An exploratory study of concussion management policies in municipal park and recreation departments

Despite the burgeoning interest in reducing concussions among youth sport participants, research investigating concussion safety policies of municipal park and recreation departments has been sparse. A national survey of park and recreation professionals in 50 states (n=739, response rate of 23%) was conducted in 2015 to assess concussion management policies and practices of municipal park and recreation departments. Only about one-third of respondents indicated that their departments required coaches to be trained in concussion safety. Among those who mandated concussion safety training, the CDC's Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports' was the most commonly used concussion safety training material. Despite the low number of departments requiring concussion safety training for youth sport coaches using park/recreation facilities, nearly two-thirds encouraged concussion safety training for such coaches. The results suggest that, overall, municipal park and recreation department's concussion safety policies are lagging behind those typically found in interscholastic and collegiate sport programs.