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Iowa Legislative Update
The Iowa Legislature has entered its last two weeks of work with their last "payday" being April 22nd. BIA-Iowa staff and advocates have been at the Statehouse educating legislators about the increasing need for funding for Brain Injury services.
This educational focus has been primarily centered on legislative appropriations for services within Iowa's Brain Injury Services Program (BISP). As of last Friday there was both bad and good news in the initial draft of appropriations legislation. Here is the breakdown:
The Good:
1) $500,000 to fund two of the four components of the BISP, Resource Facilitation and Training.
2) $2.5 million to continue to support individuals receiving Medicaid Home and Community Based Services via the BI Waiver Eligible component of the BISP, but under the direct Medicaid budget.
The Not so Good:
1) No funding for the Cost Share component of the BISP. There are 26 individuals who have made application for this program who will not have funding in order to access these services.
2) The loss of a full $2.6 million of funds that were designated for Brain Injury services and that had been designated for use to reduce the Medicaid BI waiver waiting list.
3) The elimination of the Waiver Eligible Component from the BISP.
The Plan:
BIA-Iowa staff and advocates are working to inform and educate key leaders of the Iowa House and Senate regarding the need to increase services and supports to Iowans with Brain Injury, and to reinstate most if not all of the $2.6 million for BI services. No grassroots advocacy is needed today - BUT please stay tuned as this is a day to day dance.
Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury
Millions of people in this country provide care for an older adult—a parent, grandparent, other family member, or a close friend. For most caregivers, the older adult’s health is the overriding concern. One way to help older adults live better lives and stay independent is by learning about traumatic brain injury, or TBI and how to prevent it.
“Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury” is a CDC initiative to raise awareness among children and other caregivers of older adults about ways to prevent, recognize, and respond to TBI in adults 75 and older.
As part of this initiative, CDC has developed easy-to-use English- and Spanish-language materials for older adults and their caregivers.
Each of these materials uses a concise question–and-answer format to provide information that older adults and their caregivers can use to take an active role in preventing, recognizing, and responding to TBI.
To view and/or order these materials at no cost, visit the CDC's Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury website.
The Iowa Legislature has entered its last two weeks of work with their last "payday" being April 22nd. BIA-Iowa staff and advocates have been at the Statehouse educating legislators about the increasing need for funding for Brain Injury services.
This educational focus has been primarily centered on legislative appropriations for services within Iowa's Brain Injury Services Program (BISP). As of last Friday there was both bad and good news in the initial draft of appropriations legislation. Here is the breakdown:
The Good:
1) $500,000 to fund two of the four components of the BISP, Resource Facilitation and Training.
2) $2.5 million to continue to support individuals receiving Medicaid Home and Community Based Services via the BI Waiver Eligible component of the BISP, but under the direct Medicaid budget.
The Not so Good:
1) No funding for the Cost Share component of the BISP. There are 26 individuals who have made application for this program who will not have funding in order to access these services.
2) The loss of a full $2.6 million of funds that were designated for Brain Injury services and that had been designated for use to reduce the Medicaid BI waiver waiting list.
3) The elimination of the Waiver Eligible Component from the BISP.
The Plan:
BIA-Iowa staff and advocates are working to inform and educate key leaders of the Iowa House and Senate regarding the need to increase services and supports to Iowans with Brain Injury, and to reinstate most if not all of the $2.6 million for BI services. No grassroots advocacy is needed today - BUT please stay tuned as this is a day to day dance.
"The Silent Epidemic"
That is Growing!
For more information on brain injury in Iowa, visit the Governor's Advisory Council on Brain Injuries website.
That is Growing!
At least 50-55,000 Iowans live with
long-term disability from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and it
impacts the lives of thousands more Iowans every year. TBI has
been described as the “Silent Epidemic” because so often the scars
are not visible to others. The affects of brain injury are
cognitive, emotional, and social and can result in physical
disability. In addition to the overwhelming challenges
individuals with brain injury experience, families also face many
difficulties in adjusting to their loved one’s injury and in
navigating a service delivery system that can be confusing and
frustrating.
From 2003 to 2005, there were, on
average, 2,610 TBI hospitalizations per year, with an increasing
rate of hospitalization over the same time period due to the
increasing number of falls. Emergency room (ER) visits’ rates
were more than double that of the hospitalizations over the same
time period, increasing steadily from 190.4 per 100,000 to 223.6
per 100,000. Falls were the leading causes of TBI ER visits and
hospitalizations, followed by motor vehicle crash TBI ER visits
and hospitalizations.
For more information on brain injury in Iowa, visit the Governor's Advisory Council on Brain Injuries website.
Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury
Millions of people in this country provide care for an older adult—a parent, grandparent, other family member, or a close friend. For most caregivers, the older adult’s health is the overriding concern. One way to help older adults live better lives and stay independent is by learning about traumatic brain injury, or TBI and how to prevent it.
“Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury” is a CDC initiative to raise awareness among children and other caregivers of older adults about ways to prevent, recognize, and respond to TBI in adults 75 and older.
As part of this initiative, CDC has developed easy-to-use English- and Spanish-language materials for older adults and their caregivers.
Each of these materials uses a concise question–and-answer format to provide information that older adults and their caregivers can use to take an active role in preventing, recognizing, and responding to TBI.
To view and/or order these materials at no cost, visit the CDC's Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury website.
The Brain Injury Association of Iowa can deliver a range of training for your organization. This includes:
- NEW - Ambiguous Loss - the impact of event based disability on the family
- Brain Injury Awareness
- Brain Injury Awareness and Funding
- Brain Injury and Positive Behavioral Change
- Understanding Brain Injury for Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals
- TBI - What your community group
should know!
- Brain Injury 101
- Brain Injury for the Case Manager
- Returning to Work After Brain Injury
- When Worlds Collide – BI and MR/DD
- How Brain Injury Affects Families
- Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Educators
- Methamphetamine and Brain Injury
- And more!
Toll Free Info Line:
1-800-444-6443
E-mail: info@biaia.org
Need information about brain injury?
Iowa Brain Injury
Information Center
(800) 444-6443
or
info@biaia.org
E-mail: info@biaia.org
Need information about brain injury?
Iowa Brain Injury
Information Center
(800) 444-6443
or
info@biaia.org
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Brain Injury Awareness Month 2008 Materials Even though March was Brain Injury Awareness Month, you can still help students, seniors, motorcyclists, and yourself Live Better, Longer all year long. Click here download materials. |
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Note - Waypoint formatting cannot yet be optimized for all email readers. However all errors, typos or faux pas are solely attributable to Waypoint Editors: Geoffrey M. Lauer Executive Director Thomas Brown Neuro-Resource Facilitation and Training Coordinator |