House Bill 2731 requires public schools to report when a student gets a concussion during athletic or other activities.
The Student Head Injury Reporting Tool (SHIRT) is now available for reporting for the 2022 – 2023 school year. Concussions occurring from July 1, 2022 for school activities or athletics can be reported through June 30, 2023.
Accessing the Tool
SHIRT - online reporting form - Use this form to submit your report, one injury at a time. You may use the PDF and Spreadsheet, linked below, to help track and prepare your report. This form should only be used by authorized school personnel and associates for reporting of student concussions.
SHIRT Preview (PDF) - This PDF is a copy of the SHIRT online reporting form. It does NOT need to be filled out and is only intended to show the questions that are on the form.
SHIRT tracking spreadsheet (Excel) - This spreadsheet can help prepare and track head injuries, before submitting them to SHIRT. It is intended strictly for schools to use within their systems and should NOT be submitted. It may contain individual identifying information of the student. All reporting submissions should be done through SHIRT online reporting link.
For technical assistance email the TBI Coordinator at studentconcussionreporting@doh.wa.gov or call 360.236.2863
What can be reported?
Schools are only required to report student concussions sustained during athletics or other school activities, that have been diagnosed by a medical professional with credentials of MD, DO, ARNP, or PA.
Schools can report diagnosed concussions that occur outside of school but might impact the student’s ability to play sports or participate in the classroom, such as a concussion received from a car crash or personal student recreational activity reported to the school. These concussions are not required to be reported.
Schools should submit a report for each student that is diagnosed with a concussion. Each new concussion for the same student should be reported as a separate concussion.
Our School’s Athletic Trainer removed a student from play for signs of a concussion, do we report those concussions?
No, if an athletic trainer identifies that a student shows signs of a concussion, the school is not currently required to report it, until the student gets a confirmed medical diagnosis from a credentialled health care provider. Schools are only required to report student concussions diagnosed by a health care professional that is a MD, DO, ARNP, or PA, at this time.
There is no change to the authority or functions athletic trainers have under licensure regarding identification of concussion, removing student athletes from play, or returning students from play. This is strictly in regard to required reporting of student head injury by schools under the current bill.
When should reports be submitted?
All reports must be submitted by June 30 of the current school year. The report can be submitted as soon as the concussion is diagnosed or at any time after the injury. When and how often they are submitted, is up to each individual school. The reporting tool will be available and active continuously.
Who submits the report?
Each school can determine who submits their student head injury reporting. The person completing the reporting does not have to be the same as the person making the diagnosis. If the reporter is different than the diagnose you should work collaboratively to collect and report the most accurate data available. Examples of possible reporters:
- school nurse
- athletic director
- athletic trainer
- coach
- concussion management team leader
- other school staff/personnel designated as the reporter
Additional Resources for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Concussion Management Teams
Return to Learn program (Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington)
Return To School Training and resources (Center for Brain Injury Research and Training, University of Oregon)
Edutainment videos and other resources & information (Safe Kids Washington)
Traumatic Brain Injury Resources Page (Department of Social and Health Services)
Webinars and Training Videos
If you missed a live session or just need a refresher, watch this recorded training session on how to use the DOH Student Concussion Report Tool for Schools (YouTube).
Next statewide virtual training session:
- January 12, 2023 at 2pm – Register Here (registration is required)