Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act

Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Chart (NYSCSH 7/2023)

Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act (NYSED 6/2022)

This Act was written to ensure that schools, students, and parents are provided with critical, lifesaving information on sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) signs and symptoms, and risks to ensure students at risk are evaluated prior to participation in athletics, and that SCA is immediately recognized and treated to prevent death. This Act is effective as of July 1, 2022.

The Act requires:

    • The Commissioner of Health to develop information, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Education, relating to pupils exhibiting signs or symptoms of pending or increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest;
    • Directs the Commissioner of Education to post the information on the NYSDOH Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Youth website;
    • All schools must include such information in any permission form, consent form, or similar document that may be required for a student’s participation in interscholastic athletics or reference how to obtain such information from the Department and Department of Health’s websites, or on the school’s website, if one exists;
    • The Commissioner of Education to promulgate regulations requiring that any student displaying signs or symptoms of pending or increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest shall be immediately removed from athletic activities, and shall not resume athletic activity until he or she has been evaluated by and received written and signed authorization from a licensed physician; and retain the authorization on file in the student’s permanent health record. 

Revised and effective 9/12/22 in response to public comment, Commissioner’s Regulation 136.9.
This revision differentiates between the terms “athletic activities” and “physical activities”: 

    • Physical education classes were removed from the definition of athletic activities and are now included in the new definition for physical activities which means participation in physical education classes and recess or similar activities during the school day.
    • Any student who displays signs and symptoms of pending SCA during physical activities must be immediately removed from such activities and cannot return until they receive clearance from a health care provider, which may be either a physician, nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA).
    • Unchanged is the requirement that any student who displays signs and symptoms of pending or increased risk of SCA during athletic activities must be immediately removed from such activities and cannot return until they receive clearance from a physician (MD or DO).

NYSED consulted with the Department of Health, pediatricians, and pediatric cardiologists to confirm the only means to assess the increased risk of SCA is to review the student’s personal and family health history before they participate in athletic activity since it would be impossible to do so during athletics. 

Since the Interval Health History Form is required to be completed prior to each season unless a health exam was conducted within 30 days before the start of the season, it was revised to capture the indicators of risk of SCA. 

Sudden Cardiac Death Resources

NYSDOH Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in Youth 
Provides information on signs, symptoms, family history, and prevention, along with information for schools on the Dominic Murray SCA Prevention Act.

Parent Heart Watch | Sudden Cardiac Arrest In Youth Prevention | SCA 
This website provides many different resources pertaining to Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Youth. 

Parent Heart Watch Educational Materials
Parent Heart Watch downloadable resources to help educate on SCA. 

AAP Heart Screening Policy - Parent Heart Watch

AAP Policy Statement on Pediatric Sudden Cardiac Arrest 
Pediatricians need to recognize the warning signs and appropriately manage patients with sudden cardiac arrest in Pediatrics.

American Heart Association (AHA) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Article
AHA and AAP endorse the preparticipation physical evaluation (PPe) to screen student-athletes for the risk of SCA

Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation
Advancing sudden cardiac arrest prevention through awareness, education and action.

Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction in Children and Adolescents: Summary Report
Evidence-based guidelines can assist pediatric care providers in identifying and managing CVD.

Project ADAM
Provides resources and education for Heart Safe Schools.

See Also:

Page Updated 10/6/23