CJHL announces concussion program

The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and The Co-operators announced this week the first national concussion program available across the CJHL to safeguard players’ mental and physical wellbeing.

The CJHL Concussion Program, funded by the Co-operators, establishes a mandatory concussion protocol for the CJHL that will implement clear guidelines for the recognition, assessment and management of concussion.

“Player safety is our number one priority,” said Brent Ladds, president of the CJHL. “The longterm effects of concussions are a growing concern for our organization, our athletes and their families. This is a major milestone for improving concussion management standards in junior hockey.”

Although most individuals who suffer a concussion recover without lasting effect, research shows that 10 to 20 per cent of concussion patients may face a difficult recovery, sometimes leading to mental health issues.

“We recognize that junior hockey players can be vulnerable to concussions because they’re playing a contact sport. We want to support them as they pursue their hockey careers by providing an extra safety net with this concussion program,” said Kevin Daniel, executive vice-president at Co-operators Life Insurance Company. “We see supporting initiatives like this that protect mental health, especially for youth, as an essential part of our commitment to building healthier, more sustainable communities. We’re proud to work with the CJHL on this national concussion program to provide peace of mind for parents, players and the league.”

The CJHL Concussion Program will use innovative mobile and web-based software from HeadCheck Health, Inc. (HeadCheck) that will allow team trainers to perform the concussion protocol and the league to monitor compliance.

Under the new program, a player’s concussion history will be digitally tracked and transferred with them for more informed healthcare decisions.

“We look forward to working with the CJHL to ensure that all players, regardless of team or skill level, will be afforded the same level of concussion care, said Harrison Brown, CEO of HeadCheck. “We’re very pleased that The Cooperators are aligned in our mission of improving player safety.

“This is a major milestone for improving concussion management standards in junior hockey. We look forward to working with the CJHL to ensure that all players, regardless of team or skill level, will be afforded the same level of concussion care.”

HeadCheck and the CJHL will regularly review aggregate data and continuously improve the program.