Cook County Health and Hospitals Committee Special Meeting on CTE Awareness

A special meeting of the Cook County Health and Hospitals Committee was called to order at 2:00 PM on April 14, 2026. The meeting focused on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) awareness and a resolution (26-0649) requesting the Cook County Department of Public Health and Cook County Health to develop CTE awareness programs, facilitate referrals for athletes, and support related state and federal actions. The committee heard powerful personal testimony from families, advocates, and medical experts, and heard updates from the health department on current educational efforts.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of remote participation: Motion by Commissioner Britton, seconded by Commissioner Scott, passed with 12 ayes and 5 absent members.
• No additions to the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Liz Nicholson spoke as the wife of a former NFL player with Alzheimer’s and suspected CTE. She expressed full support for the resolution and thanked Commissioner Stamps and Jameer Atkins for bringing the issue to the county level. She noted that NFL players are four times more likely to develop ALS and that CTE can only be diagnosed post-mortem.
• Bob Ryder, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor and finance chair of the Cook County Health and Hospital System, spoke as a former football athlete. He emphasized that CTE can occur regardless of the number of concussions and urged protections for youth athletes, industrial workers, and families.
• Ann Johnson, a 30-year educator and advocate with the Concussion and CTE Foundation, spoke about the importance of concussion education and protocols in youth sports. She described the benefits of team sports but stressed the need for coaches and parents to recognize concussion symptoms and prioritize safety over toughness.
• Kenneth Newman, a longtime soccer referee, raised concerns about inconsistent concussion training among coaches in youth football programs and the lack of athletic trainers at many high schools. He urged the committee to ensure schools comply with state laws on AEDs and concussion recognition.

Discussion Items

• Commissioner Tara Stamps introduced the resolution (26-0649) and gave an emotional personal account of her two sons, now ages 23 and 24, who played football. She described noticing behavioral changes in her sons after head trauma, including depression and rage, and noted that she has already lost three of her sons’ friends to suicide before age 25. She called for urgent action to protect young athletes from repetitive head injuries and the pressures of NIL deals and the transfer portal.
• Dr. Chris Nowinski, a behavioral neuroscientist and CEO of the Concussion and CT Foundation, presented remote testimony detailing the science of CTE. He explained that CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repetitive head impacts, not necessarily concussions. He cited data showing that among football players, every thousand hits increases CTE risk by 21%, and that more than half of those with careers over 10 years have the disease. He advocated for flag football before age 14 and informed consent for parents.
• Dr. Joshua from the Cook County Department of Public Health provided an update on current efforts: adding CTE information to the department’s website, a fact sheet for school health staff, a webinar with school nurses on May 15 (with Dr. Nowinski invited as a speaker), and outreach to park districts through newsletters.
• Commissioner Miller noted that her cousin, a Super Bowl Bear and now a rehab physician, advises against youth tackle football. Commissioners Dagnan, Kevin Morrison, Daly, McCaskill, and Trevor all expressed strong support for the resolution and thanked Commissioner Stamps for her advocacy.
• Commissioner McCaskill raised concerns about youth sports starting as early as age six (e.g., Pop Warner), noting that helmets can be heavy for small necks and that repetitive head impacts in soccer also pose risks.
• Commissioner Trevor highlighted the disproportionate emphasis on sports over academics at Division I universities and criticized the pressure on athletes to sacrifice their health for scholarships.

Key Outcomes

• The committee voted on the motion to defer item 26-0649 (the CTE resolution). The chair declared the ayes have it, with the motion passing. [Exact vote tally was not recorded verbatim beyond the chair’s declaration.]
• The meeting was adjourned by motion of Chairman Daly, seconded by Commissioner McCaskill, with all members present voting in favor (5 members absent).
• The next regular meeting is scheduled for the following day.