Enter your name and email
address to be added to
the BIADC mailing list
for updates and alerts!

BIADC News

Serving Washington, D.C.

District of Columbia’s Athletic Concussion Act
— The Most Comprehensive Law of its Kind

Click here to read more about The Athletic Concussion Act.

Congratulations to Joseph Cammarata who was recently appointed Vice-Chairperson for the District of Columbia Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Committee.

BIADC is proud to announce two new grant opportunities.

BIADC President Joseph Cammarata and BIADC Vice President Ira Sherman introduced the DC Athletic Concussion Protection Act of 2010, sponsored by the BIADC, at a Ceremony at McKinley High School in Northeast DC on September 20, 2010. Shown with him are, from left to right: Dr. Gerald Gioia, Children's National Medical Center; Mr. Mark Meana, USA Football; Mr. Bruce Allen, General Manager Washington Redskins; DC Councilmember Phil Mendelson; DC Councilmember Harry Thomas and Mr. Ira Sherman, BIADC Vice-President. The bill was formally introduced at the next day’s DC Council session, co-sponsored by 11 out of 13 council members, and received valuable media attention. Please read these excerpts from an article at WashingtonPost.com. by Ann E. Marimow Tuesday, September 21, 2010:

From youth soccer to high school football, young athletes in the District would be sidelined from practices and games when they show signs of a concussion, under legislation introduced Tuesday by D.C. Council members. The measure would prohibit athletes on both recreational and school sports teams from returning to the field until they are evaluated by and receive written clearance from a health-care provider. The District would follow nine states, including Virginia, Oregon and Massachusetts, in taking on an issue that has become a significant health concern in recent years because of the long-term problems associated with head injuries in sports.

"A lot of times kids say, 'I'm all right,' and lot of parents and coaches don't know what to do," said council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5), who has coached youth sports and who joined council members Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) and David A. Catania (I-At Large) in sponsoring the measure...

The legislation, designed to raise awareness about concussions and protect student-athletes, goes somewhat further than policies in District public schools, where nearly 5,000 students participate in athletics. Jamila Watson, the lead athletic trainer for the school system, said certified trainers evaluate athletes who show signs of a concussion and make decisions about disqualification from practices or games. The trainers consult with team physicians, she said, before determining whether a student can return to the field, but not necessarily with written clearance.

Watson said the school system is poised to begin computerized testing used by professional and collegiate teams to evaluate the magnitude of concussions. "We're in strong support of it," Watson said of the bill, which is also backed by the National Football League and the Brain Injury Association of Washington, D.C.

Click here to read the bill issued by Councilmember Phil Mendelson and here to read a Fact Sheet about the bill.

Recently published:

Managing Brain Injury: A Guide to Living Well with Brain Injury

Please take a moment to check out this recovery guide authored by two of our Board Members. All proceeds from the purchase of this book go to the National Rehabilitation Hospital.

Managing Brain Injury is a reader-friendly guide to help brain-injured patients, their families, and caregivers face the challenge of life following a brain injury. The book is part of a highly-regarded series of books on living with disability produced by National Rehabilitation Hospital.
Buy it Now

There will always be accidents, injuries, violence and the unpredictability of life. But one thing that can ease the journey is a book like Managing Brain Injury: A Guide to Living Well with Brain Injury, which offers patients and families practical, useful information and helps to make some sense out of what is often, especially initially, a senseless situation.

The brain injury experts at National Rehabilitation Hospital have drawn on their years of clinical experience to help patients and caregivers cope with the process of rehabilitation. It’s a realistic look at what patients and families can expect throughout the journey... Especially helpful are the personal stories of hope from men and women who have suffered brain injury, moved through the rehabilitative process and successfully rebuilt their lives. I applaud NRH for compiling such a critical resource.

– From the Foreword, Bob Woodruff, ABC News

Print This Page

Brain Injury Association of Washington, D.C. (BIADC)

1232 Seventeenth Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036 | 202-659-0122 | Contact Us