The Brain Injury Association of America has requested that you urge Members of Congress to cosponsor the Heroes at Home Act of 2007.
This important legislation, which has been introduced in both the House and Senate, recognizes the critical role played by family caregivers in facilitating recovery from brain injury, and addresses the pressing need to increase support for these caregivers.
This legislation would establish a Traumatic Brain Injury Family Caregiver Personal Care Attendant Training and Certification Program, which would train and certify family caregivers of TBI patients as personal care attendants, enabling them to provide quality care at home while also qualifying for compensation from the VA. The legislation specifies that the curricula for the TBI Family Caregiver Personal Care Attendant Training and Certification Program “shall incorporate applicable standards and protocols utilized by certification programs of national brain injury care specialist organizations.”
The legislation would also expand telehealth and telemental health services within the Department of Defense and VA to help meet the health care needs of returning service members with TBI.
Here is some sample text that you can use when writing to your congressional representative and Senator:
I am writing to ask you to cosponsor S.1065/H.R. 3051, the Heroes at Home Act of 2007, which represents a critical move forward in meeting the rehabilitation and emotional adjustment needs of traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors of Operation Iraq Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
This legislation, introduced by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Rep. John Salazar (D-CO) in their respective chambers, recognizes the critical role played by family caregivers in facilitating recovery from brain injury and is endorsed by the Brain Injury Association of America. This legislation is also supported by both Co-Chairs of the Congressional Brain Injury Taskforce, Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA).
This critically important legislation addresses the pressing need to increase support for returning service members with TBI and their family caregivers by establishing a Traumatic Brain Injury Family Caregiver Personal Care Attendant Training and Certification Program. This program would train and certify family caregivers of returning soldiers with TBI as personal care attendants, enabling them to provide quality care to their loved ones at home and at the same time qualify for compensation from the VA.
Again, as a constituent of yours, I urge you to cosponsor the Heroes at Home Act of 2007, to proactively address one of the most important issues related to the War on Terror, the unanticipated high incidence of traumatic brain injuries among America’s brave soldiers returning from combat.