College of Education and Human Development

Shane Caswell, Professor of Athletic Training Education in the School of Kinesiology, Receives Grant Approval in Support of the Virginia Concussion Initiative (VCI)

Shane Caswell

Shane Caswell, professor of Athletic Training Education in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Sports Medicine Assessment Research and Testing (SMART) Laboratory at George Mason University, has received a grant in continued support of the Virginia Concussion Initiative (VCI). This project is an innovative, statewide program committed to protecting the brain health of all Virginians by raising awareness, sharing evidence-based knowledge, and supporting the tailored implementation of concussion management best practices, while providing diverse communities across the Commonwealth with the tools and resources to promote equitable brain health.

Led by Caswell who serves as the program’s executive director, the VCI is a partnership between George Mason University and the Virginia Department of Health that is supported by funding from the Commonwealth and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). George Mason serves as the operational and research hub for this initiative.

Caswell, who has done extensive research on pediatric sports medicine and brain health, shared his thoughts on the mission of VCI and why it is important in protecting children from the adverse impacts resulting from brain injury. He stated, “Concussions remain a significant public health challenge among school-aged children, with possible short and long-term effects on cognitive, emotional, and physical health. Gaps in access to inclusive and tailored resources leave many without adequate care. VCI addresses these gaps by providing evidence-based, accessible resources that have directly benefited over 1.7 million school-aged children across Virginia.”

In advancing the practical application of resources and best practices to support and protect the brain health of all individuals, the VCI strives to be a sustainable and adaptive enterprise. Whether through direct guidance or the easily accessible tools housed within this program, VCI empowers schools and communities to act swiftly and effectively in recognizing and managing concussions. Among the tools and resources provided by the VCI is the groundbreaking Neurodiversity Toolkit, recently adopted by the CDC, which is an exemplary model for supporting equitable concussion care.

The VCI leverages a multi-disciplinary team of experts with diverse expertise and perspectives to foster partnerships among health professionals, school officials, and community leaders and share best practices and implement customized concussion protocols tailored to unique community needs. The initiative includes contributions from Anne Blackstone who is VCI managing director and an alum of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), faculty across the university including Sanja Avramovic and Erin Maughan from George Mason’s College of Public Health, as well as other faculty and researchers from the School of Kinesiology.

To learn more about the Virginia Concussion Initiative which is playing an important role in protecting the brain health of so many school-age children across the Commonwealth, please visit the program website.