Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan

DIAGNOSIS  

Diagnosis of a concussion, otherwise known as a mild traumatic brain injury, must be made by a medical provider (M.D., P.A., N.P., D.O.) at the Hood College Health Center or at an outside medical office. Please provide the medical provider with Hood College's Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan which collects necessary information regarding symptoms, follow-up care and accommodations that may be needed while recovering from the injury. The treating medical provider should complete page 1 of the Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan. Students must complete page 2.

Review the steps below to receive academic accommodations and to learn Hood's return to play procedures. 

Please send all questions to the director of accessibility services (Email: accessibilityservices@hood.edu, Phone: 301-696-3421, Fax: 301-696-3952, Office: Library & Learning Commons, Suite 1027). 

While recovering from a head injury, students should follow the steps below if their medical provider recommends academic accommodations through Hood College’s Office of Accessibility Services. A student cannot be forced to receive accommodations if they do not want them. Students must consent to release medical information which will be shared with Hood College’s director of accessibility services. 

• Complete step 1 listed above. The student must receive a concussion diagnosis and the treating medical provider has completed page 1 of Hood's Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan. Treating medical providers should indicate on the form if students will require academic accommodations and for how long the accommodations will be needed. If it is later advised that recovery be extended, the accommodation plan can be amended based on a treating medical providers advice.

• Students seeking to receive accommodations need to consent to share medical information with Hood College’s director of accessibility services by signing page 2 of the Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan form.  

  1. A student cannot be forced to receive accommodations. If a student does not wish to notify the College of their injury and recovery needs by signing page 2, an accommodation plan will not be provided by the Office of Accessibility Services.

• Once both pages of the Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan are complete, please return forms to the director of accessibility services (Email: accessibilityservices@hood.edu, Phone: 301-696-3421, Fax: 301-696-3952, Office: Library & Learning Commons, Suite 1027). 

Once the Care Plan is received and reviewed, the director of accessibility services will notify the student via email that the materials have been received. In partnership with the student the Office of Accessibility Services will develop a temporary academic accommodation plan in accordance with recommendations made by the provider on the Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan. Please note: Accommodation plans for concussion injuries may take up to a week to be developed. 

Once an accommodation plan is developed and shared with the student, it is the student’s responsibility to present the plan to all faculty. Accommodation plans can be amended or extended based on a student's recovery and the advice of their medical provider. 

If a student does not wish to notify the College of their injury and recovery needs, an accommodation plan will not be provided by the Office of Accessibility services. If a faculty member decides to accommodate the student without this plan, the accommodation must be extended to any other student in the class, if applicable. Any questions on this process should be forwarded to the director of accessibility services (Email: accessibilityservices@hood.edu, Phone: 301-696-3421, Fax: 301-696-3952, Office: Library & Learning Commons, Suite 1027).

A student-athlete’s return to practice and competition will be dependent on medical advice given by outside medical provider or those at the Hood College Health Center. The student-athlete must have written documentation from the Provider, as outlined on the Acute Concussion Evaluation Care Plan (linked in step 1 above), before they may start the return to play protocol for athletics. Completed forms should be faxed to Hood College's director of accessibility services (Email: accessibilityservices@hood.edu, Phone: 301-696-3421, Fax: 301-696-3952, Office: Library & Learning Commons, Suite 1027).

Premature physical and/or mental exertion, before the brain has fully recovered, can both prolong recovery and worsen outcome of a concussion. Athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other Hood athletic staff should monitor the athlete’s progress and recovery. If symptoms return or worsen, the athlete should reduce and/or cease physical exertion and activities until recovered more fully.