Beginning with the 2019-20 season, any athlete held out for concussion evaluation or who has been diagnosed with a concussion must provide a written Return to Play form from a qualified medical provider allowing them to return to any training, practice or game activity with no restrictions. The parent must sign the form and the coach must also sign the form acknowledging that they received it.

Montana House Bill 487: this Law requires all coaches, employees, volunteers, and other adults who are involved with youth athletic activities to complete concussion awareness training every year (HB487: section 3 (part 3)). 

The links below provide free training which will satisfy this requirement. Please follow the appropriate link below for sports training.  These videos are approximately 30 minutes.  Please be sure to print or save the certificate that is offered at the end of the training session.

Youth Sports Training
CDC :Heads Up" Concussion in Youth Sports

High School Sports Training (Concussion in Sports)
National Federation of State High School Association Training (NFHS)

MAHA has adopted concussion protocol and USA Hockey recently added a concussion acknowledgement requirement to its online registration process for all members.

MAHA concussion protocol meets the requirements of the legislation in Montana for youth sports organizations. Implementation of the protocol includes the following:

• Coaches, Officials: Concussion Training certificate along with the Concussion protocol acknowledgement form must be signed annually. 
• Parents/Guardians: Concussion protocol acknowledgement form must be signed annually.
  **As part of the national concussion protocol, USAHockey has institued a required signature acknowledgement at the time of memebership registraiton for all participants. Due to this, a signed copy of the Parents acknowlegement is not required**

• Concussion Evaluation and Return To Participation Protocol:
  • This form is a tool for coaches, managers and parents to help determine if they need to seek medical evaluation. When in doubt it is better to err on the side of caution and have the athlete evaluated. This tool IS NOT for those listed above to make a diagnosis.
  • The new USA Hockey concussion management program Return to Sport criteria has been added to the back of the evaluation and return to participation form.

Signed forms and certificates of completion must be turned into your local Coaching Director (who will them pass copies to team managers, officials etc) who will keep them on file for one year.
 

On May 4,2017, Governor Bullock signed into law legislation addressing sports-related concussions and required protocols for certain youth organizations.  House Bill 487 requires that all youth sports coaches, employees and volunteers participate in the concussion awareness program, as well as provide the educational materials to athletes.

To comply with these regulations, MAHA has formally adopted the USA Hockey Concussion Management Program and associated educational materials as its concussion management program.  These educational materials include the Concussion Management Program handout, USA Hockey Concussion Poster and some other concussion related information.  We are asking all parents and guardians to download the materials and review them with their player.

Each season, players and parents will be asked to acknowledge that they have received and reviewed these materials prior to the start of the season.

Another part of the new legislation requires that coaches remove any youth athlete suspected of having sustained a concussion from all hockey activities immediately. The athlete may only return to practice or competition when the organization receives written authorization from a licensed healthcare provider. The association must retain the release for the entire time the athlete is registered with the organization, or until the athlete reaches 18. MAHA affiliated clubs, associations, coaches and administrators each have a responsibility in dealing with, reporting and retaining records of players with concussion symptoms.

Concussion can cause serious and long-term damage to young players if not treated properly. We urge you to review the materials and become familiar with the symptoms of concussions. Concussion awareness is part of our coaching education program, but many times a players symptoms may not show until after the player has left the arena for home. Parents also need to be aware of how to identify the symptoms and learn what to do in the case you suspect a player has sustained a concussion.

Thank you for taking the time to review these materials to ensure the safety of all our young players

WHAT IS A CONCUSSION?

A concussion is a brain injury.  Concussion may be caused by the a blow to the head, neck or body.  There is no such thing as a mild concussion.

You can’t see a concussion.  Signs and symptoms of a concussion can appear right away.  However, they may not appear until hours or days after the injury has occurred.  IF your child reports any symptoms of a concussion or a coach, official, teammate or parent observes any symptoms; seek immediate medical attention.