In June 2006 at the USA Hockey Annual Congress it was voted upon and approved to require all USA Hockey coaches to wear a helmet for all practices and coach supervised scrimmages where coaches are on the ice.

This includes Cross-Ice games were the coaches and teams do not use the standard team boxes. 

Coaches are not required to were helmets while on the bench during games when the standard team boxes are used. 

The Helmet must have current HECC certification. 

USA HOCKEY COACHING PROGRAM
During the 2006 Annual Congress, USA Hockey's board of directors passed new legislation mandating that all coaches and instructors wear helmets during on-ice sessions. The complete legislation, effective at the start of the 2006-07 season, reads as follows:
All ice hockey coaches and instructors of registered USA Hockey Youth/High School, Disabled, Girls'/Women's 19 & Under and below programs must properly wear an ice hockey helmet during all on-ice sessions, including practices, controlled scrimmages and coach and referee clinics (seminars).
"Every year there are injuries to coaches that could have been prevented by wearing a helmet," USA Hockey President Ron DeGregorio said of the change in policy. "This legislation represents a positive step forward for the safety of our coaches."
USA Hockey is committed to making the sport of ice hockey as safe as it can possibly be, and is constantly working on ways to make the sport safer. The links below can provide you, the coach, with valuable information regarding managing and preventing injuries.