New York State Health Foundation Grant to educate school faculty and staff, parents, students on Return to Learn protocols after concussion has come to a close
Albany, NY – The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) is excited to announce that the grant, Improving Concussion Management for New York State Students, received from the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) was successful.
This project addressed gaps in concussion management by training educators, parents and students around New York State on Return to Learn protocols. These trainings enhanced teachers’ abilities to identify students who have sustained a concussion and to provide the needed academic accommodations and services to ensure full recovery. Even though the pandemic hit in the middle of this grant, our staff converted quickly to all virtual presentations and we were able to train over 2000 school personnel.
“It was an amazing experience to work with educators throughout the state on this important project. Many attendees expressed the benefits of the information they garnered from the training and how helpful this will be to assist students that have sustained a concussion. Many also gained a new appreciation for what it is like to suffer from a concussion and the challenges that can occur during recovery. BIANYS appreciates the support from the NYSHF to make this training available statewide,” expressed Michelle Kellen, Professional Development Manager at BIANYS.
Even though the grant has come to an end, the BIANYS staff will continue to advocate for the passage of the Concussion Management Awareness Improvement Act (A2564/S1074) until it is passed by the New York State Legislature. This legislation will require additional education in concussion management, require academic Return to Learn and Return to Play policies, require a Concussion Management Team, report the number of concussions that occur each year, recommend Athletic Trainers available to students and for the legislation to apply to non-public schools and competitive/travel youth sports.
BIANYS stands ready to provide information on concussion and on best practices for Return to Learn and Return to Play. We must do all we can to keep New York’s students safe when they play sports and help them be as successful as possible in the classroom and to prevent concussions and other brain injuries wherever we can. We once again thank the New York State Health Foundation for this opportunity.