NCDHHS Traumatic Brain Injury Team Awarded 3-Year Grant Author: Mimi Tomei July 26, 2018 – From mild concussions to trauma that can keep a patient in a coma for days, weeks or months, traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects those who live with this injury, their caregivers and families, in different ways. With funding from the federal government, DHHS’ Traumatic Brain Injury Team, within NCDHHS’ Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS), hopes to better educate North Carolinians about the prevalence of these injuries and connect affected North Carolinians with resources. A total of $450,000 in funds – $150,000 per year for the next three years – was awarded last month in a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funds will be used to continue to strengthen and improve the state infrastructure for further development of TBI services, supports and educational initiatives statewide. “The goal of this grant is to facilitate the continued development and expansion of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and easily accessible system of care for individuals with TBI and their families,” said Kathy Nichols, Associate Director for Services and Supports in DMH/DD/SAS. To do this, the TBI team will also work with all seven LME/MCOs, the Division of Public Health’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and one additional federally qualified screening center to better identify TBI in people who seek behavioral health services. In doing this, the team hopes to better integrate TBI into both behavioral and physical healthcare, especially when substance use and other mental health issues are involved. North Carolina is among 14 states awarded this grant and will contract with the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC) for many grant-funded activities. BIANC aims to reach 32,000 people through this grant, said Ken Jones, BIANC executive director. “We are excited about the opportunity this gives the association to provide statewide training to providers, survivors, family members and the general public through webinars, face to face and electronic medium,” Jones said. “The funding will also give us what is needed to continue efforts with provider and survivor resource facilitation along with building a stronger relationship with our federally qualified health clinics." As part of the application process, the DMH/DD/SAS team laid out a year-by-year plan of how the funds would be used. “Our top priorities for the first year of grant funding include updating the TBI database and creating new trainings for individuals with TBI, their families, caregivers and healthcare providers,” said Scott Pokorny, TBI team lead for DMH/DD/SAS. Other priorities also include updating the needs and resources assessment to better determine where and what resources are needed as well as updating the state’s TBI Action Plan to define current goals and objectives for services and other initiatives. A TBI is a bump, blow or jolt to the head that affects brain functioning. Although 80 percent of TBIs are mild – often referred to as concussions – about 15 percent are moderate and 5 percent are severe. Almost half of all TBIs are caused by slips and falls, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of the other causes include running into or being struck by large or heavy objects and motor vehicle accidents. Some symptoms of TBI can include, but are not limited to, memory challenges, trouble sleeping, changes in emotions and behavior, headaches and nausea. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 percent of the population has sustained a TBI. In North Carolina, this is approximately 208,000 people. One of the team’s goals is to improve access to TBI-trained healthcare professionals and vocational rehabilitation services, especially for those on Medicaid and those over the age of 22 who often face challenges in getting treatment. Since TBI is classified as a developmental disability in North Carolina and there are few TBI-specific programs, it is often difficult for adults with TBI to find the resources they need. In the next couple of years, the team also plans to establish an online community that will act as a virtual support group for those with TBI. With grant funding helping to facilitate connections such as these, the TBI team hopes to make the process of recovery a little bit smoother. This blog is related to: Newsletters
NCDHHS Traumatic Brain Injury Team Awarded 3-Year Grant Author: Mimi Tomei July 26, 2018 – From mild concussions to trauma that can keep a patient in a coma for days, weeks or months, traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects those who live with this injury, their caregivers and families, in different ways. With funding from the federal government, DHHS’ Traumatic Brain Injury Team, within NCDHHS’ Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS), hopes to better educate North Carolinians about the prevalence of these injuries and connect affected North Carolinians with resources. A total of $450,000 in funds – $150,000 per year for the next three years – was awarded last month in a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funds will be used to continue to strengthen and improve the state infrastructure for further development of TBI services, supports and educational initiatives statewide. “The goal of this grant is to facilitate the continued development and expansion of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and easily accessible system of care for individuals with TBI and their families,” said Kathy Nichols, Associate Director for Services and Supports in DMH/DD/SAS. To do this, the TBI team will also work with all seven LME/MCOs, the Division of Public Health’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and one additional federally qualified screening center to better identify TBI in people who seek behavioral health services. In doing this, the team hopes to better integrate TBI into both behavioral and physical healthcare, especially when substance use and other mental health issues are involved. North Carolina is among 14 states awarded this grant and will contract with the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC) for many grant-funded activities. BIANC aims to reach 32,000 people through this grant, said Ken Jones, BIANC executive director. “We are excited about the opportunity this gives the association to provide statewide training to providers, survivors, family members and the general public through webinars, face to face and electronic medium,” Jones said. “The funding will also give us what is needed to continue efforts with provider and survivor resource facilitation along with building a stronger relationship with our federally qualified health clinics." As part of the application process, the DMH/DD/SAS team laid out a year-by-year plan of how the funds would be used. “Our top priorities for the first year of grant funding include updating the TBI database and creating new trainings for individuals with TBI, their families, caregivers and healthcare providers,” said Scott Pokorny, TBI team lead for DMH/DD/SAS. Other priorities also include updating the needs and resources assessment to better determine where and what resources are needed as well as updating the state’s TBI Action Plan to define current goals and objectives for services and other initiatives. A TBI is a bump, blow or jolt to the head that affects brain functioning. Although 80 percent of TBIs are mild – often referred to as concussions – about 15 percent are moderate and 5 percent are severe. Almost half of all TBIs are caused by slips and falls, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of the other causes include running into or being struck by large or heavy objects and motor vehicle accidents. Some symptoms of TBI can include, but are not limited to, memory challenges, trouble sleeping, changes in emotions and behavior, headaches and nausea. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 percent of the population has sustained a TBI. In North Carolina, this is approximately 208,000 people. One of the team’s goals is to improve access to TBI-trained healthcare professionals and vocational rehabilitation services, especially for those on Medicaid and those over the age of 22 who often face challenges in getting treatment. Since TBI is classified as a developmental disability in North Carolina and there are few TBI-specific programs, it is often difficult for adults with TBI to find the resources they need. In the next couple of years, the team also plans to establish an online community that will act as a virtual support group for those with TBI. With grant funding helping to facilitate connections such as these, the TBI team hopes to make the process of recovery a little bit smoother. This blog is related to: Newsletters
