Traumatic Brain Injury

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 5-year grant from the federal Administration for Community Living (ACL) known as the TBI State Partnership Grant (SPG). The TBI SPG Program provides funding to help states increase access to services and supports for individuals with TBI throughout the lifetime. The SPG cannot be used to support primary injury prevention initiatives, research initiatives, or the provision of direct services. Funds may be used, however, to educate the public about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of TBI.

TBI Grant Overview includes: 

• NC TBI Grant is for $200,179 per year for a total of $1,000,895 over the five-year grant period. .
• DHHS contracts with BIANC to implement most grant objectives and deliverables.
• Grant Goal- To facilitate the continued development and expansion of a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, and easily accessible system of care for individuals with lived experience and their families.
• Main Grant Objectives
  • Contribute to infrastructure development of the whole care system to ensure individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are receiving culturally responsive, quality care in the new managed care system;
  • 100% of individuals in NC who seek behavioral health services through a Local Management Entity-Managed Care Organization (LME-MCO) will be screened for a potential TBI;
  • Increased provider knowledge, skill and ability across all service programs;
  • Develop new partnerships with emphasis on the criminal justice system and domestic violence programs;
  • Expanded options for online support groups; 6) increase education to individuals with TBI to promote person-centeredness, empowerment, skill building and other topics.

TBI Grant Products

The following are products that will be developed during the five-year grant cycle. 

TBI State Funded Programming

Based upon legislative appropriation, the State funded TBI program operates on approximately $3.9 million dollars for the purposes of services, supports, education and awareness. Out of this appropriation, each Local Management Entity-Managed Care Organization (LME-MCO) is allocated funding to provide TBI specific services and supports to individuals living with TBI in their respective catchment area. The Brain Injury Association of NC (BIANC) also receives funding out of the same legislative appropriation. 

•  $3,413,868 for the LME-MCO’s
  • services and supports
• $559,218 for the Brain Injury Association of NC (BIANC)
  • education and awareness 

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

The TBI Waiver has been approved since May 1, 2018. The program is currently available to eligible individuals living in the Alliance Health (LME-MCO) catchment area (Wake, Durham, Johnston, Cumberland, Orange, Mecklenburg, and Harnett counties). It offers a variety of services and supports to eligible individuals.

NC Medicaid developed a concept paper exploring the potential for statewide expansion of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Waiver under 1915(i) authority, contingent on budget availability. This publicly available document is intended to inform and engage stakeholders about the benefits of expansion for individuals living with TBI.  Please disseminate the concept paper to encourage advocacy for TBI Waiver expansion to better support individuals impacted by TBI. 

The concept paper is now available. 

Tailored Plans

Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans (or “Tailored Plans”) are a new kind of NC Medicaid Managed Care health plan for people with certain medical needs, including people with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). They start July 1, 2024. Learn more about Tailored Plans.

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 four LME-MCO’s and three Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence (D/IPV) Pilot program;
• Youth Sport initiative: TBI screening with all league members in the Carolina Champions Soccer League;
• Claims Data Reviews - The TBI Program is working with the Quality Management Section at the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services (DMH/DD/SUS) to determine the number of individuals that have accessed publicly funded services such as physical health, mental health and substance use service systems.
• Collaborations on data collection with state partners such as Division of Health Benefits (DHB), Division of Public Health (DPH) and Division of Aging and Adult Services.

Training and Outreach

The TBI Program also 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 (as permitted) 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

• Concussion Brochure (English) - (Spanish)
  • Request Concussion Brochures
• General Traumatic Brain Injury Brochure
• Traumatic Brain Injury Program Overview

Additional Resources

• North Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury State Plan (full version)
• North Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury State Plan (brief)
• Brain Injury Association of North Carolina
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
• North Carolina Division of Public Health
• Center for Disease Control
• Administration for Community Living (ACL)
• National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Acronyms
• TBI Resource Slides
• TBI Functional Assessment of Support Needs
• TBI Safety and Wellness Assessment

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.

• Welcome from Director Crosbie 6/13/24
• Brain Injury Advisory Council Description
• Brain Injury Advisory Council statute
• Brain Injury Advisory Council statute
• Brain Injury Advisory Council By-laws
• Brain Injury Advisory Council Sub Committees
• Brain Injury Advisory Council Members

BIAC Meeting Notice

This is formal notice of upcoming BIAC meetings.

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

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

TBI Program Contact

Phone: 984-236-5040
Email: TBIContact@dhhs.nc.gov