Brain Injury Lawyer - New York

November Brain Injury Conferences

The following brain injury conferences will take place during the month of November 2009:

Nov 4
Collaborative Approaches to Rehabilitation for Adults with Brain Injury
Omaha, NE
715-829-8055
click here

Nov 5
Cognitive Rehabilitation: Meeting the Challenges in The Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury & Polytrauma
Grand Forks, ND
715-829-8055
click here

Nov 5-6
BIA of West Virginia presents "My Child Has a Brain Injury: Information for Families and Schools"
South Charleston, WV
click here

Nov 16-18
14th Annual Brain Injury Association State Affiliate Leadership Conference
San Antonio, TX
703-761-0750 ext. 622
click here
www.brain-injury.org/education.htm

Nov 17
2nd Annual Partners in Brain Injury Conference
Little Rock, AK
800-444-6433
click here

Nov 20-21
10th Annual Neuroscience of Brain Injury: Research Informing Medical Treatment and Legal Practice
Napa, CA
661-872-4903
click here

Brain Injury Association Legislative Update

Her is the latest brain injury legislative update prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIA)

Health Care Reform Update

On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, House Democrats introduced their consensus health bill, HR 3962, at a rally on the Capitol's West Front.  According to House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, the bill could be considered on the House floor as early as November 5, 2009.

The consensus bill prohibits insurance rating based on health status or pre-existing conditions and prohibits annual or lifetime limits on medical spending. It also establishes important consumer protections, including internal and external appeal requirements, provider network adequacy requirements, and greater transparency by insurance companies.

BIAA will continue to monitor the situation closely and alert grassroots advocates if any action is necessary.

BIAA participates in Sports and Concussion hearing on Capitol Hill

On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on legal issues relating to brain injuries sustained while playing football.  Testimony was given from the National Football League, Commissioner Roger Goodell, and retired players, Tiki Barber and Merril Hoge, as well as Congressional Brain Injury Task Force Chairman, Congressman Bill Pascrell, jr. and the Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University and member of the Brain Injury Association of America board of directors, Chris Nowinski.

The Committee investigated the findings of a recent study done by the University of Michigan regarding the prevalence of brain injuries among former football players.  The study raised significant health concerns about concussions and how they may contribute to lasting effects starting at both the professional and amateur levels.

BIAA is committed to assisting in the awareness campaign to educate coaches, parents, and players regarding the dangers of concussion.

Appropriations Update

Consideration of an appropriations measure that would fund labor, health and education programs for Fiscal Year 2010 continues to stall in the Senate.  This week, Congress cleared a continuing resolution that will fund the federal government at the FY2009 levels through December 18, 2009.

BIAA will continue to monitor the situation and alert advocates when action is needed.

BIAA supports S. 801, The Caregiver and Veterans Health Services Act of 2009

BIAA and our friends at the Wounded Warrior Project are currently working towards enactment of legislation establishing a national program to provide training and critically-needed supports to family caregivers of veterans living with traumatic brain injuries and other severe wounds.

Reported in the Senate, S. 801, the Caregiver and Veterans Health Services Act of 2009, would provide comprehensive supports for caregivers of veterans who sustained severe injuries after September 11, 2001.  The bill has been approved by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and is awaiting floor action. 

Brain Injury Legislative Update

The following brain injury legislative update has been prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America:

FY10 National Defense Authorization Act

On Wednesday, October 7, 2009, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees announced that they had reached an agreement on a conference report to H.R. 2647, the Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act.

In a major victory for the brain injury community, the report included an amendment that authorizes the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program for providing cognitive rehabilitation therapy services under TRICARE.  BIAA worked with the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to preserve its status as part of the final conference report.  We are thrilled to have contributed to this important step towards providing better access to care for returning service members.

A link to the full text of the amendment can be found here .

Colorado Brain Injury Association Annual Conference

The Brain Injury Association of Coloardo (BIAC) will hold its 27th annual conference at the Marriott Denver Tech Center on October 7-9, 2009.  The conference will be held in conjunction with the meetings of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Society of Neurorehabilitation at the same hotel.  The BIAC agenda and registration can be reviewed by clicking here . are still available at www.biacolorado.org.

New York City Brain Injury Research Symposium Announced

A one day symposium exploring cutting edge research on the brain and brain injury has been announced by the Brain Injury Association of New York State in conjunction with NYU-Hospital for Join Diseases.

The brain injury conference is scheduled to be held on December 4th from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Hospital for Joint Diseases conference center.

Some of the topics intended to be covered at the conference include:

• New Understanding of TBI Pathophysiology
• Evidence based approaches to cognitive remediation
• Treatment modalities for TBI related spasticity
• Mechanisms of blast related TBI
• Sports related concussion assessment and treatment
• Utility of eye tracking in mild TBI
• Pharmacological treatment of TBI related cognitive and behavioral problems
• New radiology assessments for TBI

More information on the conference can be obtained from the Brain Injury Association of New York State

North American Brain Injury Association-Legal Conference

The North American Brain Injury Association (NABIS) has posted their registration and event schedule for the 22nd Annual Conference on Legal Issues in Brain Injury to be held in Austin, Texas from October 14-17, 2009.

An important part of this conference is the Pre-Conference Symposium of Pediatric Brain Injury sponsored by the Sarah Jane Brain Project.  I am honored to be on the advisory board of the Sarah Jane Brain Project and look forward to participating in this symposium.

For more information, go to the NABIS web site.

$10 Million Dollars Allocated To Brain Injury Programs By Congress

The following brain injury legislative update comes from Susan Connors, president and chief operating officer of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA):

I’m pleased to announce that the House Appropriations Committee has passed its version of the FY 2010 spending bill, allocating $10 million to the HRSA state grant and protection and advocacy programs. An excerpt from the accompanying report states,

“The Committee provides $10 million for the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) program. This is $123,000 above the fiscal year 2009 funding level and the budget request. The TBI program funds the development and implementation of statewide systems to ensure access to care, including pre-hospital care, emergency department care, hospital care, rehabilitation, transitional services, education and employment, and long-term community supports. Grants also go to State protection and advocacy systems. In fiscal year 2009, 16 States will receive TBI awards, and 57 State and territorial protection and advocacy systems will be funded.  The Committee intends that HRSA allocates the TBI funding increase to States and protection and advocacy systems in the same proportion as they received with fiscal year 2009 funding.”

BIAA thanks grassroots advocates for their assistance.

Susan Connors
BIAA President/CEO

New web site launched by Brain Injury Association of New Jersey

The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey has launched a new website, NJteen- Driving  to help increase awareness and educate parents about the risks associated with teen driving.

Information available on the site includes the risk factors that play a role in teen crashes, details of the Graduated Driver License program (GDL), current and relevant legislation related to teens getting behind the wheel, and features such as videos, news articles, an interactive teen crash site map, tips and important contacts.

The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey is the statewide organization in New Jersey committed to supporting and advocating for individuals affected by brain injury and raising public awareness through education and prevention.

Urgent Call to Action for Traumatic Brain Injury Congressional Funding

The Brain Injury Association of America has just issued this important call to action to Urge Congress to Increase Funding for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Programs:

The Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education begins consideration of the FY10 funding bill today!

Over the next few days, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education will be considering a bill which will provide the funding allocation for programs authorized through the TBI Act and for NIDRR's TBI-related research programs, including TBI Model Systems of Care.

Federal funding for these important TBI programs has remained stagnant over the last several years, as Congress has not provided increases sufficient to keep up with the increasing cost of doing business. The urgent need for increased federal support for a national TBI public health infrastructure and TBI research is further heightened by the recognition of TBI as the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The time is now to urge Members of Congress to adequately fund TBI programs!

Please contact your congressional representative as soon as possible to urge funding for traumatic brain injury programs.

Brain Injury Resource Lecture at The George Washington University

I am thrilled to be in Washington DC today to again lecture at the Master's Degree Program in the Center for Education and Human Services Acquired Brain Injury Masters program at The George Washington University.

This semester’s lecture is focused on examining the various sources of information that is available on the internet in the area of traumatic brain injury. We will be exploring government web sites such as the Center For Disease Control and the National Institute of Health, great brain injury resource sites such as BrainLine, web sites that emphasize management of sports concussions, web sites that provide useful information on special education, various neuropsychological accrediting groups, brain injury association pages, brain injury professional societies and of course the brain injury news and information blog and brain law and the brain injury legal guide web site.

The Master's Degree Program in Special Education: Emphasis in Acquired Brain Injury is focused in addressing the national shortage of special education and related service personnel qualified to meet the needs of students with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and their families. Graduates are uniquely prepared to be educators and systemic improvement specialists in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation programs, advocacy programs, and related organizations. Scholarship support for qualified students is available. You can obtain more information on the GW Acquired Brain Injury Program by clicking here.