Affiliate News

Delaware

The Brain Injury Association of Delaware (BIADE) ended 2023 strong and is looking forward to 2024. BIADE was honored to be Delaware Statewide Independent Living Council’s (SILC) first organizational SPOTLIGHT. The SPOTLIGHT focuses on disability organizations in Delaware and highlights the services and support they offer.

BIADE said thank you to the outgoing Corporate Board President, Dr. Terry Harrison-Goldman. Her dedication, expertise, and contributions have left an indelible mark on the organization. Her legacy will undoubtedly serve as a foundation for our continued growth and success in the years ahead. The organization is pleased to welcome incoming President Stefanie Lancaster. She will be an amazing leader who understands intimately what survivors and caregivers need, as she is a TBI survivor herself. Lancaster has the pulse on what is happening in Delaware as she works at the DE Developmental Disabilities Council. BIADE looks forward to the leadership she and the other Corporate Board and Advisory Board members will bring to the organization.

BIADE feels it is important to educate those who work with its population. The organization partnered with Nemours Children’s Health to provide Continuing Education Units to nurses, PTs, OTs, and SLPs. The four educational training courses, presented by local professionals, covered a range of topics, and the Educate Delaware webinar series will continue with quarterly offerings.

BIADE’s second annual Survivor and Caregiver Celebration and Community Awards Luncheon is scheduled for March 14. This wonderful event is a time to bring the community together to spend time in fellowship while celebrating and honoring everyone affected by brain injuries.

Indiana

The Brain Injury Association of Indiana (BIAI) had a beautiful and active ending to 2023. BIAI held our second annual Wiffleball Tournament at the end of October, with eight teams made up of individuals with lived experience, their family members and supports, and various professionals. It was a fun-filled, fantastic day that also included costume contests, face painting, vendors, yummy food and treats, and a wonderful silent auction. Be sure to be on the lookout for the third annual Wiffleball Tournament – the save the date will be out soon.

BIAI also held two virtual information and discussion sessions during the months of September and December. The September session focused on the importance of voting and knowing your rights in any election that is held, while the December session focused on Love Your Brain Yoga and the benefits of getting involved in this incredible program. To gain access to either of these recorded sessions, or to learn more, please contact BIAI.

BIAI is excited to go to Washington, D.C. in March and participate in Brain Injury Awareness Month. Be on the lookout for more information and this and various other events taking place. Wishing a very happy and healthy new year to all!

Kansas

This fall, the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City (BIAKS) was privileged to present two Family and Survivor seminars and Hays and Overland Park. These two events, attended by more than 100 participants, offered opportunities for individuals affected by brain injury and family members to learn about new strategies and therapies that could make their lives easier. Breakout sessions provided time for individuals to share questions and concerns with others facing the same issues. The Hays event, held at Ft. Hays State University, also had a track for professionals working in the brain injury field and CEUs were available. Plans call for adding a third family and survivor event in 2024.

Additionally, BIAKS hosted its second professional conference in November in Wichita. The conference planning committee worked to ensure that the topics were timely and relevant for attendees from south central Kansas. Over the course of a day and a half, attendees heard speakers discuss TBI cognitive changes, overcoming challengers for kids returning to school, and veteran suicide prevention, as well as a survivor’s experience facing the challenges presented by his injury.

Upcoming events on the BIAKS calendar include a March 14 Advocacy Day in Topeka; a March open house for volunteers, supporters, and friends; a professional conference in Overland Park; and the 37th Memorial Day Run for Brain Injury.

Maine

In early 2024, the Brain Injury Association of Maine (BIA-ME) published the eighth edition of its Maine Brain Injury and Stroke Resource Directory in both print and digital formats and is in the process of distributing the directory across the state.

During Brain Injury Awareness Month, BIAA-ME will hold the 2024 BIAA-ME Brain Injury Resource Fair in Augusta on March 21. The fair is designed for Maine brain injury survivors, family members/caregivers, and professionals to have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of resources, services, and supports.

Working with the State of Maine to complete deliverables under the Administration for Community Living’s Traumatic Brain Injury Partnership Grant, BIAA-ME also continues to collaborate with community behavioral health agencies on co-occurring ABI/Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder training, identification through the Online Brain Injury Screening and Support System (OBISSS) tool, and access to service linkages for ABI through NeuroResource Facilitation.

BIAA-ME provides extensive I&R and NeuroResource Facilitation services, support to Maine’s 22 brain injury support groups, and several ongoing webinar series for the Maine brain injury community.

Massachusetts

As part of commemorating Brain Injury Awareness Month, the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIAMA) will hold its 42nd Annual Brain Injury Conference on Wednesday, March 27 and Thursday, March 28.

At the two-day in-person conference, brain injury survivors, caregivers, families, and professionals will learn about the latest research, therapies, support, and services. Last year over 600 individuals attended. Exhibitors will enable participants to identify health care solutions and professionals can obtain continuing education credits (CEs).

The keynote speakers will be Marina Ganetsky, a 13-year-old who survived a massive stroke, and her mother, Sasha Yampolsky, an impassioned speech language pathologist, co-authors of “Or So They Thought: A True Story.” Together, the story they share will reveal the incredible impact of person-centered service-delivery rehabilitation. To learn more about BIA-MA’s Annual Conference www.biama.org/annualconference.

Michigan

For over 40 years, Michigan’s Auto No-Fault system provided world class healthcare for all drivers injured in an automobile accident. There were no limits to access to reasonably necessary products, services, and accommodations related to the recovery, rehabilitation and care of injuries caused by an accident. Everything changed in 2019. The so-called “auto no-fault reform” law implemented sweeping changes to this system. As a result, no longer is everyone guaranteed equal access to care as consumers are now able to choose policies with monetary caps on the amount of rehabilitation and care needed after an accident. To make matters worse, those choosing to continue to pay for lifetime care have limits to the care they can access because of the reimbursement system implemented by the 2019 law.

Medical providers have seen their reimbursement for essential long-term care services cut by nearly 50% from what they charged in 2019. This fee cap system has reduced reimbursement to levels lower than cost of providing care for services such as in-home healthcare, residential and supported living programs. As a result, people with catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries do not have access to the specialized care needed for positive outcomes and a healthy quality of life.

While a recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling (ANDARY v USAA CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY) has provided some relief to those who have been catastrophically injured prior to the 2019 reform, there is still a tremendous amount of changes to be made.

For over four years, the Brain Injury Association of Michigan, crash survivors, families, care providers, and disability rights groups, have called on the Michigan Legislature to make modifications to the law to rectify this injustice.

Senate bills 530, 531 and 575 make the necessary changes that will restore the continuum of care these advocates have urged. The proposed legislation implements a reasonable and sustainable fee schedule that brings consistency and predictability to the system and most importantly ensures crash survivors have access to care they have paid for through their insurance policies.

To date, these bills currently sit in the House of Representatives Insurance and Financial Services Committee.

Mississippi

The Brain Injury Association of Mississippi (BIAMS) saw a change in leadership at the end of 2023 as Lee Moss stepped down as executive director after 16 years of service. Moss was honored at the annual “NogginFeast: A Celebration of the Brain” not only by the Board of Directors and staff of BIAMS but also by the Mississippi National Guard which bestowed the Distinguished Civilian Service Award on her, along with three honorary coins from officers in various units of the Guard. The BIAMS family welcomed Catherine Bishop as the new executive director in January.

In November, BIAMS launched its “Building a Bridge” project, aimed at bringing support groups and resources to survivors in all eight of Mississippi’s geographic regions. With one new group beginning in south central Mississippi in February, the project is already well underway. The next two target areas are the coastal region and northeast region.

Two events ended 2023 with a bang. NogginFeast, a food tasting and live music event, had record attendance as we once again honored the National Guard. This year’s recognition went to the 122th Military Police Battalion. The night was a fun-filled evening and ended with a $5,000 drawdown. The last event for 2023 was the Support Group Holiday Party, which was a blast with gift exchange, food, and fellowship. The “Most Festive Award” went to MS brain injury survivor Will Parker.

On March 20 the BIAMS will host Brain Injury Awareness Day at the Capitol Building in Jackson. All are invited to join in support of Brain Injury Awareness in the rotunda at 7:30 a.m. For more information about this and other upcoming BIAMS events, including our annual conference, visit www.msbraininjury.org.

Missouri

The Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) Sports Concussions: Facts, Fallacies and New Frontiers Seminars were held across Missouri between Feb. 26 and March 1, 2024. There were three in-person seminars and one live stream seminar. Recordings of the sessions are also available on-demand until May 30. These seminars provide free education for youth sports and school personnel to reduce the risks of concussions for students. The seminar focus for 2024 was the updated Concussion Consensus Statement, mental health and concussions, return to learn, and current concussion-related research. Statewide keynote speakers were internationally known concussion experts, Ruben Echemendia, PhD, and Jared Bruce, PhD. Additional international, national, and regional experts shared their knowledge across Missouri as presenters for Regional Seminars 2024.

The BIA-MO Survivor and Family Seminars 2024 provided practical suggestions for life with brain injury for Missourians in Springfield (March 23) and Kansas City (April 20). The topics for this year include Brain Injury 101, Pushing Through Recovery, Getting Social Security, Managing Anger, Anxiety and Depression Following Brain Injury, and more. We also had Fun with Cognitive Tasks and shared through the Let’s Talk breakout sessions for persons with brain injury and a separate group for family and friends. Attendees also had the opportunity to learn about resources from vendors. Life with brain injury is not easy, but the BIA-MO Survivor and Family Seminar helps individuals know they are not alone on their journey to a quality life with brain injury.

New Hampshire

The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire is pleased to announce a new training specifically for families and caregivers: “Behavioral Changes after Brain Injury.” Behavior changes following moderate and severe TBI are common, and can cause significant stress for individuals and their families. These presentations will create an opportunity for discussion around why changes in behavior occur and how to decrease the likelihood of challenging behaviors during the recovery process. Specifically, participants will learn how to identify factors that make challenging behaviors more likely and how to use this information to promote positive behavior change over time. This training is presented by Toni M. Curry, PhD, NCSP. Curry is a second-year postdoctoral fellow in pediatric neuropsychology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of New York and a nationally certified school psychologist. Curry has maintained a strong interest in studying brain-behavior relationships, with the ultimate goal of using her knowledge to improve the lives of patients and families from underserved backgrounds. These trainings will be offered quarterly.

New York

The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) is excited to announce several events and initiatives to raise funds and awareness in recognition of Brain Injury Awareness Month.

All month, individuals are encouraged to Go Blue! For Brain Injury by starting a fundraiser that benefits brain injury survivors and by sharing information and resources on social media.

In partnership with Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health, BIANYS is hosting a Brain Injury Symposium on March 9, and invites professionals and specialists in the fields of brain injury medicine and rehabilitation to attend and learn about advances in treatment, network with other professionals and gain access to cutting-edge research and information.

Lastly, all members of the brain injury community are invited to Advocacy Day on March 26 at the Capitol in Albany to ask for additional funding for the Continuum of Care for Neuro-Resource Facilitation Program. The Continuum of Care program provides the information brain injury survivors and their families need to be connected to supports, rehabilitation services, and other community-based services, which will assist them in their time of need.

Pennsylvania

The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania (BIAPA) is currently immersed in preparations for its annual conference in June. The BIAPA conference committee is diligently reviewing speaker and session presentation outlines, making every effort to provide a diverse and informative program. A noteworthy highlight this year is the inclusion of sessions specifically tailored for pediatric caregivers, which is reflective of BIAPA’s commitment to address the needs of families that have children and adolescents with brain injury! The upcoming conference promises to be an enriching experience for all attendees.

The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania’s mission includes education to both survivors and professionals. In addition to its annual conference, BIAPA offers online Clinical Forums several times a year. The purpose of the Clinical Forum is to bring current information on topics of interest, presented by recognized leaders in the field, to professionals working in the field. Clinical Forums are attended by professionals from a variety of disciplines from across the country and have no cost associated with them. In April, Dr. Amelia Hicks of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will present “Suicidality and Self Harm in Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury: Characterization, Assessment and Management.” To learn more, visit https://biapa.org/clinical_forum/

South Carolina

The Brain Injury Association of South Carolina (BIASC) started the new year off with the addition of three accomplished Board Members. Katie Davis is an optometrist and owner of Vision Therapy Institute in Columbia. Dr. Jeff Holloway is a pediatrician who specializes in sports medicine and is the Director of the Pediatric Concussion Clinic of Prisma Health Hospital in Columbia. Both board members are part of BIASC Brain Injury Safety Net Task Force which educates adults in a young person’s life who has experience a concussion or other type of brain injury. Amanda Winburn is a physical therapist who is Supervisor of Rehabilitation Optimization at Prisma Health’s Peace Outpatient Brain Injury and Young Stroke program in Greenville.

BIASC’s first quarter of 2024 includes teaching A Matter of Balance Class for senior fall prevention in January, a virtual art class in February, as well as providing TBI Overview and Employment-Readiness Strategies training for the South Carolina Vocational Rehab Department. For Brain Injury Awareness Month, BIASC is teaming up with the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs for a Community Art Project entitled “Metamorphosis: Striving and Thriving After Brain Injury.” Brain injury survivors and caregivers will decorate butterfly cutouts which will become part of a larger piece of artwork. BIASC will also hold its annual statewide Walk, Run and Roll for BI awareness March 17-23.

Virginia

The Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV) kicked off 2024 ready to connect the community with the monthly webinar series “Mindful Matters.” These free webinars include activities that help engage the mind and body and share other opportunities for these activities in the community.

As part of its Screen and Intervene project, BIAV is partnering with the Virginia Department of Health to explore the intersection between traumatic brain injury and domestic violence. BIAV provides education, training, and technical assistance and facilitates the collaboration between brain injury and domestic violence programs. Domestic violence programs are learning to screen for brain injury, and brain injury programs are learning more about the domestic violence service system and their role in service provision to serve better those who may have suffered a brain injury.

Overall, the project aims to increase the domestic violence program’s understanding of the challenges and strategies for working with persons with brain injury, as well as improve the overall effectiveness of the program’s interventions with persons who have sustained a brain injury as a result of domestic violence. The data analysis will inform recommendations on intervention strategies, resource development, screening and referral processes, replicating the model in other regions, and training needs.

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This article originally appeared in Volume 18, Issue 1 of THE Challenge! published in 2024.