After analyzing President Barack Obama’s proposed FY 2013 budget, BIAA is pleased to report that programs authorized by the TBI Act, including the HRSA Federal TBI Program and the CDC’s important TBI work have both been recommended to receive level funding found in FY11 final and FY12 CR appropriations bills, $10 million for HRSA and just under $7 million for CDC. In the current fiscal climate this is good news for TBI advocates. This would indicate TBI funding is not on the chopping block when the government is looking to cut a trillion and a half dollars in federal spending.

The CDC collects data, links both military and civilian populations with TBI services, increases public awareness, and conducts public health research. The HRSA Federal TBI Program funds 21 states to improve systems coordination and access to care for people with brain injury.

On another note, the budget recommends reducing funds for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education. In FY 2012, NIDRR was funded at $109 million with FY 2013 funding to be decreased to $107 million. NIDRR administers grants to the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) which is a collection of research centers located across the United States that conduct disability and rehabilitation research. The TBI Model Systems are the only source of non-proprietary longitudinal data on what happens to people with brain injury. The TBI Model Systems are a key source of evidence-based medicine, and serve as a “proving ground” for future researchers.

This fiscal year’s TBIMS Centers competition will allocate $7.5 million for 16 centers (averaging $468,750 per Center). A total of $1.7 million will be available next fiscal year for 2 TBI Collaborative research projects, essentially unchanged from the last cycle.

The funding decrease was to the overall budget of NIDRR, not the TBI Model Systems. BIAA will address the issue with both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to ensure that Congress is aware of the importance of full funding for NIDRR.

BIAA will continue to work to ensure that legislators understand the importance of these programs and how they affect the 1.7 million people across the United States with brain injury. Grassroots advocates should be ready for appropriations alerts to drive home this vital message this spring.

This year, brain injury awareness day on Capitol Hill will be held on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. As in years past, there will be an awareness fair, briefing and reception. The full schedule for the day is as follows:

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Brain Injury Awareness Fair, First Floor Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM: “Anytime, Anyone, Any Age: The Impact on Brain Injury”, Congressional Briefing; Capitol Visitor Center

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Reception Celebrating Brain Injury Awareness Month, Location to be Announced

BIAA is committed to helping the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force plan a successful event. Stay tuned for more details including a list of speakers for the briefing.

Historically, there has been an association of violent crime and traumatic brain injury (TBI). There are numerous case studies of violent behaviors after TBI, and there is an extremely high prevalence of prisoners with TBI. This association is in part due to the vulnerability of the frontal lobe to injury—the frontal lobe is critical for emotional control and inhibition of inappropriate responses and behaviors (among other things). However, there is little research that supports the causal relationship of TBI and violent crime. Other factors such as substance abuse, impulsivity as an inherited trait, and socio-economic status can also contribute to violent crime.

Researchers recently found that, after controlling for these confounding factors, there was still a direct association between violent crime and TBI. In addition, injuries to the frontal lobe were significantly more likely to be associated with violent crime than other areas of injury. Despite the fact that substance abuse and impulsivity can increase the risk of TBI, the study found that a frontal lobe injury can independently increase violent behavior.

Faxel S, Lichtenstein P, Grann M, & Langstrom Niklas. Risk of violent crime in individuals with epilepsy and traumatic brain injury: A 35-year Swedish population study. PLOS Medicine. (December 2011).

Brain Injury Association of California (BIACAL) has teamed up with a variety of nonprofit organizations that provide local programs and services to persons with brain injury, and together, will host the 5th Annual Statewide Walk for Thought during the months of March and April.

These walks achieve numerous goals:

• Raise awareness of brain injury and the needs for persons who have sustained an injury.
• Provide information and resources on the local, state and federal level.
• Provide prevention information and materials.
• Raise critical funds for BIACAL and the local nonprofit host organizations.  BIACAL has established a generous profit sharing opportunity for each host organization which allows them to continue to provide vital programs and services in their communities.

We have aggressive goals in 2012 and we invite you to register today and begin building your teams. We hope to exceed 3,000 participants and raise over $300,000 statewide. You can help us achieve both goals by encouraging others to join you at a Walk For Thought in a city near you, and also encourage every participant to raise a minimum of $100. Our online fundraising website will enable you to create your own personal fundraising page and/or a team page. After registering, simply follow the steps and begin your fundraising campaign and build your team. Encourage friendly competition between teams to see who can raise the most money and don’t forget to utilize the social media tools available to aid you in your fundraising efforts.

Remember, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the local host organization(s) and the percentage earned will be determined on the amount of funds raised at that particular walk site.

Register early to avoid late registration fee.

After analyzing President Barack Obama’s proposed FY2013 budget, BIAA is pleased to report that programs authorized by the TBI Act, including the HRSA Federal TBI Program and the CDC’s important TBI work have both been recommended to receive level funding found in FY11 final and FY12 CR appropriations bills, $10 million for HRSA and just under $7 million for CDC. In the current fiscal climate this is good news for TBI advocates. This would indicate TBI funding is not on the chopping block when the government is looking to cut a trillion and a half dollars in federal spending.

The CDC collects data, links both military and civilian populations with TBI services, increases public awareness, and conducts public health research. The HRSA Federal TBI Program funds 21 states to improve systems coordination and access to care for people with brain injury.

On another note, the budget recommends reducing funds for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education. In FY 2012, NIDRR was funded at $109 million with FY 2013 funding to be decreased to $107 million.

NIDRR administers grants to the TBI Model Systems, which is a collection of research centers located across the United States that conduct disability and rehabilitation research. The TBI Model Systems are the only source of non-proprietary longitudinal data on what happens to people with brain injury. The TBI Model Systems are a key source of evidence-based medicine, and serve as a “proving ground” for future researchers.

The funding decrease was to the overall budget of NIDRR, not the TBI Model Systems. BIAA will address the issue with both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to ensure that Congress is aware of the importance of full funding for NIDRR.

BIAA will continue to work to ensure that legislators understand the importance of these programs and how they affect the 1.7 million people across the United States with brain injury. Grassroots advocates should be ready for appropriations alerts to drive home this vital message this spring.

A recent animal study found that inflammation to the hypothalamus may disrupt the control of body weight. The hypothalamus is a brain structure deep near the center of the brain, and is primarily responsible for producing and releasing hormones.

After a brain injury, certain proteins are released as a protective response to the injury. Although this sudden increase of proteins may initially protect the injured brain, long periods of increased proteins can cause inflammation and further damage. One of the more vulnerable areas to inflammation is the hypothalamus.

This damage can subsequently signal the body to gain weight and resist losing weight. Obesity after a brain injury is therefore a complex issue that requires more research and attention.

Thaler JP, Yi C-XY, Schur EA, et al. Obesity is associated with hypothalamic injury in rodents and humans. Journal of Clinical Investigation. (January 2012).

BIAA’s director of government affairs along with NASHIA’s lobbyist and staff representing the National Disability Rights Network had a successful meeting with Reps. Pascrell and Platts staff regarding the reauthorization of the TBI Act. The TBI Act will likely be introduced in the House of Representatives in March. BIAA will continue to work closely with other stakeholders as the reauthorization of the TBI Act moves forward.

On Tuesday, February 7, 2012, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on accessible technology. Chairman Harkin (D-IA) spoke about how America is at a critical juncture in technological development related to education. Technology can either be used in the classroom to keep all students, including students who have sustained a TBI, on equal ground or to segregate those with disabilities by not developing accessible technology. Click here to link to the HELP Committee’s website to read testimony from the hearing.

This year, brain injury awareness day on Capitol Hill will be held on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. As in years past, there will be an awareness fair, briefing and reception. The full schedule for the day is as follows:

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM - Brain Injury Awareness Fair, First Floor Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM - Congressional Briefing, Location to Be Announced

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM - Reception Celebrating Brain Injury Awareness Month, Location to Be Announced

BIAA is committed to helping the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force plan a successful event. Stay tuned for more details including a list of speakers for the briefing.

This week, BIAA submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the essential health benefits bulletin.

BIAA also submitted comments on the report Multidisciplinary Postacute Rehabilitation for Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury prepared for the Agency on Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

A copy of BIAA’s comments on both documents can be located on the BIAA website under the Government Affairs section. Click on Legislative Priorities and the comments are listed under Health Care Reform.