| About Us Accomplishments & Goals |
Accomplishments for 2008 (also available in pdf format) PUBLIC POLICY & GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Secured amendment, reauthorization and $14.46 million in federal appropriations for the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, which supports civilian based research, epidemiological studies, data collection, public education, and state capacity building and service system access through grants administered by the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Health Resources and Services Administration. Obtained $900,000 in new federal funding for the TBI Model Systems of Care, a research program administered by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that develops new diagnostic methods, treatment interventions, and outcome measures for individuals with brain injury. Successfully lobbied for the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, which was incorporated into and enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008. This landmark legislation establishes the Defense Center of Excellence on TBI and Psychological Stress, mandates pre and post-deployment testing, extends coverage periods for military health insurance beneficiaries, and allows the VA to contract with civilian entities for hospital care and medical services. Facilitated formal inquiries by more than 70 Members of Congress to Defense Secretary William Gates to obtain official TRICARE coverage of cognitive rehabilitation for servicemembers who sustain brain injuries. Worked to preserve access to inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient therapy for Submitted formal comments on the VA’s Disability Rating Scale for individuals with Maintained active presence in health and disability advocacy community; supported CONSTITUENT SERVICES Hosted multiple educational meetings and conferences, including Expanded Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists to 3800 members. Expanded National Brain Injury Information Center to multiple state affiliates to directly link callers to the nearest source of information; consistently earned 90th percentile customer satisfaction rating; provided Spanish-language services as needed. Welcomed 50,000 distinct website visitors each month, circulated weekly legislative action updates, published quarterly periodical, THE Challenge!, on the special interest topics of social relationships, children, caregivers and research breakthroughs. Expanded dissemination of research findings through adoption of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation as the organization’s official scholarly journal and translated journal articles into user-friendly abstracts that were downloaded more than 200,000 times. Converted National Directory of Brain Injury Rehabilitation Services, the only comprehensive brain injury rehabilitation resource available nationally, to electronic format. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Launched “Project Phoenix” to overhaul constituent database to meet 21st century standards for e-commerce, communication, and information processing. Goals for 2009 – 2013 1. Increase access to brain injury care
2. Unify BIAA and state affiliates
3. Embrace technology in our work
4. Secure adequate resources to accomplish the mission
5. Influence awareness and understanding of brain injury
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Accomplishments in 2007 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & PUBLIC POLICY • Secured federal funding to support research, surveillance, public education, state agency capacity and service system access through grants administered by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Health Resources and Services Administration, • Published Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: A Call for Public/Private Cooperation to educate Members of Congress on the TBI System of Care and to persuade them to secure the right treatment, right now for service members with blast brain injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan, • Produced and distributed Cognitive Rehabilitation: The Evidence, Funding and Case for Advocacy in Brain Injury to lawmakers and opinion leaders nationwide, • Fought to preserve access to inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient therapy for persons with brain injury who are eligible for Medicare and to protect community-based rehabilitative services for Medicaid beneficiaries, • Expanded Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to include 119 Members of Congress, and • Maintained active presence in health and disability advocacy community;
supported legislative proposals to enhance trauma care, child abuse
prevention, transportation, education, respite care and other public policy
issues affecting individuals, family members and health care professionals in
the brain injury field. • Produced 10,000 Brain Injury Awareness Month information kits on the theme of Living with Brain Injury, • Placed Safe World Campaign public service announcements in People Magazine and co-hosted the Washington, DC screening of HBO’s acclaimed documentary, COMA, • Furnished subject matter experts for articles published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, • Expanded the number of honorary spokespersons to include ABC News Journalist Bob Woodruff, NASCAR • Expanded the Use Your Brain Prevention Education Campaign to 40 U.S. and international locations in concert • Hosted multiple educational meetings and conferences, including • Annual State Affiliate Leadership Conference • Brain Injury Business Practice College for CEOs, CFOs and sales/marketing professionals • National Institutes of Health TBI Classification Meeting • University of California Neurotrauma Conference highlighting advances in basic science • David Strauss Memorial Lecture Series • Expanded National Brain Injury Information Center to multiple state affiliates to directly link callers to the nearest source of information; consistently earned 90th percentile customer satisfaction rating; provided Spanish-language services as needed, • Published information booklets on a wide range of topics including brain injury definitions and legal terms; depression; employment; relationships; substance abuse; and transitions after high school, • Expanded American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists (AACBIS) to 2,800 members, • Re-designed and maintained a comprehensive website attracting 50,000 distinct visitors each month, circulated weekly legistrative action alerts, and upgraded quarterly periodical, THE Challenge! to four-color format with expanded content and improved readability, • Produced National Directory of Brain Injury Rehabilitation Services, the only comprehensive brain injury rehabilitation resource available nationally, • Translated federally-funded TBI Model Systems research findings from professional journal articles into user-friendly abstracts that have been downloaded more than 190,000 times, and • In partnership with research universities, tested self-employment opportunities for individuals with brain injury and Goals for 2008 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & PUBLIC POLICY • Reauthorize and fully fund the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, • Increase funding for National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-funded TBI Model Systems, • Support coalition efforts to improve long-term care and supports for our nation’s war fighters, and • Introduce legislative proposals to preserve and expand access to physical, occupational and speech PREVENTION & PUBLIC AWARENESS • Proactively engage print, broadcast and emerging electronic media outlets in the dialogue on the causes and consequences of all types of brain injury, • Increase the number and reach of honorary spokespersons to include more professional athletes, celebrities and opinion leaders, and • In partnership with state affiliates, circulate public service CONSTITUENT SERVICES • Expand National Brain Injury Information Center to encompass more affiliates while maintaining customer satisfaction in 90th percentile, • Develop on-line resource and service provider databases that are accessible to affiliates and the general public to meet 24/7 information demands, • Expand American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists to reach more professionals and direct care staff, and • Maintain and expand education and training programs to include on-site as well as mixed media formats that meet the information needs of multiple constituencies. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT • Actively recruit business leaders, family experts and self-advocates to further broaden the expertise of the Board of Directors and its committees, and • Overhaul technology with hardware and software that meet 21st century standards for information and communication processing. |
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