In recent years, we have learned a lot more about the short-term effects of concussions and seen the long-term damage in many older athletes. In schools, a lot of attention is devoted to concussions during school-sponsored athletic competition and how a student-athlete returns to play. For the injured student-athlete, the effects often reach into the classroom, affecting learning and academic performance. With many students also participating in extracurricular sports and activities, the need for these accommodations to extend to all students became apparent. In 2023, Nevada’s legislature passed Senate Bill 80, requiring schools to establish a concussion protocol not only for student athletes but for any student who sustains a concussion. These protocols must include how a student returns to learning and how an athlete returns to competition.
To meet that new requirement, Paul Kennedy, LAT, ATC, an athletic trainer with Barton Health (pictured left), developed a district-wide protocol for the Douglas County School District. He teamed up with Nick Parlapiano, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with Carson Valley Health (pictured right), to build connections between healthcare providers and the school system. Together, they created the systems and processes needed to make the concussion protocol effective, ensuring the health and safety of students across the district.
When a student (athlete or non-athlete) is diagnosed with a concussion, the protocol alerts care teams, such as Carson Valley Health’s rehab and therapy team, for referrals to physical therapy and/or speech therapy. This creates a coordinated network of professionals who work together to ensure the right accommodation is in place before a student returns to class and when an athlete is safe to return to competition.
Academically, the plan functions similarly to a temporary Individualized Education Program (IEP), giving students the support they need to learn while recovering safely. It also helps teachers, nurses, administrators, and coaches understand how to support students during recovery from a concussion.
“Parents are sometimes surprised by how rigorous the return-to-play process is,” said Nick Parlapiano. “They’ll say, ‘Back when I played, if you felt okay for three days, you were good to get back on the field.’ But we’ve learned so much about brain injury in the last generation, we know how seriously we need to take it.”
In the first four months of the 25/26 school year, over a dozen students in the district have experienced concussions, when Kennedy typically sees that many during a full school year. While football remains a common source, Kennedy noted that students have suffered concussions in cheerleading, tennis, and even non-athletic settings.
“I think it helps students know they don’t have to hide their symptoms,” said Paul Kennedy, in his third year as athletic trainer at Douglas High. “There’s help available for students, and now there is a formal process for schools and healthcare teams to provide it.”
The new concussion protocol is available for any student in the Douglas County School District. If a student is diagnosed with a concussion, parents or caregivers can contact their school administration to request that their student be given necessary accommodations while they recover.
