Mac Parkman Foundation for Adolescent Concussive Trauma Inc

The Mac Parkman Foundation has taken the lead in promoting research, studies, and awareness about the connections between repeated head injuries (RHI), mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), repeated blast exposure (RBE), and mental illness which remain largely unrecognized and overlooked by parental, medical, psychological, and veteran communities.

Our organization will continue to fund research around the impact on adolescents in the areas of CTE and brain damage as we help develop protocols for diagnosing Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome (TES) as well as studies around early identification/intervention of adolescents with mental illness and brain studies. Until more is known, the best approach is more research, greater awareness, and prevention. In addition, we will continue to fund research on Repeated Blast Exposure (RBE), a newer diagnosis emerging within military and veteran communities, results from recurrent exposure to explosive blasts. Analogous to RHI, continuous exposure induces brain damage, potentially leading to mental health disorders. Yet, RBE remains largely unrecognized outside research circles, leaving many veterans with undiagnosed brain injuries, exacerbating issues like PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). High-intensity training involving repetitive blasts from explosives, artillery, high-caliber weaponry, breaching, parachuting, and more happens off battlefields just as it does during combat situations.

We will continue to create greater awareness around sub-concussive trauma/RHI/RBE/TBI and how these injuries impact the mental health of our children and veterans with overexposure. There are millions who are living with mental illness, it is a constant battle every day of their lives; we need to ensure this stops happening for today’s children and future generations, but also provide coverage for those who are suffering now.

We will also lead efforts to establish and implement best practices in concussion and sub-concussive/RHI protocols through our centralized community of parents, coaches, athletes, and athletic trainers, encouraging proper evaluation and treatment protocols, and ensuring best practices in proper healing and safer return to play/return to school protocols are shared with all.

The veteran programs are slightly different, but the organization is working towards similar goals as we work to lead the path towards proper assessments and treatments for RBE that will help veterans struggling with RBE/TBI improve their mental health and quality of life. By increasing awareness, encourage proactive assessments, and championing targeted interventions, our organization aims to mitigate the profound impacts of RHI and RBE, fostering healthier futures for both our children and our veterans.

Strategies for Advancing Our Mission

Research, Awareness, and Prevention

Our mission at The Mac Parkman Foundation is driven by three core strategies: advancing research, raising awareness, and implementing effective prevention measures.

1. Research and Open Sharing

We are dedicated to sharing research findings and best practices that promote safer return-to-school, return-to-play, and return-to-service protocols. By funding additional studies, we aim to uncover better treatments and strategies. Our work is rooted in scientific evidence, and we freely share this information to benefit everyone.

2. Raising Awareness through Media and Community Engagement

We actively fund research that highlights the detrimental effects of concussive and sub-concussive trauma, RHI, and RBE on developing brains and adults. Leveraging our growing community and message, we have garnered attention from national news outlets, podcasts, local news, and radio. We continue to broadcast findings, conduct interviews, and host our podcast to inform the public about these critical issues.

3. Inclusive Information Distribution

We strive to ensure that vital information reaches all families, with a specific focus on underserved and underrepresented communities. These communities often receive best practices and treatment protocols last, which can protect their children from harm.

4. Creating Safe Environments for Play

To support safer play environments, we partner with organizations like Project Play to create safe leagues where children can play for free. We also provide no-cost training for coaches and sports trainers, equipping them with best practices in identification, treatment, and prevention methods.

5. Collaborative Efforts

Recognizing that we cannot tackle this mission alone, we actively seek and encourage partnerships that help us achieve our established goals.

Our organization has the right staffing and partnerships to accomplish what we are setting out to do. A mix of digital resources in combination with on-site trainings in partnership with key organizations within their communities helps to disperse information and training for coaches and medical professionals. An annual conference allows us to reach out to medical professionals from around the country who can share best practices and learn treatments and protocols.

Up until now there has been minimal research specifically on the impact of contact sports on a young brain, but there has been substantial research on Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in children and adults. It is logical to extrapolate the research done and apply that to a developing brain which research indicates is more susceptible to trauma. We believe the damage is magnified in children due to their brain’s underdeveloped state. Impacts to a developing brain have been proven to increase both the damage and the possibility of mental illness in adults, but this has not yet been studies in children. If exposure to concussive trauma is sufficient to damage an adult brain, we can only imagine the damage that can be done to a child whose brain is still developing.

From 2021, we have conducted analysis on existing research studies and started advance studies that will continue to uncover the links between concussive and sub-concussive trauma and mental health surrounding contact sports and young athletes. The initial research was used to publish the first book for parents, teachers, coaches, administrators, schools, athletic directors, medical trainers, kids and athletes of all ages on the science and research behind brain injuries beginning with an understanding of how a child’s brain develops, why it is at such risk of injury, and how these injuries can damage the brain and lead to mental health issues and even suicide. Additional booklets will be published as findings in the advanced studies are uncovered.

The book has been distributed to over 800 individuals around the country, including families and youth sports leagues in Florida, Michigan, Texas, Arizona, and Colorado. In addition, the organization has outreached to over 10,000 individuals through public speaking events at schools and medical research conferences, and interviews conducted on live television, radio, and articles in the Tampa Bay Times and other news sources.

The veterans' program was formally launched in 2024, and we are making strides in research, creating proper assessments and treatment packages to provide veterans with the care they need to improve their mental health and quality of life.