A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain that is caused by an external physical force such as hitting your head or other types of blunt force trauma. The most common causes of TBI include slips and falls, motor vehicle accidents and struck by or against events. The injury can cause physical and mental challenges. Every injury to the brain has different effects or consequences.

Federal TBI Grant

The North Carolina TBI Program was awarded a 4-year grant from the federal Administration for Community Living (ACL).  The main components of the grant include:

• Update NC’s TBI Needs and Resources Assessment

• Update and maintain the information and referral system and website at the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina. 

• Conduct TBI screening at pilot sites in both primary and behavioral health care settings. 

• Provide Neuro-Resource Facilitation which offers technical assistance as well as information and resource options to professionals working with individuals who have TBI and their families. 

• Collaborate with and promote partnerships between primary health and behavioral health care service systems to support infrastructure development. 

• Provide education and training to professionals and organizations in the TBI continuum of care.       

TBI State Funded Programming

Based upon legislative appropriation, each Local Management Entity-Managed Care Organization (LME-MCO) is allocated funding to provide TBI specific services and supports to individuals with TBI living in their respective catchment area. Click on the link below for the name and contact information of the LME-MCO that serves your county.

Local Management Entity/Manage Care Organization Directory Map

TBI Waiver

This home and community based Medicaid program is currently being developed. The TBI Waiver will offer services and supports to eligible individuals. The program will initially be available to individuals living in the Alliance Behavioral Healthcare (LME-MCO) catchment area (Wake, Durham, Johnston and Cumberland counties).

The TBI Waiver application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) can be found here.

Data Initiatives

The TBI Program is engaged in several data initiatives to assist in determining the number of individuals living with TBI throughout North Carolina. Data initiatives include:

• TBI screenings at five LME-MCO’s and a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). 

• Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) - This is a telephone survey that includes questions specific to TBI.

• Claims Data Reviews - The TBI Program is working with the Quality Management Section at the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS) to determine the number of individuals that have accessed publicly funded services such as physical health, mental health and substance use service systems. 

There are 113,852 consumers who had a TBI diagnosis in at least one of seven diagnosis code positions using applicable ICD-9 codes, based on paid claims for any Medicaid-funded service or non-Medicaid-funded (DMH/DD/SAS) mental health service paid through the NCTracks system after July 1, 2013 for services beginning on or before Sep. 30, 2015.  July 1, 2013 is when NCTracks began and 10/1/2015 is when use of ICD-10 codes was required.

Please note that there are likely many more people with TBI in NC than this number. This is one of many indicators. For example, it does not include people that have private insurance who have never accessed publicly funded services. 

Training and Outreach

TBI training opportunities are available both in-person and online. The TBI Program contracts with the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC) to provide a variety of education, outreach and training activities. Some of the training opportunities available include Brain Injury Basics, TBI and Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, TBI and Aging, TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the Military and Crisis Intervention Training. Many of these trainings are offered in-person and/or in webinar format.

 
The online training modules include topics such as Identification of TBI among Medical Professionals and the Primary Care Workforce as well as TBI and Public Services in NC.

Online training opportunities can be found here.

TBI Legislation

Educational Resources

Additional Resources

Brain Injury Advisory Council

The purpose of the Brain Injury Advisory Council (BIAC) is to review the nature and cause of traumatic and other acquired brain injuries in North Carolina. The Council also makes recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding the planning, development, funding, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide service delivery system to address the needs of brain injury survivors.

BIAC Meeting Notice

This is formal notice of the upcoming BIAC meetings for the remainder of 2017. The meeting will occur as follows:

The meeting will take place at the following location:

BIAC Meeting Minutes

Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC) Family Help Lines

Toll-Free Statewide: 800-377-1464
Raleigh: 919-833-9634

TBI Program Contact

Phone: 919-715-1294 Email: TBIContact@dhhs.nc.gov