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Concussion Management Policy Reviewed: July 2021
The University of Montana, Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (UMIA) is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its student-athletes. To this end, and in accordance with the NCAA Concussion Management Protocol, and the Arrington Settlement Agreement, UMIA will adopt the following Concussion Management Plan (CMP). This plan will set forth how student-athletes exhibiting signs and symptoms of concussion and student-athletes diagnosed with a concussion will be managed. A concussion is a potentially serious injury to the brain. Most concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness. Symptoms of concussion include, but are not limited to dizziness, headache, feeling “out of it” or “foggy”, vision changes, sensitivity to light or noise, balance problems and other symptoms. UM Student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators, are obligated to report any signs or concerns of possible concussion to the University of Montana athletic trainers and/or team physician. Concussions frequently occur in sport and repetitive concussions have been related to long term changes in brain function. The University of Montana is committed to student-athlete health and safety and the components of the University of Montana CMP are listed below. POLICY STATEMENT: This policy ensures and communicates complete and comprehensive procedures for the management of a student-athlete (SA) who may have sustained a concussion. PURPOSE: To provide and communicate to UMIA staff with regards to each individual’s responsibility related to the management of a student-athlete who may have sustained a concussion. ENTITIES TO WHOM THIS POLICY APPLIES: University of Montana Intercollegiate Athletics (UMIA) Administrators, Coaches (Sport and Strength), Staff, and Rhinehart Athletic Training Staff including Physicians, Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students. PROCEDURE: 1) All University of Montana student-athletes are required to sign a statement annually in which the student-athlete accepts the responsibility for reporting their injuries and illnesses to the institutional medical staff, including the signs and symptoms of concussions. During the review and signing process the student-athletes will be presented with the NCAA Concussion Fact Sheet for Student-Athletes. (Appendix A) 2) All UMIA Department administrators, coaches, and athletic training staff are required to sign a statement in which they accept the responsibility for reporting signs and symptoms of concussions. During the review and signing process they will be presented with the NCAA Concussion Fact Sheet. (Appendix B) a. The head athletic trainer will work with Compliance to coordinate the distribution of informative material, educational sessions, signing, and collection of the necessary documents. The signed documents from the SA will be kept in the student-athlete’s medical file. The signed documents from the coaches and staff will be kept by the compliance staff. b. The Head athletic trainer and compliance staff will coordinate the signing of the aforementioned documents on an annual basis. c. A copy of the CMP will also be distributed through the (UMIA) Policies and Procedures manuals and the SA Handbook. d. The head athletic trainer and team physician will review and update the Concussion Policy on a regular basis. 3) Rhinehart Athletic Training Center (RATC) will have on file and posted electronically an annually updated emergency action plan for each athletics venue. 78
