Transcript A Statewide Model of Regional Brain Injury Resource

A Statewide Model of Regional
Brain Injury Resource Centers
Anne McDonnell, OTR/L
Special Projects Director
Brain Injury Association of Virginia
CNI Project #02-226
Executive Summary
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The Brain Injury Association of Virginia, the Department of
Rehabilitative Services and the Medical College of Virginia
collaborated to conduct the most comprehensive outreach effort
ever done in Virginia to the brain injury community
The state-wide needs assessment for people with brain injury and
their families occurred from 1999-2000; it included nineteen town
meetings (attracting over 650 people) and a written survey
(distributed to over 10,000 survivors and caregivers)
Education, awareness, outreach and advocacy were identified as
priorities in Virginia’s Statewide Needs Assessment and subsequent
TBI Action Plan
This project was conceived to fulfill the need to provide resources
and assistance in underserved areas of the state
(Roanoke/Danville/Martinsville and Hampton Roads area)
Used to leverage federal TBI Act grant application; enabled us to
establish additional regional resources centers in unserved areas of
the state (far Southwestern Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley and the
Fredericksburg/Middle Peninsula/Northern Neck area)
Significant Accomplishments
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Over the last three year, approximately 50,000 individuals received
information about brain injury through the activities of the central
office staff and regional resource coordinators
At least 5000 people have attended over 75 presentations done by
the Regional Resource Coordinators (RRC) and the Project Director
Development and nationwide distribution of high quality projects:
– Pediatric Brain Injury and the Schools: Best Practices for Primary
and Secondary Education
– Advocacy Academy
– Domestic Violence Tip cards
– Policymakers Manual
Numerous (~20) television and newspaper stories in both RRC
areas and Richmond
Appointments to the local Disability Service Boards, Human Rights
Councils, Human Services Commissions, Special Education Advisory
committee, and Virginia Brain Injury Council
Project Goals:
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Increase public awareness and understanding of brain
injury
– Utilized BIAV newsletter, articles in newspapers and other
newsletters, presentations, in-services, conferences,
workshops, website, support groups, service on
committees and coalition groups, television interviews and
radio PSA’s in all locations, golf tournaments, health fairs,
posters
– Collaborated with other stakeholders and the Roanoke
Express Hockey Team to distribute over 3000 brain injury
tip cards at a home games series
– “Transcending Brain Injury” conference in Roanoke and
“Opening Doors” in Richmond
Project Goals:
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Increase knowledge among people with brain injury and
their families about the disability; maximize their use of
existing support programs and services; empower them
to be better advocates for their needs
– Served on VA Department of Medical Assistance Services
work group for a Medicaid Real System Change
Infrastructure grant that developed a statewide “road
map” of services and supports for persons with disabilities
– Developed and conducted training program for survivors,
caregivers and advocates on self and systems advocacy
– Grant staff have taken on leadership roles and/or
enhanced support groups in Danville, Virginia Beach,
Richmond, and the Roanoke and New River Valleys
– Continued increases in I&R calls to BIAV
Project Goals:
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Increase knowledge among professionals and service
providers about the needs of people with brain injury
and their families
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Domestic violence counselors
Community Services Boards
Occupational Therapy students at the Medical College of Virginia, medical students at
Eastern Virginia Medical School and the University of Virginia, nursing students at Old
Dominion University, counseling and social work students at Radford University, education
and social work students at Virginia Commonwealth University
School nurses at annual statewide conference
Hospital therapy staff in areas served by the RRC’s and Project Director
Special Education Directors, teachers, coaches, therapists, psychologists, nurses, social
workers and instructional assistants in public schools across the state
Community College staff
Mental health agency staff
Homeless shelters
Civic organizations
YWCA
Virginia Chapter of Case Management Society of America
Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Professionals
Adult day care providers
Adult and Pediatric Brain Injury Case Managers
Project Goals:
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Increase the number of professionals and service
providers serving people with brain injury
– Brain injury day program Martinsville
– In collaboration with Neuropsychology Department at MCV,
developed regional trainings for professionals; designed to
increase comfort with and willingness to treat persons with BI
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Requires infrastructure, resources, and time
Difficult to know if existing providers of services to other disability populations
have increased the numbers of persons with BI that they serve
Also difficult to increase number of providers when no funding stream for services
exists
Project Goals:
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Maximize the probability of survivors living happily and
productively in their community
– Educated policymakers about needs of BI community during last
year's General Assembly and helped facilitate turnout and
testimony at local budget hearings
– Are actively working the Disability Commission, legislators and
policymakers, VA Departments of Rehabilitative Services and
Medical Assistance Services to develop and obtain funding for a
BI waiver
– Involved with numerous state and local initiatives: VA
Department of Health taskforce for the Health Promotion for
Persons with Disabilities, Olmstead workgroup, Real Systems
Change grant, Virginia Brain Injury Council, Virginia Alliance of
Service Providers, DD waiver workgroup
– Have identified persons with brain injury and family members
from across the state for nomination to boards, councils,
workgroups and taskforces
Project Goals:
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Develop sources of support to sustain the
services provided through the grant
– Created Policymakers manual; delivered to legislator's in
their home offices by BIAV staff, survivors, caregivers and
advocates
– Regent University created a documentary on Camp Bruce
McCoy; the video has tremendous potential to call
attention to brain injury and the need for funds to help
the organization fulfill its responsibilities
– Continuing to pursue other fund development
opportunities
– Expanding database for fundraising efforts
– Legislative advocacy resulted in new money being
appropriated in state budget for brain injury services
Lessons Learned
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Information Technology costs and needs changed
significantly:
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Regular maintenance and trouble shooting
Database development
Providing staff with the appropriate equipment and training
Linking the regional staff into the network
Obtaining software licensing
Replacing the server
The amount of time other BIAV staff would spend on
grant activities was underestimated
Communication systems had to be enhanced
RRC positions are well received and appreciated, but
many consumers expect case management services
Challenges Faced
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Human Resources Management:
– Became far more time consuming and complicated than it had
previously been because of the increased number of employees,
the geographic distribution of offices, health insurance issues,
and worker’s comp claims
– Extended absence of one employee was problematic; difficult to
hire temporary employee for positions. Sub-contracted a parttime employee from co-location partner to attend to the
essential position functions
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Finance:
– The fiscal reports became much more time consuming and
complicated
– Tracking revenue and expenses also became far more
complicated due simply to the increased volume
– Financial management systems required a near complete
overhaul
An Unqualified Success
With a presence in the Roanoke & Hampton
Roads areas, BIAV has been able to :
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Raise public awareness
Work directly with local chapters and support groups to
expand and improve their efforts
Foster development and expansion of programs and services
Help educate staff at existing programs
Provide one-on-one assistance to survivors and caregivers
Assist survivors and their families in becoming successful selfand systems advocates
Educate policymakers about the needs of survivors and family
members, and advocate for increased funding for services