IC 20-34-7 and IC 20-34-8 require schools to distribute information sheets to inform and educate student athletes and their parents on the nature and risk of concussion, head injury and sudden cardiac arrest to student athletes, including the risks of continuing to play after concussion or head injury. These laws require that each year, before beginning practice for an interscholastic sport, a student athlete and the student athlete’s parents must be given an information sheet, and both must sign and return a form acknowledging receipt of the information to the student athlete’s coach.
IC 20-34-7 states that an interscholastic student athlete, in grades 5-12, who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game, shall be removed from play at the time of injury and may not return to play until the student athlete has received a written clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries, and at least twenty-four hours have passed since the injury occurred.
IC 20-34-8 states that a student athlete who is suspected of experiencing symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest shall be removed from play and may not return to play until the coach has received verbal permission from a parent or legal guardian for the student athlete to return to play. Within twenty-four hours, this verbal permission must be replaced by a written statement from the parent or guardian. Parent/Guardian - please read the attached fact sheets regarding concussion and sudden cardiac arrest and ensure that your student athlete has also received and read these fact sheets. After reading these fact sheets, please ensure that you and your student athlete sign this form, and have your student athlete return this form to his/her coach.
