Brain Injury Lawyer - New York

Brain Injury In the Elderly

Of the 1.4 million Americans who receive a traumatic brain injury each year, the hospitalization and death rate is highest for individuals over the age of 75 with injuries stemming primarily from falls and automobile accidents, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

On May 14-16, renowned brain experts will gather at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas to discuss ways to treat and rehabilitate elderly men and women with traumatic brain injuries.

The Galveston Brain Injury Conference is an invitational event sponsored by the Center for Rehabilitation Sciences and the School of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch in collaboration with the Transitional Learning Center at Galveston which provides rehabilitation for those who have suffered an acute brain injury

Brain Injury Association of New Jersey Announces Annual Conference

The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey  will be holding its annual conference on May 14 and May 15, 2008 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Eatontown, NJ.

The two day event is entitled, Brain Injury--Reconnecting Mind and Body.  The brain injury association states that the objective of this conference is to provide current information on brain injury recovery, specific to rehabilitation, research and therapies.  The full conference program and registration information can be viewed by clicking here.

Brain Injury Association of New York State Annual Conference: Save The Date

The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) has announced that their 26th annual conference will be held on June 5 and June 6, 2008 at the Albany Marriott Hotel, Albany, New York.

Last year's conference hosted over 400 individuals, family members and professional who came together to explore the important issues following traumatic brain injury.  This is the only statewide New York conference of its kind. More information can be obtain on the Brain Injury Association of New York State web site. (BIANYS)

National Brain Injury Caregiver Conference Announced

A national brain injury caregiver conference has been announced by the Brain Injury Association of America to be held on June 6-8, 2008 at the Westin Dallas Forth Worth Airport Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

The conference is intended to focus on the needs of the caregiver of a person with a brain injury.  Lee Woodruff and over 25 experts on all aspects of brain injury and caregiving are scheduled to attend this conference.

Some of the topics include:

• Get the right educational services
• Prepare for life transitions due to aging
• Navigate military and VA benefits systems
• Plan for housing and long-term services
• Stay informed about what's new in brain injury research
• Successfully manage stress and depression
• Take advantage of insurance and government benefits

You can get further information on this conference by clicking on this link:

Brain Injury Caregiver's Conference.

Request for assistance:

Your organization also has the oppurtunity to assist caregivers by providing scholarships to attendees of the conference by contributing to the 2008 National Brain Injury Caregivers' Conference Scholarship Fund.

Your contribution of $700.00 supports registration, lodging and/or transportation assistance for one caregiver, and you will be recognized as a scholarship sponsor at the conference and in pre-and post-meeting promotional activities.  The Brain Injury Association of America welcomes donations of any amount to assist with the 2008 National Brain Injury Caregiver's Conference Scholarship Fund.

For more information please contact Jenny Toth at (703)761-0750 ext 621.

Living With Brain Injury Conference

I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow at  the “Living with Brain Injury” conference scheduled from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Rust Auditorium in North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.  The conference is sponsored by Transitions of Long Island. Net proceeds from the conference will benefit the Brain Injury Association of New York State.

The symposium will encompass such topics as new technologies in the treatment of brain injury, strategies to maintain wellness, legal issues, and advocacy. Alon Mogilner, MD, will be the keynote speaker. He will present on deep brain stimulation for TBI. Other speakers will discuss Medicaid planning issues, the traumatic brain injury Medicaid waiver, vocational issues, guardianship issues and issues special to men and women following brain damage.

You can view the full program by clicking here.

Long Island Head Injury Association to Host Day Long Program

I am pleased to have been invited to participate in the day long program sponsored by the Long Island Head Injury Association in conjunction with Brain Injury Awareness Month.

The program to be held on March 13th from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Smithtown Sheraton, 110 Vanderbilt Parkway, Smithtown, New York will feature discussions on "Ethics and Healthcare"; "Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation"; "TBI and Advocacy" and Long term Issues Confronting Families and Individuals following a Traumatic Brain Injury. 

I am conducting a workshop on the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Council which I chair.  The council was created by the New York legislature to advise the Health Department and provide recommendations and proposals on new programs and ways to assist persons with brain injury and their families.  I look forward to meeting you at this meeting and listening to your suggestions.

Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capital Hill: March 12, 2008

The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force is hosting a "2008 Brain Injury Awareness Day," on Capitol Hill, March 12, 2008.

Multiple events are planned during the day which are designed to educate Members of Congress and their staff about brain injury. These events include an Awareness Day Fair, which will feature exhibits and informational materials from individuals and organizations working in the field of brain injury.

The day will also include a Congressional Briefing focused on the topic of "Traumatic Brain Injury and Community Needs." The end of the day will feature an early-evening Congressional Reception sponsored by various national advocacy organizations, including the National Brain Injury Treatment and Training Foundation (NBIRTT), the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA).

The Brain Injury Association of America urges all advocates to attend "2008 Brain Injury Awareness Day" events, and help educate Members of Congress and their staff. The Day also represents an important opportunity to network with others interested in helping increase brain injury awareness.

2008 Brain Injury Awareness Day Schedule of Events:

Brain Injury Awareness Fair 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. First Floor Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building

Congressional Briefing on “Traumatic Brain Injury and Community Needs” 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 1116 Longworth House Office Building

Congressional Reception Celebrating Brain Injury Awareness Day 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. 2105 Rayburn House Office Building

Please RSVP by Monday, March 3, 2008, to Hope Mandel in Congressman Bill Pascrell's office if you wish to attend and/or exhibit materials during the Awareness Fair. You may also contact Hope at (202) 225-5751 or Becky Wolfkiel in Congressman Platts' office at (202) 225-5836 with questions or for more information. In addition, as always, you may contact Laura Schiebelhut, BIAA's Director of Government Affairs, or 703-761-0750 ext. 637, for further clarification.

Domestic Violence and Traumatic Brain Injury

On Tuesday morning, February 26, 2008, I will be making a presentation on Domestic Violence as a Cause of Traumatic Brain Injury to the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence. 

I will be educating social workers, attorneys and other agency personnel on the signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury, concussion and the post concussion syndrome and explain the mechanism of how these devastating injuries take place in the context of domestic violence.

Many victims of domestic violence fail to get proper treatment for their brain damage because their symptoms are not appreciated.  Unfortunately, many individuals still fail to understand that this injury can take place even without the head being struck or if a person never loses consciousness.  In many cases the full extent of the brain damage is not apparent for days, weeks or even months after the assault took place.

I am pleased to provide some very important educational information on traumatic brain injury, its causes and repercussions to this dedicated group of professionals. For further information contact the Educational Coordinator of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence 

If I can provide a complementary presentation to your group on this or some other topic surrounding traumatic brain injury, please do not hesitate to contact me.

At De Caro & Kaplen, LLP, we concentrate our practice on representing persons with traumatic brain injury.  What set's us apart from most personal injury law firms is our commitment and compassion to protect the rights of brain injury victims.

New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council: Next Meeting

The next meeting of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council which I am honored to chair will take place in New York City on March 28, 2008 from 10:30 AM - 3:00 P.M. at the offices of the  New York State Department of Health, 90 Church Street, New York, NY  4th Floor Conference Room.

The Council is charged with recommending to the Department of Health, long range objectives, goals and priorities as well as providing advice on planning, coordination and development of needed services.

Since becoming Chair of the Council, it has been my goal to increase public participation in the work of the Council and provide meaningful recommendations and assistance to the Health Department.  At our last meeting, I formed new committees to look at various aspects of traumatic brain injury in New York State and formulate specific proposals that can be forwarded to the Commissioner of Health.  Since that meeting each of the committees has met and formulated an agenda which will be presented at this upcoming meeting.

The council will also hear reports from various state agencies on their TBI programs.

Additionally, at this meeting we will hear a presentation on Traumatic Brain Injury and Substance Abuse Issues and will discuss recommendations that can be made to improve services in this area.

It is important to note that due to security, anyone who wishes to attend MUST contact Dawn Crary to register.  If you are not registered in advance, then you will not be allowed access to the building.

Here is the tentative agenda for our March 28th meeting:

10:30am – 10:35am Welcome and Review and Approval of Minutes from the December 12, 2007 Council Meeting

10:35am – 11:00am TBI Waiver Program Update
                             Pat Greene-Gumson, NYS Department of Health, Office of Long Term Care

11:00am – 11:45am Presentation: Traumatic Brain Injury and Substance Abuse Issues
                              Ed Ross, International Center for the Disabled
                              Tamara Miller-Kammerer, OASAS, Blaisdell Addiction Treatment Center 
   
11:45am – 12:45pm Group Discussion re: Presentation

12:45pm – 1:15pm Lunch

1:15pm – 1:45pm State Agency Reports

1:45pm – 2:15pm Subcommittee Reports

2:15pm – 2:45pm Public Comment Session
   
2:45pm – 3:00pm Summary/Next Steps/Adjournment

Traumatic Brain Injury and Senior Citizens: New CDC Publications

As you may know, falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and people ages 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and death.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants to improve the ability of children and other caregivers of older adults to prevent TBI from occurring and to recognize and respond appropriately should their loved one sustain a TBI.

Therefore, CDC has developed the "Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury" initiative, an exciting new communication campaign designed to raise awareness about ways to prevent, recognize, and respond to fall- related TBI in older adults.  CDC plans to launch the initiative in March
2008 during Brain Injury Awareness Month.  To support local activities surrounding the “Help Seniors Live Better Longer: Prevent Brain Injury” initiative, CDC has developed the “Event Planning” and “Media Access” guides, which are available online .

These guides are designed to assist with planning and hosting successful community events and working effectively with the media to raise awareness about this serious public health issue.  The 36-page “Event Planning Guide” includes suggestions and tools for planning and organizing a community event, for enlisting partners, and for promoting and evaluating an event.

The 64-page “Media Access Guide” includes tips and tools, such as talking points and templates for press releases and media advisories, to help you work with your local media to get valuable news coverage for the activities you plan in support of this national effort.

At De Caro & Kaplen, LLP, we concentrate our practice on representing persons with traumatic brain injury.  What set's us apart from most personal injury law firms is our commitment and compassion to protect the rights of brain injury victims.

International Brain Injury Association World Congress Final Program Announced

The International Brain Injury Association (IBIA)  Seventh World Congress on Brain Injury will take place this year in Lisbon, Portugal.  It is the largest gathering of international professionals working in the field of brain injury. Delegates are comprised of physicians, psychologists and neuropsychologists, therapists, social workers, nurses, case managers, legal professionals, advocates and all others working in the field of brain injury. The Seventh World Congress will feature internationally recognized invited speakers, platform lectures, workshops, short oral presentations and poster sessions.

The Congress will also include a special one day pre-Congress symposium, co-sponsored with the World Federation of Neurological Rehabilitation (WFNR) on "Advances and Controversies in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury" which will be held April 8, 2008.

To register for the Congress or to view the Scientific Program, click here.

GW Graduate Program in Acquired Brain Injury Tuition Assistance Announced

The George Washington University (GW) Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education (DTPSE) has announced that they have received a Personnel Training Grant from the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for the “Master’s of Education Degree (MA) in Transition Special Education: Emphasis in Acquired Brain Injury.”

The grant will provide tuition support (80%) for all accepted students and also includes direct stipends to assist students with class related expenses, travel for internships, and travel to professional conferences.  The grant also supports the training of teachers for initial licensure with a specialization in serving students with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and includes a combination of on-campus and distance education coursework.  A specialized brain injury internship and a one semester student teaching experience are also required.

Applications are currently being accepted for Spring 2008 Semester and Summer 2008 Semester.

For further information, you can contact Zavolia Willis (Zee)  or at 202-973-1082.

For more information about the Graduate Certificate Program in Brain Injury, inquiries may be directed to Monija Amani or 202- 973-1032.

For information for applying to either of these programs, you can visit the Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) web site

Long Island Brain Injury Symposium

The Brain Injury Association of New York State is holding a symposium for brain injury professionals, survivors, families, caregivers and community advocates hosted by Transitions of Long Island.

The symposium is scheduled for Saturday March 8, 2008 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Rust Auditorium, North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.  Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Scheduled topics include: New Technologies, Maintaining Health and Wellness, Work Integration, Special Issues faced by Men and Women, the TBI Medicaid Waiver Program, Guardianship and Trust Issues.

For further information e mail Dr. Deborah Benson

CDC Traumatic Brain Injury Webcast

The Center for Injury Research and Control at the University of Pittsburgh has announced a  live webcast event entitled  “TBI Outcomes: Overview and Implications for Returning Military Personnel” to be presented by Jean A. Langlois, ScD, MPH,  Senior Epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Atlanta, Georgia.

The broadcast is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  You will need to register in advance to participate.  Since seats are limited, you are urged to register without delay.  You can obtain full information by clicking here.

New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council: Meeting Annoucement

As the Chair of the State of New York Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council, I am pleased to provide information and the agenda for our next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 10:00 AM at the offices of the New York State Department of Health located at 161 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, New York.

The agenda for this meeting is as follows:

• Report and update on the TBI Waiver Program
• New York State SPARCS Date Discussion regarding traumatic brain injury data collected by the Health Department
• Subcommittee Structure and Future Direction Discussions
• Public Comment Period

The Council was created by the New York State Legislature and is charged with recommending to the department of health long range objectives, goals and priorities concerning traumatic brain injury.  It is also charged with providing advice on the planning, coordination and development of needed traumatic brain injury services to the residents of New York State.

As the new chair of this council, I have carefully examined the past direction of the council and the progress that it has made in fulfilling its legislative mandate.  After discussions at our last meeting, I have created several new committees to be announced at the meeting.  In addition to membership by council members, I have also invited additional participation by individuals with demonstrated knowledge and expertise in traumatic brain injury to assist in evaluating TBI services in New York State.  I am hopeful that the newly formed committees will address the many needs of New York residents who have sustained a traumatic brain injury as well as the needs of their family members.

I welcome your participating at the next scheduled council meeting.

New York Task Force To Examine Mold Exposure

The first meeting of the New York State Mold Task Force will be held today in Latham, New York.  The task force was created to examine and report to the governor and legislature the magnitude of the mold problem in New York State, current knowledge about this problem, illnesses that it causes and possible future actions by the health department and legislature.

Mold exposure is a growing problem in New York and throughout the country.  In addition to respiratory problems including asthma attacks and other breathing problems, mold exposure is also a cause of cognitive dysfunction and memory loss.

There are currently no state wide standards addressing mold including even a definition of what qualifies as hazardous mold, acceptable exposure limits or the proper manner of mold remediation.  Hopefully the panel will address these issues.

Pope Benedict XVI to visit hospital for brain injury patients

Here is an interesting news release from the Catholic News Agency.  I am hopeful that the Pope's visit will attract world wide attention to the rehabilitation of those in a coma as well as those suffering from other types of brain injury.

This coming Sunday, December 2, Pope Benedict will visit the Roman hospital of St. John the Baptist, which is run by the Knights of Malta and specializes in the treatment and rehabilitation of people suffering from neurological disorders.

The Pope will celebrate Mass for the patients and their families before going on to visit the reanimation unit, one of the few Italian health care structures specifically dedicated to providing specialized therapy for patients recovering from comas.

The communications office of the Order of Malta relates that this event has a twofold historical significance: firstly that it is "the first visit by a Pope to this hospital," and secondly because the hospital itself has a long-standing link to the Holy Father, "being built on the site of the ancient 'Castello della Magliana,' used by Pontiffs for centuries as their summer residence."

New International Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Symposium Announced

Following the International Neuropsychological Society Mid Year Meeting to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. a Symposium of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation will be held on July 7 and July 8, 2008.

Abstracts can be submitted to Prof Robyn Tate (Program Chair) via email:  Deadline for submission of abstracts is January 31, 2008. See call for abstracts

More information can be obtained by clicking here.

News From The Brain Injury Associaton of New York State

The Brain Injury Association of New York State is a great organizatoin whose mission is to improve the lives of persons with brain injury, their family and friends and to prevent future brain injuries from occurring. 

Here are some events that will take place November sponsored by the association.

Fundraising Event:  Meet the Sopranos

An exciting and elegant fund raiser for the Association is being planned by Joanne Miller and Ann Marie DiSalvo, the owners of DiSalvo Interiors, an upscale interior design company in Garden City, NY. The event will take place in the company’s luxurious 20,000 square-foot showroom, and is scheduled for Thursday, November 15, from 6 to 10:00 pm.

When Joanne’s son sustained a brain injury several months ago, she and her family spent many hours with him at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Manhattan. Coincidentally, two nationally-renowned celebrities, Lorraine Bracco and Penny Marshall, were also holding vigil for a close friend of theirs with a brain injury. They got to know each other well, and when Joanne began planning an event to raise funds and awareness about brain injury, Ms. Bracco and Ms. Marshall agreed to be honorary co-chairs.

The fund raiser will include hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and a silent auction featuring many items donated and autographed by celebrities Ms. Bracco and Ms. Marshall have contacted about the event. All proceeds will benefit the Brain Injury Association of NYS. Tickets are $125.

For more information, contact Joanne Miller or Ann Marie DiSalvo at 516-873-6011. Click here for an invitation.

Long Island Chapter Membership Meeting:

The Long Island Chapter of the Brain Injury Association of NYS will hold a membership meeting on Wednesday, November 14, from 7 to 9:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Long Island Head Injury Association, 65 Austin Boulevard in Commack. All are welcome to attend. For further information, please contact Kate DiMeglio at 631-929-5837.

Conference:

On Friday, November 16, from 8:00 am to 4:15 pm, the Association will hold a training symposium entitled, “Securing the Future: Lifetime Planning for a person with Brain Injury.” This one-day event will take place in the Main Auditorium of Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw.

The conference will encompass such topics as community re-entry, legal issues, assistive technologies, medication management, and emergency preparedness. This symposium is a must for individuals with brain injury and their families, service coordinators, rehabilitation specialists, and allied health care professionals.

I will be presenting at this conference on the mulitude of legal issues faced by individuals and families following a traumatic brain injury.

More information on the Brain Injury Association of New York can be found on their web site.

November Brain Injury Meetings

The following is a compilation of brain injury conferences during the month of November:

Nov 2
Traumatic Brain Injury and Children
Chattanooga, TN
615-532-7770

Nov 2-4
Pediatric Brain & SCI Conference
Miami, FL
305-243-3994
Email  Website

Nov 5-7
Brain Injury Business Practice College
Las Vegas, NV
703-761-0750
Email  Website

Nov 14-16
Partnerships in Rehabilitation: The Best of Both Worlds
Melbourne, Australia
Web

Nov 15
A Practical Guide to Helping Clients With Brain Injury Work and Live Productively
Peterborough, ON, Canada
705-741-3412
Email  Website

BIA of New Jersey Brain Injury Basics for Families
Fair Lawn, NJ
732-738-1002
Email  Website

Nov 16
Securing the Future: Lifetime Planning for a person with Brain Injury.
Main Auditorium of Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw.
Brain Injury Association of New York State
website

Nov 16
Traumatic Brain Injury and Helping Children Succeed
Memphis, TN
901-545-8487

Nov 16-18
State of the Art Medical and Rehabilitative Care in Brain Injury: Clinical and Legal Implications
Napa, CA
Tel: 661-872-4903
Email  Website

Brain Injury Government Affairs Lecture

The Brain Injury Association of America and its standing committee, the American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists has announced the next David L. Strauss Memorial lecture, entitled Government Affairs Update, by Laura Schiebelhut, BIAA Public Affairs Manager.

Date: Wednesday November 14, 2007

Time: 3:00 pm EST

To register for the teleconference, please click here  and download the registration form.

Public Input Requested for the Brain Injury Summit

A Brain Injury Summit is scheduled for November 2-3, 2007 in Washington, DC jointly sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) and the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS).  You are invited to provide input into one or more of the focus areas listed below.  Your comments will be furnished to work group moderators who will write the final document. 

Acute Care
Sub-acute and Post-acute Care
Long-term, Community Integration & Case Management
Mild TBI & PTSD
Systems Issues
To provide input to the established work group questions, please click on this link.

The Summit will result in a white paper/position statement on improving the quality of care and long-term living for individuals with brain injury, including civilians, service members and veterans. Advocates at the federal and state levels and in the private sector will utilize the position paper for advocacy efforts. 

I encourage all those involved in the brain injury movement including persons with a brain injury, family members and professionals to participate in this important advocacy effort.

Connecticut Brain Injury Association Fund Raising Event

The Brain Injury Association of Connecticut will host its third annual BIAC-United Steel Walk for Thought on Saturday, October 20, along the Connecticut River.

The rain or shine event will open at 11 a.m. at Great River Park in East Hartford. The walk will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony.   There is a walk fee of $25 per person. Brain injury survivors and children under 12 years of age are invited to walk free.

The Brain Injury Association of Connecticut is accepting sponsorships for the walk and encourages team registrations on behalf of companies and faith-based organizations.  Those seeking additional information may call Nancy Wuennemann at the Brain Injury Association of Connecticut office, 860-721-8111, or register online.

New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Coordinating Council Meeting

On Wednesday, September 26th, I will have the honor of presiding as the new Chair of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council at our meeting to be held at the offices of the New York State Department of Health at  161 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, New York.  Delmar is just outside of Albany.  The meeting is scheduled from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM and is open to the general public.  We will have a public comment period at the conclusion of the meeting.

The Council was created by the New York State legislature and given the responsibility to make recommendations to the Health Department on long range objectives, goals and priorities on issues pertaining to traumatic brain injury.  The Council is also charged with providing advice to the Commissioner of Health on the planning, coordination and development of needed services.

I am pleased that at this first meeting as chair we will have the participation of Mark Kissinger who is the First Deputy Commissioner of Health for Long Term Care as well as representatives of the Department of Veteran's Affairs and the Superintendent of Insurance.  It is vitally important that these agencies participate in the discussions concerning needed services for victims of brain injury and their families.  We will also hear a report on the current status of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver program.

This first meeting will be a working session to formulate both short and long term goals for the Council as well as to establish working committees to investigate a wide variety of issues that need to be addressed in New York State. We will also formulate a plan so that future council meetings are held in different regions of the state enabling more individuals and professionals to participate.

I look forward to public participation at this meeting and future meetings.

New York City Epilepsy Conference Scheduled

SAVE-THE-DATE FOR MAJOR CONSUMER EPILEPSY CONFERENCE

FACES (Finding A Cure For Epilepsy) the New York University sponsored epilepsy foundation is sponsoring a Epilepsy Conference on Saturday, October 27th 2007 from 9:00am to 5:00pm at NYU Medical Center.

Featuring Epilepsy 101, Adult, Parent and Spanish Lectures! Admission is FREE!

Lunch will be served and Childcare will be available.

As further details and registration information becomes available, I will post the details on the Brain Injury News and Information Blog.

Brain Injury and the Military: Report from Washington DC Town Hall Meeting

Yesterday's town hall meeting on brain injury and how the military is responding to the ever growing needs of our returning service members was well attended by all members of the brain injury community. Well over 100 individuals and groups participated ranging from wounded service members and concerned family members to consumer advocates from many state brain injury associations and other disability advocacy groups, members of the military from both the armed forces and the VA and brain injury rehabilitation experts from around the country.

The program consisted of several panel discussions which included audience participation.  These discussions attempted to set forth the multiple issues that need to be confronted in dealing with the epidemic of traumatic brain injury in our troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Interestingly, the issues discussed have been well known in the civilian population for many years and come as no great surprise to family members who have been waging the battle for needed brain injury rehabilitation services for their loved ones. What was encouraging was the general consensus that brain services must be more than a "medical model" and that quality of life issues must play a central role in determining services and outcomes.  This change in attitude has been long in coming and hopefully will lead to more patient and family centered services.  Above all, the need to treat those with brain injury and their families with RESPECT was also repeated on multiple occasions.

What follows are my notes taken during the course of the day.

Before a true plan can be developed to deal with TBI in the military, we still need to know the true number of returning service members with traumatic brain injuries.  This is difficult because of the lack of good screening prior to discharge and poor tracking of returning vets.  In fact, we heard that State VA offices are not even given the names of discharged troops so they are unable to contact them and offer screening or services.   We also need to know where these troops are returning to following discharge so that the entire array of services can be offered within these communities.

The current number of identified soldiers suffering from TBI is approximately 3,904.  However this number does not include those suffering from mild TBI and who never received diagnosis or services at the major military trauma centers.  Without question, if these troops were included, the numbers would be staggering.  The preliminary screening programs that have been undertaken estimate that between 20 to 25 percent of returning troops suffer from some level of traumatic brain damage.  Why they haven't been diagnosed and why they are not receiving any type of assistance must be addressed.

Their is a tremendous amount of red tape that impedes the ability of brain injured troops from receiving necessary services.  Entry into the rehabilitation and services system must be streamlined. The amount of paper work and the time it takes to get authorization for needed services must be decreased.

Their is a failure on the part of the military to properly document soldier exposure to potential brain injury.  Soldiers who have been exposed to "IED's" may not know they have a traumatic brain injury for many months.  Often the symptoms are only understood once they return home.  When they attempt to get disability connected services, it become difficult for them to prove their exposure since events are not properly documented in their service record.

Many service members find themselves becoming homeless since their health issues will impact their ability to sustain employment, their lack of skills and their inability because of brain damage to learn new skills impedes their ability to obtain gainful employment and the lack of affordable housing.  These homeless veterans need to rescued and assisted.

Although the military has limited experience with brain injury rehabilitation, their is a reluctance to send these brain injured vets to private facilities who have the experience to work with the person. It was repeatedly pointed out how crucial the involvement of family members is to the brain injury rehabilitation process.  Since civilian rehab centers are located in closer proximity to where veterans and their families actually reside, it is much easier for these family members to participate in the rehabilitation process if they are treated closer to home. Treatment at VA centers limits opportunities for family involvement which becomes impractical or impossible.

The federal government has not provided adequate funding for TBI rehabilitation services.

Their is poor integration between military brain injury services and civilian services making transition very difficult.

The military lacks sufficient numbers of medical personal with the necessary knowledge and skill to diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries.

The military must establish goals for the rehab process.  These goals must include the return of individuals to a productive life; addressing and dealing with the psychiatric disability of family members as a result of their loved one's brain damage; dealing with the injured vet's psychiatric disability as a result of their brain injury and addressing the long term needs of this population.

Other speakers touched on the need for better ways to screen troops and identify the mild traumatic brain injuries and concussions to prevent further brain damage from occurring; and the need for pre-deployment base line screening.

The services available in each State vary widely.Their must be a better allocation of resources. 

The veteran's administration disability rating system does not adequately address and capture the disabilities and cognitive impairments associated with TBI.  As a result service members receive service disability rating which do not fairly reflect the true extent of their disability related to their brain damage.

I welcome further discussions, but more importantly, I hope that the message from this meeting gets heard by Congress, the armed forces and the VA and important reforms get instituted  without any further delay.

 

Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury: Is America Meeting Their Needs

I'm still in Washington, DC, scheduled to participate today in a national town hall meeting convened to answer the pressing questions of how to respond to the immediate and long term needs of returning service members suffering from traumatic brain injury.

Some of this issues scheduled to be discussed in this all day program include important issues of how to identify returning vets suffering from brain damage; evaluation of proposed legislation; community reentry including vocational rehabilitation,education reentry and access to transportation.

Scheduled to participate in today's meeting are the leading policy maker's involved in public policy issues surrounding traumatic brain injury including members of Congress, representatives of the Center for Disease Control, members of the military and veteran's affairs as well as the leading groups in this Country that shape the debate regarding brain trauma including the Brain Injury Association of America, the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center and state brain injury associations.

I look forward to a lively discussion of the issues especially in light of the conclusions of a separate panel which was part of a day long Washington Defense Forum sponsored by the U.S. Naval Institute and the Military Officers Association of America.  The meeting which took place on Tuesday, concluded that the bureaucracies that are supposed to help brain-injured war veterans are too complex for them to navigate.  Specifically, the departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense need better coordination of their programs, according to the panel.

Mid Hudson, New York Brain Injury Conference

I look forward to participating this Thursday, September 20th in the 2007 Mid Hudson Brain Injury Rehabilitation Conference sponsored by the Northeast Center for Special Care.

I have been asked to provide the lead off presentation on the important topic of Ethical Considerations in Dealing with the Brain Injured Population.  It is a presentation that I enjoy giving to clinicians, lawyers and other professionals on the need to treat persons with a brain injury with RESPECT and an understanding of their cognitive strengths and weaknesses.  Some of the points that I will be making include the need to schedule appointments with extra time, the need to provide written information for individuals to take home so that they can go back and refer to the conversations that you had, the need to understand some of the unique challenges that face persons with a brain injury such as sensitivity to bright lights and distracting back ground sounds and the accommodations that need to be made, the need to understand that at times, behavior may not be what one is used to, the need to repeat and reinforce information presented and perhaps schedule follow up appointments. 

Other speakers throughout the day will focus their discussions on issues such as post traumatic stress disorder and brain injury, issues of addiction following a brain injury, biofeedback programs and visual disturbance following a traumatic brain injury.  You can get further information about the conference by downloading the conference brochure by clicking here.

The conference is scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM and run to 5:00 PM at the Holiday Inn in Kingston. You can register by telephone by contacting Deborah Muise at 845 336 3500 xt 3262

Epilepsy Free Children's Event in New York City

FACES (Finding A Cure for Epilepsy), a not for profit organization, administered by the New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Program will be hosting a Game Day on Saturday, September 29, 2007 from 2:00pm - 5:00pm at Chelsea Piers - Field House, West 23rd Street and the Hudson River, New York City

This free event will enable children with epilepsy, their siblings and parents to enjoy exclusive use of the Chelsea Piers Field House.   Families will enjoy soccer, basketball, batting cages, trampoline foam pits, rock climbing, a toddler gym, clowns, magicians, games and more!

To register, click here .

New York State Brain Injury Conference Announced

Each year the New York State Department of Health sponsors a full day symposium on traumatic brain injury bringing together providers, persons with a brain injury and family members from across New York State.  The Health Department has just announced that this year's program "Working Together: The Best Practices" will be held on October 11th from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, Albany, New York.

The stated goal of the conference is "to provide an affordable and accessible opportunity for learning, training, networking and sharing for individuals who experience brain injury and their families, enhance knowledge, encourage the pursuit of excellence, and promote dignity and choice." 

This year's conference keynote speaker is Abigail Thomas, author of the A Three Dog Life, her account of life with her husband following his traumatic brain injury.  The story is a moving account of living with an individual following brain damage.  It is a book truly worth reading. 

Scholarships are available for persons with a brain injury and family members.  They must be requested by September 15th

For further information about this conference and to obtain a brochure, you can telephone Laura Roe at 518 474 6580 or you can e mail her.

Vote for TBI Question for Democratic Presidential Debate

If you have been following this blog, you know about Darcy Keith from Fishers, Indiana and the important question she posed to ABC news in connection with the recent republican presidential debate in Iowa.  Now we have a chance to again vote and hopefully the question will be asked in the democratic debate scheduled for August 19th. 

Here's the question:  How are you going to address the needs for services, treatment, rehabilitation and public education for those who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury.

Although the question wasn't asked directly to the candidates during the debate, it was asked in a post debate interview.  Darcy was pleased with the response although it did not address the important issue of public education and awareness of this silent epidemic that affects millions of Americans.

Here is Darcy's response:

The public education of Traumatic Brain Injury is very important.  There is a negative stigma associated with traumatic brain injuries. Most folks don't understand what type of injury this is, not to mention the affect it has on survivors, family caregivers and society.

You can now vote by clicking this link to have this question asked on national television of the democratic candidates.  Simply open the link and then click the box under the video that says rate it.  Click the fifth star to give it the highest possible rating.

Let's go Darcy!

International Brain Injury Conference: Call for Papers

The International Brain Injury Association (IBIA) will hold its Seventh World Congress on Brain Injury, in Lisbon Portugal from April 9-12, 2008.

This brain injury conference is the largest gathering of international professionals working in the field of brain injury. Delegates are comprised of neurosurgeons, rehabilitation physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers, nurses, case managers, legal professionals, advocates and all others working in the field of brain injury.

The aim of the Seventh World Congress is to provide an opportunity for establishing collegial relationships with international professionals focused on the care and/or service of persons with acquired brain injury and/or the science of brain injury research. State of the art research will be presented dealing with information spanning from basic science to clinical (coma to community) aspects of brain injury.

International priorities in the field of brain injury research will be discussed. Finally, the Congress seeks to provide didactic opportunities for clinicians interested in advancing their knowledge in brain injury science, medicine and care.

The deadline for submitting a paper for the Congress is November 16, 2007.

Abstracts will be reviewed by the Congress’s Scientific Committee, which will determine the most appropriate presentation format (oral presentation or poster) for each abstract accepted. Submissions must be data-driven or assessment/treatment model descriptions.

Only abstracts written in English and submitted online will be considered. Be sure that abstracts do not contain grammatical or spelling errors, which may disqualify your submission.

To submit a paper, or to find out more about the IBIA Congress, click here . 

Mid Hudson, New York Brain Injury Conference Announced

The Northeast Center for Special Care has announced  their third annual brain injury conference scheduled for September 20, 2007 to be held in Kingston, New York.

The conference is aimed at professionals and clinicians who support consumers with Traumatic Brain Injury.  It is directed to service coordinators, independent living specialists, community integration counselors, regional resource development specialists, home and community support support staff, TBI coordinators, case managers, social workers, nurses, physician  and clinicians.

You can obtain further information by clicking here.

Upcoming Brain Injury Conferences

The following is a list of significant upcoming brain injury conferences.

SEPTEMBER

September 5, 2007:
National Association of Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)
NASHIA Pre-Conference Workshop: Seamless Transitions… Supporting Our Veterans and Families St. Louis, Missouri Hotel Reservation Deadline: August 15, 2007. For more information, click here.

September 5-8, 2007:
NASHIA’s 18th Annual State of the States in Head Injury Meeting:
Gateway to What Works in the World of TBI St. Louis, Missouri Hotel Reservation Deadline: August 15, 2007. For more information click here.

September 19, 2007:
Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury:
Is America Meeting Their Needs? A National Debate Town Hall Meeting Georgetown University Gaston Hall Washington, DC Deadline for Accommodation Requests: August 15, 2007.
Click here for the brochure.

I have already made plans to attend this excellent conference which brings together the leading experts on traumatic brain injury to discuss the troubling issues surrounding rehabilitation of our returning veterans.

September 27-29, 2007:
North American Brain Injury Society Annual Conference
The North American Brain Injury Society’s 5th Annual Conference on Brain Injury The Westin Riverwalk San Antonio, Texas Early Registration & Discount for Accommodation ends: August 27, 2007.
For more information, click here .

This is an excellent conference that has a separate legal track for lawyers handling brain injury cases and for medical personnel involved in brain injury rehabilitation.

I have been honored in the past four years of this conference to provide a presentation to the legal section.  This year, I have again been invited to give a presentation on effective opening statements in brain injury litigation.

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OCTOBER

October 3-7, 2007
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
2007 ACRM-ASNR Joint Educational Conference Renaissance Washington Washington, DC Early Bird Registration Deadline: September 4, 2007.Hotel Reservation Deadline: September 4, 2007.
For more information, click here.
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NOVEMBER

November 8-10, 2007
New Frontiers in Pediatric Brain Injury
Westin San Diego at Emerald Plaza,San Diego, California
Early Registration ends: September 15, 2007. For more information, click here .
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APRIL 2008

April 9-12, 2008
International Brain Injury Association (IBIA)
Seventh World Congress on Brain Injury, Lisbon, Portugal
Call for Papers Deadline: November 16, 2007.  For more information, click here .

Once again, if you know of a brain injury conference, please e mail me so that I can post it on the Brain Injury News and Information blog.