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About

Commitment
With the mentorship of Beth Larson and Justus Ortega, students get the chance to learn about traumatic brain injuries and gain hands-on experience working with people of all ages and backgrounds from the Cal Poly and broader Humboldt-Del Norte communities. Student involvement makes it possible for the NCCP to offer the wide range of services we do today.
Bios
Beth Larson and Dr. Justus Ortega lead a group of passionate students who are dedicated to spreading concussion awareness and helping our community.

Beth Larson
Program Coordinator
- elizabeth.larson@humboldt.edu
- (707) 826-4540
- Fax: (707) 826-4535
Beth coordinates programs and services for the NCCP and is a lecturer at HSU. She began researching mild traumatic brain injury at HSU in 2008 while on a national grant studying concussion and depression in high school and collegiate athletes. She provides up-to-date education on scientific consensus for medical professionals, schools, parents, teachers, teams, and anyone else who will listen. Happily, she spends much of her time talking with and advising people throughout their recovery process.

Justus Ortega
Program Director
- Justus.Ortega@humboldt.edu
- (707) 826-4274
- Fax: (707) 826-4535
As professor of Kinesiology, Justus primarily teaches biomechanics, motor learning, and development. He has served as director of the Biomechanics lab since 2006 and director of the NCCP since 2009. From his research, Dr. Ortega has developed balance, mobility and fall risk assessment services in line with best practices and CA state law for the surrounding North Coast community. He also conducts research that focuses on the effects of concussions on neurological and motor function in youth and adults.
Community Engagement
The NCCP is a resource for the entire community, whether or not you’re already a part of our program through some existing school or organizational affiliation.
Healthcare professionals, educators, coaches, sport leagues and anyone else is welcome to utilize the NCCP for continuing education on topics from policy to best practices to in-depth neuroscience, and anything concussion in between.
Contact Info
(707) 826-4540 nccp@humboldt.edu
Call or email to schedule baseline or post-injury appointments, or to invite us to speak about concussion to anyone who will listen. Click below for more information on separate services.
What We Do
Since 2008, the NCCP has provided concussion services for thousands of Humboldt and Del Norte Country residents each year.
The NCCP is a community resource for concussion education, awareness, assessment, and management care. We offer a variety of baseline and post injury services, and we take pride in our involvement with community outreach, public education, and ongoing concussion research. Cal Poly Humboldt students gain hands-on experience working with diverse community organizations and individuals, and participate in innovative research in the field of concussion. Explore our website to learn more about how the NCCP is making a difference.

The NCCP collaborates with local healthcare professionals, sports teams, and schools across Humboldt and Del Norte Counties to support evidence-based concussion education and injury management. We create and deliver continuing education tailored to professional, school, and just for fun audiences. Through our California State University system-wide initiatives, we also contribute to efforts that help communities across California develop and implement their own concussion management plans. Each year, the NCCP serves more than a thousand CPH students, faculty, and staff, as well as over two thousand local community members. We engage in meaningful partnerships with organizations such as the Humboldt-Del Norte High School Sports League, College of the Redwoods, Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre, Making Headway Traumatic Brain Injury Center, and local youth and adult sports groups – include YOUR TEAM in our concussion awareness program.

The NCCP delivers in-person education to constituents across California. We are adept at tailoring education to our audience and offer CME courses for clinicians, trainings for coaches, educators and athletes, and brain and injury basics for kids and adults of all ages. We developed online training modules for CSU system-wide use and offer a variety of free educational support options. Trained volunteers and staff educate anyone interested about concussion using whatever forum is available.
In-depth or advanced concussion education programs are also available – from 60- to 90-minute beyond the basics concussion education for coaches, teachers, medical professionals, families, and athletes, to all day workshops. Using curriculum developed by NCCP co-founders Dr. Justus Ortega and Beth Larson, each seminar provides up-to-date evidence on the science and consensus best practices for concussion.

The NCCP fosters ongoing research projects in a commitment to add to the body of knowledge on traumatic brain injuries. Our team stays updated on the most recent concussion research, consensus best practices, and CA state law in order to provide unparalleled service to our community.
Who We Work With
The NCCP works with local and state-wide groups in developing and implementing concussion management plans.
- Humboldt Del Norte High School Sports League (HDNL)
- Cal Poly Humboldt
- College of the Redwoods Athletics
- Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre
- Humboldt Roller Derby
- Mad River Youth Soccer League (MRYSL)
- Making Headway Center for Brain Injury Recovery
- NCAA-Department of Defense C.A.R.E. Consortium
- California State University Concussion Initiative