Baseball Ontario Concussion Designated Person(s) Policy
In accordance with the requirements set out in Rowan’s Law and its associated regulation, every sport organization is required to identify a designated person(s) as having specific responsibilities under the removal-from-sport and return-to-sport protocols. The responsibilities for the designated person(s) may be shared between one or more individuals. If your sport organization has more than one designated person(s), please ensure that each designate is clear about who has what responsibility under the Removal-from-Sport protocol and the Return-to-Sport protocol.
For the purpose of this policy, “Participant” shall mean any individual taking part in a Baseball Ontario sanctioned activity, including athletes, coaches, umpires and volunteers.
Every training, practice and game must have a designated person present.
Under the Removal-from-Sport protocol for Baseball Ontario, the designated person(s) is/are responsible for ensuring that:
· A participant is immediately removed from further training, practice, or game if the participant has sustained a concussion or is suspected of having sustained a concussion, regardless of whether the concussion was sustained from a sport activity associated with Baseball Ontario,
· If in the opinion of the designated person(s), there is an emergency and/or any red flag signs and/or symptoms appear – including those resulting from a suspected concussion, call 911.
· Removal of the participant from further training, practice, or games; and if the participant is 18 years of age and under, the parent or guardian is informed of the removal.
· The participant, or the parent or guardian if the participant is 18 years of age and under, is advised that the participant is required to undergo a medical assessment by a physician or nurse practitioner before the participant will be permitted to return to training, practice, or games according to the Return-to-Sport protocol for Baseball Ontario.
· A participant or, if the participant is 18 years of age and under, the participant’s parent or guardian receives the Removal-from-Sport and Return-to-Sport protocols for Baseball Ontario as soon as possible after the participant’s removal.
· Once removed, the participant is not permitted to return to training, practice or games, except in accordance with Baseball Ontario Return-to-Sport protocol.
Under the Return-to-Sport protocol for Baseball Ontario, the designated person(s) is/are responsible for ensuring that:
· A participant who has sustained a concussion or is suspected of having sustained a concussion does not return to training, practice, or games until permitted to do so in accordance with the Baseball Ontario Return-to-Sport protocol.
· When a participant has not been diagnosed with a concussion, the participant is only permitted to return to training, practice, or games if the participant or, if the participant is 18 years of age and under, the participant’s parent or guardian provides confirmation to the designated person(s) about the outcome of the participant’s medical assessment, specifically that the participant:
o has undergone a medical assessment by the physician or nurse practitioner and has not been diagnosed as having a concussion, and
o has been medically cleared to return to training, practice or games by a physician or nurse practitioner.
· When a participant is diagnosed by a physician or nurse practitioner as having a concussion, the participant is not permitted to move on to unrestricted training, practice or games unless the participant or, if the participant is 18 years of age and under, the participant’s parent or guardian provides a confirmation of medical clearance by the physician or nurse practitioner to the designated person(s);
· A participant is not permitted to return to training, practice or games through Baseball Ontario graduated Return-to-Sport steps unless the participant or, if the participant is 18 years of age and under, the participant’s parent or guardian has shared the medical advice or recommendations they received, if any, with the designated person(s).
· When a participant is diagnosed by a physician or nurse practitioner as having a concussion, the participant or, if the participant is 18 years of age and under, the participant’s parent/guardian has been informed of the importance of disclosing the diagnosis to any other sport organization with which the participant is registered or school that the participant attends.
The regulation states that a designated person(s) may rely on the information received from a participant or, if the participant is 18 years of age and under, from the participant’s parent or guardian in carrying out their responsibilities under Baseball Ontario Return-to-Sport protocol.