Brain Injury Blog | Traumatic Brain Injury TBI

Also on Wednesday, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs approved H.R. 2818, legislation endorsed by BIAA which would establish Epilepsy Centers of Excellence within the VA. Last week, the Senate passed its version of the legislation as part of a package of veterans’ mental health bills. Continue Reading »

BIAA Signs On In Support of National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week Resolution

BIAA was proud to sign on as a supporter of the National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week Resolution (S. Res. 518), which passed the Senate on Monday. The Resolution, introduced by Senator Dodd (D-CT), dedicates this week (the week of April 21st through 25th) to raise awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome and to ultimately eliminate its occurrence.

BIAA was included as a supporter of the resolution in Senator Dodd’s floor statement that was submitted to the Congressional Record when it was introduced on Thursday, April 16, 2008.

BIAA Submits Testimony to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee

Also this week, BIAA submitted written testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee in charge of funding TBI programs within the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. BIAA’s testimony urges an increase in funding in Fiscal Year 2009 for programs authorized through the TBI Act, as well as TBI research programs conducted within the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).

Within the testimony, BIAA requests $30 million in funding for programs authorized through the TBI Act, as well as sufficient funding to sustain and increase medical rehabilitation research within NIDRR. The testimony also urges an allocation of at least $8.3 million to allow NIDRR to continue to fund 16 TBI Model Systems research centers.

In addition, BIAA played a leading role, along with other national organizations, in recent weeks in drafting and circulating an organizational sign-on letter in support of FY09 TBI appropriations. The letter, which was signed by over 25 organizations - including several veterans organizations - was recently delivered to both the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.

Copies of both BIAA’s written testimony and the Organizational Sign-On Letter in support of appropriations for TBI programs can be obtained by visiting BIAA’s website at the following address: http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.

Also this week, on Wednesday, March 12, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) joined the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, and a variety of other advocacy groups, in successfully conducting Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill. The day’s events drew the participation of several Members of Congress and their staff.

The first event of the day was the Brain Injury Awareness Fair, which was held in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building, and featured exhibits by numerous brain injury services and advocacy organizations. BIAA’s exhibit was highlighted by a colorful display of hundreds of “brain cranes,” hand-crafted by individuals with TBI from all over the nation. More information on the Brain Crane project, including a picture of the beautiful display, is available on the homepage of BIAA’s website at www.biausa.org.

The day also featured a very well-attended Congressional Briefing on the subject of “TBI and Community Needs.” The briefing included the perspectives of returning servicemembers with TBI and their families, as well as views from the civilian perspective, and explored the need for increasing collaborative efforts between the military and civilian sectors when it comes to TBI treatment, research, and services - including community supports.

The day finished with an evening reception held in a spirit of celebration, which honored Congressional leaders on TBI issues, including Congressional Brain Injury Task Force Co-Chairs Rep. Pascrell and Rep. Platts.

Negotiations continued this week over an economic stimulus package, as the House passed its version of the bill, which represents a compromise with the Bush Administration. This version does not include increases in Medicaid payments to states, which BIAA strongly supports.

Last week, BIAA signed on to a coalition letter urging House and Senate leaders to temporarily raise Medicaid reimbursement to states in order to prevent states from being forced to make cutbacks in essential state services. Such essential Medicaid services include health care and long-term services and supports, which are often especially important to individuals with disabilities.

As Senate negotiations go forward next week, BIAA will continue advocating for the inclusion of provisions in the stimulus to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates to states.

President Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 4986), containing important wounded warrior provisions related to TBI care which BIAA actively lobbied for last year, into law on Monday.

One of BIAA’s policy goals for 2008 will be to monitor the implementation of the important TBI provisions contained in this bill. (The December 14, 2007 edition of Policy Corner contains more detailed information on these TBI provisions. You can access this issue, as well as all other archived issues of Policy Corner, by visiting BIAA’s webpage at http://www.biausa.org/policycorner.htm).

In a related development, Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) expressed disappointment that the President did not publicly acknowledge the full implications of the wounded warrior provisions contained in this bill. Hours after signing the bill, in his State of the Union speech, President Bush called on Congress to enact recommendations made by the Dole-Shalala Commission to “improve the system of care for our wounded warriors.” Yet, many of the Commission’s recommendations were addressed in the defense authorization bill.

“It’s kind of surprising, and I think it creates an impression that there’s work that’s still ahead of us, when much of it was done in record time,” Levin said, in a Jan. 30 article in CQ Today.

According to CQ Today, in response to Sen. Levin’s comments, the White House pointed to a major revision of the veterans’ disability system which remains to be acted upon.

Earlier this week, Sen. Michael B. Enzi (R-WY) unveiled, “Guidelines for Assisting Those with Accessibility Needs,” a manual designed to make congressional offices more accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Through the hard work of Robert Demichelis, BIAA helped provide suggestions for the guide, which was distributed to all House and Senate offices.

In a “Dear Colleague” letter introducing the guide to Members of Congress and their staff, Sen. Enzi states, “Ensuring our ability to interact and assist [individuals who have accessibility needs] requires that we are prepared in advance to meet their needs with everything from the appropriate language and basic etiquette, to ensuring they are included in our emergency preparedness plans and provided for in our accessible room designs.”

New research suggests that hidden traumatic brain injuries can cause social or educational failure, such as alcoholism or homelessness. If broadly verified, the findings could have a significant impact in dealing with these difficulties.

Read More: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120156672297223803.html?mod=hpp_us_pageone

California Brain Injury Association’s (CALBIA) application to join the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) as a Chartered State Affili-ate was unanimously approved at the Annual Board of Directors Meeting held on December 7, 2007.

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Web Posted: 05/07/2006 12:00 AM CDT

San Antonio Express-News
Phone numbers are in area code 210 unless otherwise indicated.)

ALCOHOL and DRUG ABUSE
Alcoholics Anonymous 24-hour phone line and meeting guide. 828-6235.

Narconon Arrowhead non-profit organization dedicated to treating drug and alcohol addictions. Offers free assessments and referrals. (800) 468-6933 or www.stopaddiction.com

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