical clearance

The regulations require that physicians, nurse practitioners, certified athletic trainers, physician assistants and neuropsychologists providing medical clearance for students with sports related head injuries to return to play shall verify that they have received DPH-approved training in traumatic head injury assessment and management or have received equivalent training as part of their licensure or continuing education.

The following CDC training, used in conjunction with the PowerPoint slides on the Massachusetts head injury regulations, can be taken by clinicians in order to be authorized to provide medical clearance.

• Heads Up Free Continuing Education Concussion Training for Medical Providers
• Presentation on Massachusetts Department of Public Health Regulations 105 CMR 201.000: Head Injuries and Concussions In Extracurricular Athletic Activities (PPT)
• Presentation on Massachusetts Department of Public Health Regulations 105 CMR 201.000: Head Injuries and Concussions In Extracurricular Athletic Activities (DOC)

The Massachusetts Medical Society, along with DPH and the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, have developed a webinar aimed at identifying and managing concussions as well as fully understanding the physical and cognitive limitations that can occur after a concussion. The webinar, ‘Concussion Treatment, Management and Prevention’, includes an overview of the signs, symptoms and treatment of concussion, recommendations for graduated return to play and return to learn for students who have suffered a concussion and an overview of policies and procedures required by Massachusetts sports concussion regulations. This training can be taken by clinicians in order to be authorized to provide medical clearance.

• Concussion Treatment, Management and Prevention: In School and on the Field

In addition, the clinical training programs listed below meet the requirements of the regulations for clinical training:

• Boston Children's Hospital Sports Concussion Clinic
  9 Hope Avenue
  Waltham, MA 02453
  Phone: [phone]
  Training Directors: William P. Meehan, III, MD
  Alex M. Taylor, PsyD
  Michael O'Brien, MD
• Warren A. Bodine, DO CAQSM Greater Lawrence Family Medicine Residency Program
  34 Haverhill Street
  Lawrence, MA 01841
  Phone: [phone]
  Email: [e-mail]

DPH is inviting programs to apply to provide training for clinicians to meet the clinical training requirements of the sports concussion regulations. This training will be designed particularly for those providing medical clearance for return to play: physicians, certified athletic trainers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and neuropsychologists. The following link describes the clinical training criteria and application process:

• Criteria and Application Procedure for Concussion Training for Clinicians LAS (DOC)