Our History

The Nation’s Oldest and Largest Brain Injury Advocacy Organization

The Brain Injury Association of America was founded by individuals who wanted to improve the quality of life for their family members and patients who had sustained brain injuries. The Association has a long and illustrious history. Here are some of the highlights:

1980

Dr. Martin and Marilyn Price Spivack invite five family members and professionals to their home to discuss the need to form an organization to effect change for individuals with brain injury. By afternoon’s end, the commitment to create the National Head Injury Foundation (NHIF) is made. Articles of Incorporation are filed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on September 23. The individuals present at the meeting become NHIF’s chartered members and many serve as directors of the organization for one to three years.

The National Institutes of Health report the results of the National Head and Spinal Cord Injury Survey – one of the first sets of statistics compiled related to brain injury. The report is based on research and epidemiological studies conducted in the 1970s. Contact is made with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the authors of survey articles. The articles and statistical report become the core of the NHIF publications department as permission is granted to reprint and disseminate. A phone line is established in the Spivack’s home, providing a larger number of people access to NHIF’s information and resources.

1981

NHIF holds its First Anniversary Gala Dinner Dance at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on October 30. The event celebrates NHIF’s birthday and marks the conclusion of the Tufts-New England Medical Center and NHIF International Symposium on Adults and Children with Head Injury. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company becomes NHIF’s first major corporate sponsor by granting the organization $20,000 to open an office in Framingham, MA.

NHIF President Martin L. Spivack and Vice President and Associate Director Marilyn Price Spivack, together with the Executive Committee, name Richard Fiswell first Executive Director of NHIF.

The William Fields Caveness Award was established to honor outstanding brain injury researchers. William Bryan Jennett, M.D., is the first recipient.

1982

NHIF joins the National Committee for Research, a group comprised of more than 50 voluntary and professional organizations dedicated to securing increased federal funding for neurological and communicative disorders.

Congress appropriates $1.5 million in federal funding for the creation of two new Research and Training Centers for brain injury as a direct result of NHIF advocacy efforts.

Well-known film and television star Joan Collins announces she will be a national spokesperson in a series of NHIF public service announcements.

1983

NHIF holds its first annual convention in Framingham, MA.

Marilyn Price Spivack is named Executive Director of NHIF.

Prevention is added to NHIF’s official goals and the organization announces its participation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Coalition to Reduce Car Crash Injuries.

1984

A joint Congressional proclamation declares October National Head Injury Awareness Month.

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and NHIF create the first standards of care for acute rehabilitation of persons with brain injury.

NHIF and the Insurance Rehabilitation Study Group (IRSG) co-sponsor “The Challenge of the Traumatically Brain-Injured (TBI) Person,” a three-day conference to educate third party payors. This unique event provides an overview of state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques used in the treatment and rehabilitation of people with brain injury.

NHIF publishes the first National Directory of Rehabilitation Services, listing 266 facilities and services. In 1981, only 14 head injury rehabilitation facilities existed in the U.S.

1985

NHIF signs cooperative agreement with the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) in the U.S. Department of Education. The agreement is designed to enhance the potential for successful rehabilitation of individuals with brain injury.

NHIF hosts its first seminar for educators, Meeting the Needs of Students after Traumatic Head Injuries: A Challenge for School Systems.

The Social Security Administration issues a landmark ruling to assure that individuals with head injury receive proper evaluation when applying for disability benefits.

1986

Former White House Press Secretary James Brady and his wife, Sarah, become honorary chairpersons of NHIF.

NHIF receives a $75,000 prevention grant from Traffic Safety Now to develop models for use by corporate and government agencies to promote the use of safety belts. This grant is renewed in 1987.

The first annual Walk Through the Clouds event takes place, a 13-mile trek up Colorado’s Pike’s Peak, to raise awareness of brain injury and funds for NHIF. Martin Krieg pedals from California to Massachusetts, covering 10,000 miles, to promote public awareness and raise funds.

1987

The Federal Interagency Head Injury Task Force is established, largely due to NHIF advocacy efforts. Key government administrators gather to identify the gaps in research, training and service delivery.

NHIF moves to new headquarters in Southborough, Massachusetts.

NHIF receives its first federal grant, a two-year, $300,000 award from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research within the U.S. Department of Education for Project TAP (Traumatic Head Injury Awareness Prevention).

Traumatic brain injury and autism are added as categories of disabilities to be served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

1988

Doug Walker and his golden retriever Tango begin their personal 90-day “Run To Daylight,” a 3,600-mile transcontinental run to raise public awareness of the consequences of head injury and to raise funds for NHIF and its state associations.

A national toll-free Family Help Line is created, considerably expanding NHIF’s visibility and capacity to distribute information materials.

The Senate Subcommittee on the Handicapped (now the Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy) conducts a hearing on the problems of people with head injury, their families and providers of related services. NHIF members submit key testimony at this landmark hearing.

1989

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services releases its Federal Interagency Head Injury Task Force report calling for an immediate national strategy to address the myriad of problems facing persons with brain injury and their families.

NHIF is awarded a $65,000 grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts to enhance its toll-free Family Help Line.

1990

President George H. W. Bush declares the 1990s the “Decade of the Brain,” fostering a concentrated effort on neuroscience research and needed government attention to treatment and rehabilitation.

Marilyn Price Spivack resigns as President/CEO. George A. Zitnay, Ph.D., is selected as her successor.

President Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination against qualified people with disabilities in employment, public services, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications services.

NHIF moves its headquarters to Washington, D.C., to be a more effective advocate at the federal level.

1991

The world premiere of the film Regarding Henry is held in New York City. Title star Harrison Ford heightens brain injury awareness by portraying a lawyer whose entire life changes after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head. The screening of the film is followed by a reception benefiting NHIF.

Without Warning: The James Brady Story is released. The Emmy-winning Home Box Office (HBO) made-for-television movie covers the experiences of former White House Press Secretary James Brady, who sustained a gunshot wound to the head during the assassination an attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

1992

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy introduces the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act of 1992. The legislation will be revised and re-introduced in successive years until it is enacted in 1996.

NHIF and its Survivor Council host a political rally in Washington, D.C. More than one thousand people unite to call attention to the issue of brain injury and the needs of those with the disability.

At the urging of NHIF advocates, Congress establishes the Defense and Veterans Head Injury Program (now known as the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center-DVBIC), to serve active duty military, their beneficiaries, and veterans with TBI through state-of-the-art clinical care, innovative clinical research initiatives and educational programs.

NHIF is selected to be a national beneficiary of the Driver of the Quarter Century Gala, held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. This unforgettable black tie affair marks the beginning of NHIF’s relationship with the NASCAR industry.

1993

The inaugural issue of TBI Challenge! is published, replacing the former NHIF Newsletter.

The HeadSmart Schools Program is launched with underwriting from The Upjohn Company. The program incorporates brain anatomy and injury prevention education into the regular curriculum of elementary school subjects. Seven schools across the country are selected to participate in the pilot project.

NHIF and its British counterpart Headway jointly sponsor the International Brain Injury Forum: The Quest for Better Outcomes in Oxford, England. Information on brain injury is shared between 650 delegates from 15 countries representing five different continents.

The Paul Spanbock Fund is established as a memorial to the late Paul Spanbock for his work on behalf of people with brain injury and their families. The Fund is primarily used to support legislative efforts.

NHIF is awarded its first cooperative agreement from the Defense and Veterans Head Injury Program. Substantial funding for NHIF’s core programs and services will continue for more than a decade.

1994

The State’s Assembly was established to foster training and networking among state associations.

NHIF’s “Wear a Helmet” public awareness campaign is launched with 3,000 outdoor billboard placements in 40 states.

The Brain Injury Resource Center™ is pilot tested in 14 locations nationwide.

NHIF launches Brown Bag It!, a nationwide fundraiser with proceeds to benefit the national organization and state associations.

Gregory J. O’Shanick, M.D., is named as NHIF’s first national medical director, a volunteer position that Dr. O’Shanick will hold for more than 15 years.

1995

The 1st Annual State Association Leadership Development Conference (now known as the Affiliate Leadership Conference) is held in Dearborn, MI. After an 18-month strategic planning process, the members vote to change the organization’s name from the National Head Injury Foundation to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA).

BIAA is instrumental in organizing the First World Congress on Brain Injury in Copenhagen, Denmark. This is the largest gathering ever of its kind, joining delegates from 36 different countries for discussions, lectures and workshops.

BIAA is elected to the World Health Organization Collaboration Center on Neurotrauma, a committee actively involved in preparing international guidelines for acute care neurotrauma.

1996

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) collaborates with the American Academy of Neurology to develop guidelines for the sideline management of sports-related concussions. A pre-conference workshop is held during the 15th Annual National Symposium to introduce the guidelines. Later in the year, BIAA joins forces with Leigh Steinberg to circulate the NFL Players Head Concussion Seminars video.

The Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 1996 is signed into law by President Bill Clinton.

The American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists (now known as the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists-ACBIS) is established to improve the quality of rehabilitative care for individuals with brain injury.

BIAA and eight state associations (IN, KY, MD, MI, NJ, OH, UT and WA) launch the Safe & Sober Campaign with a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Cutting Edge Medical Report, focusing on traumatic brain injury, airs on the Discovery channel.

1997

On the recommendation of state association leaders, members vote to change the organization’s governance from individual members to state associations and to discontinue membership dues splits in favor of an affiliation fee to be paid by state associations.

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) transitions its primary communication tool, TBI Challenge!, to a bimonthly newsmagazine and introduces Brain Injury Source as its professional periodical. 

The Irving I. and Felicia F. Rubin Family Brain Injury Research Fund is established; BIAA grants $250,000 to four principle investigators to conduct brain injury research.

BIA purchases a headquarters in Alexandria, VA.

BIA launches www.biausa.org through the generous donation of the Delta Foundation for Rehabilitation.

The Lynn A. Chiaverotti Memorial Fund is established to assist individuals with brain injury and family members in obtaining information and services and to promote prevention.

1998

George A. Zitnay, Ph.D., resigns as BIA President/CEO; Allan I. Bergman is selected as his successor.

The National Institutes of Health hosts the Consensus Development Conference on the Rehabilitation of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury addressing the epidemiology, consequences, therapeutic interventions and the mechanisms underlying recovery of TBI.

BIAA publishes its Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) Manual to educate coaches and players about the dangers of concussion.

1999

BIAA’s Board of Directors and staff participate in a multi-day strategic planning meeting that leads to a new mission statement for the organization: To create a better future through brain injury prevention, research, education and advocacy.

The TBI Challenge! newspaper moves to a four-color format.

BIAA launches the Special Interest Group on Children and Adolescents with Brain Injury and publishes the Educator’s Manual: What Educators Need to Know About Students with Brain Injury.

BIAA enters into a $1 million Partnership for Information and Communication (PIC) Cooperative Agreement with the Federal TBI Program in the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agreement supports expansion of BIA’s services to state affiliates as well as public awareness and advocacy activities.

The Supreme Court issues a landmark decision in the case of Olmstead v. L.C. & E.W in which the Court recognizes services should be provided in the most integrated (rather than least restrictive) environment possible. This decision paves the way for great expansion of home and community-based services for all individuals with disabilities, including individuals with brain injury.

2000

As part of its cooperative agreement with the Federal TBI Program, BIAA contracts with Harris Interactive, Inc. to conduct a nationwide opinion poll to assess the public’s awareness and understanding of brain injury. The poll demonstrates that one in three Americans are not familiar with the term brain injury.

Also under the agreement, BIAA hosts the Resource Facilitation Summit and produces Resource Facilitation: A Consensus of Principles and Practices to Guide Program Development and Implementation. The manual proves to be a useful tool for state affiliates for many years to come.

So You Wanna Be an Advocate, a skill-based training curriculum that includes tips on navigating through the legislative process, how to provide testimony, working with the executive branch, coalition building and media use, is circulated to affiliates.

BIAA publishes Where to Turn…Your Guide to Federal Disability Policies & Programs with funding from the Federal TBI Program.

BIAA enters into a cooperative agreement with the Health Care Financing Administration (now Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) and others to prepare individuals with brain injuries to advocate for the development and implementation of five-year state Olmstead Plans.

2001

The U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), awards funding for a 5-year research project on assistive technology and devices for individuals with cognitive impairments.

BIA enters into a cooperative agreement with the TBI Model Systems National Data Center to increase accessibility to and utilization of TBI Model Systems research through abstracts written in lay language that highlight study findings. The abstracts are made available via the Web site.

Congressman James C. Greenwood (R-PA) and Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) form the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to increase awareness of brain injury and advocate for greater research and services for those who are injured and their families.

The September 11, 2001, Attack on America substantially reduces funding from BIA’s federal partners and charitable donors, creating the most difficult financial period in BIA’s history. To survive the nearly $1 million revenue loss BIA will experience over the next three years, the Board of Directors make dramatic changes including the sale of the headquarters building, acquisition of a Small Business Administration loan, a 50% reduction in staff and discontinuation of numerous programs and services.

BIA successfully advocates for the Federal TBI Program to receive “line item status” within federal appropriations legislation. This move allows lawmakers to target funding to the state grant program.

2002

BIA’s interactive Brain Injury Resource Center is transferred from a kiosk format to an easy to use and distribute CD-ROM. The multimedia tool provides one-click access to key information and resources in emergency departments, trauma centers, hospitals, rehabilitation programs, attorney’s offices and state association offices.

BIA publishes and disseminates Funding Traumatic Brain Injury Services in collaboration with the National Conference of State Legislatures. This highly informative and resourceful publication lists the types and amounts of funding for public services for individuals with brain injury in each state.

The 21st Annual National Symposium is held in Minneapolis, MN. Widening the Circles: Constituencies, Collaborators and Communities is BIA’s final symposium for more than a decade.

2003

BIA changes its name to Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) on the advice of communications professionals.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awards BIAA a 3-year cooperative agreement to establish the National Brain Injury Information Center to determine the feasibility of a nationwide, one-call center that automatically links callers to local resources, information, and services. Affiliates in Michigan, Minnesota and Mississippi participate in the investigation and assist in the development of a standardized protocol for handling calls, a customized packet of information, data collection and evaluation activities.

With support from the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation and Research, BIAA releases the report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Amusement Park Rides in response to a request from U.S. Representatives Edward Markey and Bill Pascrell, Jr. along with 12 additional Members of Congress who expressed concern over the apparent increase in the incidence of roller coaster-related brain injuries and fatalities. The panel finds “the risk is in the rider and not the ride.”

BIAA’s Corporate Advisory Council evaluates the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists certification program. The resulting recommendations have a dramatic impact on the spread of the program in the U.S. and other countries.

2004

As part of its cooperative agreement with the Federal TBI Program, BIAA collaborates with BVK/McDonald and Clear Channel Communications to develop and implement Safe World, an outdoor advertising campaign encouraging helmet use.

Allan I. Bergman resigns as BIAA’s President/CEO. Susan H. Connors serves as Interim President/CEO on a part-time basis until February 2005, when she accepts the appointment full-time.

BIAA launches Living with a Brain Injury, a 3-year campaign to increase public awareness and understanding of the consequences of brain injury. The campaign includes posters, pamphlets, fact sheets and other materials. Major underwriting is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center and Medtronic Foundation.

With support from the Moody Endowment, BIAA brings together the nation’s preeminent researchers and clinicians for Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury: the State of the Art, a neuroscience conference attracting 250 professionals from across the country.

2005

NASCAR Legend Ernie Irvan, Olympic Gold Medalist Dick Button and Miss Utah Pageant Winner Amy Davis generously volunteer their time to BIAA to spread brain injury awareness and prevention messages.

BIAA hosts the inaugural Brain Injury Business Practices College, a conference to educate owners and senior staff from the nation’s leading rehabilitation providers in leadership, management and business growth topics and to foster industry cooperation and networking.

BIAA revamps its Corporate Sponsors Program, offering rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, attorneys and other professionals 15 ways to demonstrate their leadership and commitment to creating a better future for individuals with brain injury by aligning their organizations with BIAA’s acclaimed programs and services.

2006

Pioneer caregivers and those new to the role gather in Washington, D.C., to share the sometimes funny, often poignant lessons learned in caring for a loved one with brain injury. Sessions showcase key issues and emotional challenges caregivers face. The Use Your Brain Prevention Education Campaign expands to 40 U.S. and international locations with support from the Lynn A. Chiaverotti Memorial Fund and the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. During the year, 8,000 multi‐use sport helmets that look like a human brain are distributed free of charge.

BIAA supports the Oregon Center for Applied Science in its grant from the National Institutes of Health, Institute of Child Health and Human Development to provide advocacy training for parents of children with brain injury who are navigating services within their school system.

BIAA releases Cognitive Rehabilitation: The Evidence, Funding and Case for Advocacy. The highly-acclaimed position paper is a catalyst for a series of front-page stories in the Wall Street Journal and policy change among the nation’s leading health insurance companies.

2007

BIAA partners with ABC News journalist Bob Woodruff and his family to raise awareness of brain injury and to administer the newly created Bob Woodruff Family Fund to assist servicemen and women and their families affected by the signature wounds of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

BIAA releases Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: A Call For Public/Private Cooperation, a position paper that forms the basis of a Congressional Fly‐in during which legislators from key committees and Capitol Hill staff are briefed on brain injury.

BIAA partners with Home Box Office (HBO) on the Washington, D.C. screening of its extraordinary documentary, COMA. The film accurately and sensitively portrays the real‐life recovery stories of four young persons who sustain severe traumatic brain injuries.

BIAA joins with the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to host the Traumatic Brain Injury Classification Meeting to more accurately describe the distinctions between mild, moderate and severe brain injury,

BIAA’s quarterly publication is re-named THE Challenge! and upgraded to a four‐color magazine format.

2008

BIAA partners with the Wounded Warrior Project and other veterans organizations to advocate for passage of the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, the landmark legislation establishing the Defense Centers of Excellence for TBI and Psychological Health, mandating pre- and post-deployment screening of service members, extending coverage periods for military insurance beneficiaries and authorizing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with civilian providers for hospital care and medical services.

BIAA launches the Brain Injury Business and Professional Council as catalyst for industry collaboration and growth.

BIAA hosts Brain Injury Litigation Strategies 2008 to bring together nearly 100 plaintiff and defense attorneys for TBI training.

The TBI Act is re-authorized and $14.4 million is appropriated to support programs conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

BIAA’s Board of Directors, staff and representatives from the State Affiliate Assembly’s Strategy and Long Term Planning Committee create “5 Priorities in 5 Years,” a new strategic plan that seeks to (1) increase access to brain injury treatment and care; (2) unify BIAA and state affiliates; (3) embrace technology in all aspects of our work; (4) secure adequate resources to accomplish the mission; and (5) influence awareness and understanding of brain injury.

2009

BIAA establishes the Council of Brain Injury Alumni and launches a pilot Self-Advocate Empowerment Program to provide training and support to individuals with brain injury who wish to lobby their congressional representatives.

BIAA establishes a Research Council and designates The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation as the association’s official scholarly journal. The Council’s goal is to collate recent findings, existing projects, and research study recruitment announcements in a searchable web-based data bank.

BIAA publishes Conceptualizing Brain Injury as a Chronic Disease, a position statement discussing the disease-causative and disease-accelerative consequences of traumatic brain injury.

The National Directory of Brain Injury Services is launched as an online database, searchable by program type, service specialty, age requirements and location.

BIAA is instrumental in establishing the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) to restore and preserve funding for health and function research within the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

2010

President Barack Obama signs the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the most sweeping health care reform in U.S. history. The new law vastly increases the number of insured Americans, invests billions of dollars in research and education and strengthens the government’s capacity to fight fraud and abuse. Because of BIAA’s relentless advocacy, the new law mandates coverage of rehabilitation within the essential benefits package of all individual and small group health insurance policies.

BIAA publishes “Maximizing Rehabilitation Outcomes and Cost Efficiency Following Acquired Brain Injury” as special edition of Brain Injury Source. BIAA and chartered state affiliates adopt an updated logo.

BIAA begins its 30th Anniversary celebrations with a special edition of THE Challenge!

2011

Following the tragedy in Tuscon, Ariz., in which Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot during a constituent event, BIAA facilitates a news conference featuring the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, Rep. Giffords’ staff and BIAA’s volunteer medical director Brent Masel urges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to standardize access to care through the rule making process of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. BIAA spokespersons are featured in coverage of the Access to Care press conference and in other stories carried by national outlets such as ABC News, The Washington Post, ProPublica/National Public Radio, USA Today, New York Times and US News & World Report and in local and regional Associated Press stories.

At BIAA’s urging, the U.S. House of Representatives votes to amend the FY12 National Defense Authorization Act to authorize $1 million for the development of treatment guidelines for post-acute brain injury rehabilitation.

The final year of BIAA’s 3-year Brain Injury Awareness Month campaign focusing on sports and concussions helps to ensure passage of youth concussion laws in more than 30 states nationwide.

2012

BIAA works to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act, furnishing testimony at the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on “A Review of Efforts to Prevent and Treat Traumatic Brain Injury.”

BIAA’s Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS) processes more than 1,500 applications; there are now more than 5,000 certified specialists in the U.S.

BIAA enters new affiliate agreements with 26 state-based brain injury organizations to strengthen the availability, quality and consistency of information and resource programs and other services furnished to the brain injury community and the general public.

BIAA expands enrollment in its National Brain Injury Information Center (1-800-444-6443), answering nearly 40,000 individual requests for help and earned a 98% satisfaction rating.

BIAA launches Bowling for Brain Injury with affiliates in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, and New York as the pilot sites for an ongoing, nationwide awareness and fundraising program.

BIAA unveils “Brain Injury: Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone,” a new public awareness campaign.

BIAA partners with Allergan, Inc. to educate individuals with brain injury and family members about upper limb spasticity and with Avanir Pharmaceuticals about pseudobulbar effect, which is an uncontrolled emotional outburst.

2013

BIAA establishes the Future Care Coalition in collaboration with the United Spinal Association to address threats to the health and financial security of current and future Medicare beneficiaries.

BIAA partners with the Brain Injury Research Center at Mount Sinai on a grant to identify problems and recommend solutions in meeting the educational needs of students with TBI.

BIAA creates Preferred Attorneys as an online resource for individuals with brain injury and their family members who seek highly qualified representation from the nation’s best personal injury lawyers.

BIAA establishes its Career Center, an online resource matching brain injury professionals with the best jobs in their fields.

BIAA’s Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS) processes more than 1,700 online applications. There are now more than 5,800 certified specialists in the U.S. and other countries.

BIAA partners with Acquired Brain Injury Ireland (ABI-I) to establish the certification program in Ireland.

BIAA secures $600,000 in gifts and pledges toward its $1.2 million goal to fund the development of treatment guidelines for the rehabilitation and disease management of adults with moderate to severe TBI.

2014

BIAA secures five-year reauthorization of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act and collaborates with others to enact the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

BIAA’s quarterly magazine, THE Challenge!, circulates to more than 20,000 individuals with brain injury, their family members, and care professionals across the U.S.

BIAA’s official scholarly journal is The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, a peer-reviewed publication that provides information on clinical management and rehabilitation of persons with brain injuries for practicing professionals.

2015

Sony Pictures releases the film “Concussion” to audience and critical acclaim, spiking an increase in brain injury and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

BIAA successfully lobbies for the relocation of the Federal Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program to the Administration for Community Living within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve coordination of federal and state programs and services for individuals with brain injuries and their families.

BIAA hosts the Preventing Falls and TBI-Related Injuries Among Older Americans Briefing and the Briefing on Neurological Data and Research in cooperation with the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force and related House and Senate Committees.

BIAA launches its new three-year brain injury awareness campaign: Not Alone, generating more than 127,000 impressions on social media.

BIAA launches its online Concussion Information Center (CIC).

BIAA’s Business and Professionals Council developes and disseminates a survey to assess availability of brain injury treatment and rehabilitation through health plans operating under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements.

BIAA’s National Brain Injury Information Center responds to more than 30,000 calls for information, resources, and support.

BIAA receives an extraordinary gift from the estate of Robert Sbordone, Ph.D., an authority in clinical neuropsychology.

2016

BIAA secures report language in the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for a $5 million increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to complete a concussion surveillance survey.

Together with Avanir Pharmaceuticals, BIAA hosts the successful premiere of “Beyond Laughter and Tears,” a documentary on Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA).

BIAA processes more than 1,800 ACBIS applications, expanding the internationally-recognized voluntary certification to more than 6,000 specialists in the United States and other countries.

BIAA publishes the Essential Brain Injury Guide, Edition 5.0, comprising 25 chapters written by more than 60 experts on all aspects of brain injury, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Members of BIAA’s Business and Professional Council begin a position paper on Brain Injury Rehabilitation Outcomes. The paper provides insight into how existing outcomes research should be evaluated and urges that care be taken in the design, interpretation, and reporting of future studies of brain injury rehabilitation outcomes.

2017

BIAA’s Business and Professional Council jointly host a Capitol Hill Fly-in aimed at protecting rehabilitation as an essential health benefit. BIAA’s medical director emeritus, Gregory J. O’Shanick, M.D., is a panelist for the congressional briefing, “The Value of Rehabilitation and Habilitation Services in America’s Healthcare System.”

BIAA collaborates with the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to host the briefing, “The Silent Epidemic – TBI and Domestic Violence.”

BIAA’s reimagined website, www.biausa.org, launches in December 2017 after nearly two years of work.

2018

BIAA unveils its new Brain Injury Fundamentals Certificate and Training Program.

The TBI Act is reauthorized in recognition of the retirement of the law’s original co-sponsor in the Senate, Senator Orin Hatch of Utah.

2019

BIAA continues to serve on many coalitions in Washington D.C. to protect access to care for individuals with brain injury. These coalitions include the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation (steering committee member), the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (steering committee member), ITEM Coalition, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Injury Violence and Prevention Network, Habilitation Coalition, and the ACL Disability Network.

BIAA circulates its new corporate video, produced in-kind by Crisp Video.

2020

BIAA is a beneficiary of the Redmann Trust, valued at approximately $600,000, allowing the Association to establish its Research Fund and award its first grants to Raj Kumar of Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Marie Hanscom of University of Maryland-Baltimore (STAR-ORC), and Katherine Giordano, University of Arizona College of Medicine (Child Health).

2021

BIAA receives a generous bequest from the estate of Mark Davis in support programs and services, a major grant from Abbott to increase awareness of concussion, and an unrestricted gift from the Coldiron Foundation.