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New funding for concussion management education

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Thu, Apr 25th 2019 12:55 pm

Grant will fund efforts to educate school faculty and staff, parents, students on ‘Return to Learn’ protocols after concussion

The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) has received a major grant from the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth), which will fund a two-year project called “Improving Concussion Management for New York State Students.” This project will address gaps in concussion management by training educators, parents and students around New York on “Return to Learn” protocols. These trainings will enhance teachers’ abilities to identify students who have sustained a concussion and to provide the needed academic accommodations and services to ensure full recovery.

“Concussions are the most common form of traumatic brain injury, and symptoms can sometimes have a prolonged negative impact on a child’s performance in school,” said Dr. Brian Rieger, co-chair of BIANYS’ concussion initiative and director of the SUNY Upstate Concussion Center. “This new project will assess educators’ current knowledge of ‘Return to Learn’ after concussion and work to address any gaps in that knowledge. We are proud to be able to do this for schools around New York state.”

BIANYS will convene an advisory committee with representatives from education, medicine, athletics, rehabilitation and government, then design and implement a pilot training program for preventing and managing concussions for New Yorkers of all ages, produce companion training materials, and compile resources on concussion recovery for teachers.

“We’re very excited to get the ‘Improving Concussion Management’ project underway and to improve educational outcomes for concussed students in New York state,” said Michelle Kellen, M.Ed., BIANYS professional development manager and project lead. “Many thanks to NYSHealth for funding this project and recognizing that New York’s educators, parents and students deserve every tool available to them to prevent and manage concussions.”

The presentations and trainings will be completely free for participants and will be implemented across nine regions of the state. Trainings will raise awareness about the needs of students with concussions, review “Return to Learn” protocols, provide guidance on how to implement the protocols, and get feedback from teachers on current concussion management practices in their schools.

BIANYS is a statewide nonprofit membership organization that advocates on behalf of people with brain injuries and their families. It provides education, advocacy and community support services that lead to improved outcomes. Visit bianys.org for more information.

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