Brain Injury Services Coordination Unit

The Brain Injury Services Coordination (BISC) Unit, located within the Community Based Services Division in the Richmond Central Office, manages over $6 million in programs, contracts, and federal grants that provide brain injury services throughout the Commonwealth.  The BISC Unit serves as a point of contact for customers seeking general or agency-specific information about brain injury resources. BISCU also manages the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Trust Fund, the Brain Injury Discretionary Services (BIDS) Fund, and provides staffing for the Virginia Brain Injury Council (VBIC).  DRS was awarded a three-year (2006-09) federal TBI Act systems change grant, "Strengthening Our Statewide Infrastructure for Brain Injury Services (SOS:BIS)."  Federal grant activities are carried out through a contract with the Brain Injury Association of Virginia, which is managed by the Brain Injury Services Coordination Unit. 

The BISC Unit works closely with other CBS Division programs, particularly the Community Rehabilitation Case Management Services Program, to provide comprehensive services and to resolve customer concerns regarding agency services for persons with brain injury.  The BISC Unit and the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center (WWRC) Brain Injury Services Department provide support, guidance, and technical assistance to DRS field staff and agency administration regarding the rehabilitation of persons with acquired brain injury.  Sponsorship funding through BISCU is available each year for a limited number of DRS and WWRC staff to receive specialized training in brain injury through workshops, courses, and conferences.

The Brain Injury Services Coordination Unit works collaboratively with consumers, advocacy groups, state agencies, and other community entities to improve services and resources for Virginians with brain injury.

Vocational Rehabilitation Program Services

• assessment/evaluation
• counseling/guidance
• job development/placement & supported employment
• vocational training

WWRC Brain Injury Services Program

• cognitive rehabilitation services
• community transition services
• driver evaluation/training
• independent living/community re-entry skills (dorms and cottage)
• counseling and guidance (including neuropsychological assessment)
• occupational/physical/recreational
• speech and language therapy
• rehabilitation engineering
• specialized case management services
• specialized vocational counseling

Administered by DRS

• Brain Injury Discretionary Services (BIDS) Fund.
• Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Services (PAS) Program.
• Community Rehabilitation Case Management Services (CRCMS) Program.
• Community Support Services for People with Brain Injury (CSS/BI).
• Personal Assistance Services Program for People with Brain Injuries (PAS/BI).

Community Support Services Training Program

DRS Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury Services conducts a Community Support Services Training Program in Richmond to provide a foundation of knowledge in the provision of community-based support services for people with acquired brain injuries (and other disabilities). One of the program's goals is to encourage providers to work with DRS customers with brain injury in community settings. Participants include current or potential service providers; state / private rehabilitation counselors and other professionals; and survivors and family members. Nationally recognized speakers provide information about the brain and brain injury; positive behavior support; development and implementation of individual service plans; cognitive strategies to enhance learning and behavior change; and the effect of medication on brain chemistry. Individuals interested in working as Community Support Services staff (i.e., independent living / life skills trainers; clubhouse staff; job coaches) would benefit from attending this program, as well as staff from organizations interested in applying for approval as DRS vendors of services. For more information, contact Patti Goodall at Patti.Goodall@drs.virginia.gov or 800-552-5019 (voice) or 800-464-9950 (TTY). An agenda and registration materials from the DEC 2005 program may be reviewed here.

Brain Injury State Action Plan in Virginia 2008-2012

The Virginia Brain Injury Council (VBIC), http://www.vadrs.org/vbic.asp, serves as the advisory body to a federal Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act grant awarded to the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS), the lead agency in Virginia for the coordination of brain injury services.  A 1998-2000 federal “TBI Act Planning Grant” required DRS to develop an “action plan” to guide the development of brain injury services statewide.  DRS, in partnership with the Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health Systems, developed the 2000-2005 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) State Action Plan.  DRS received additional funding through a TBI Act “Implementation Grant” and in Spring 2005 formed a Steering Committee to oversee the process of updating Virginia’s 2005 Action Plan, one of the goals of the grant. Representatives from the Virginia Brain Injury Council (VBIC), the Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV), the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Trust Fund Advisory Board, and the Virginia Alliance of Brain Injury Service Providers (VABISP) developed a work plan to carry out this important activity.  The Virginia Brain Injury Council endorsed the Steering Committee’s work plan.

During 2005, DRS hosted several Brain Injury Town Meetings across the state and invited survivors, family members, professionals, and other stakeholders to participate.  The Town Meeting process allowed facilitators to receive feedback on the development of "core" or foundational brain injury services; to identify and prioritize local service needs; and to share information on developing and enhancing services within a local community.  DRS partnered with the Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV) http://www.biav.net and with the VCU Rehabilitation Research & Training Center to conduct the Town Meetings and prepare a report of their findings.  

In 2007 , DRS invited Susan Vaughn, Director of Public Policy for the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) to provide an overview of other states’ actions plans and councils at its January 2007 meeting.  DRS also hired Ann Deaton, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist, to research, develop, and prepare a written draft of Virginia’s Brain Injury State Action Plan for 2008-2012. A preliminary draft and progress report on the Action Plan will be presented to the Council at its April 2007 meeting.

Information on Virginia’s 2005 State Traumatic Brain Injury Action Plan, the Town Meeting process, and a survey for gathering information on the development of the 2008-2012 Brain Injury State Action Plan are available below.  DRS invites stakeholders to submit comments by completing the survey below (due March 7, 2007) and mailing it to DRS Brain Injury & Spinal Cord Injury Services, 8004 Franklin Farms Drive, Richmond, VA 23229 or via e-mail to Patti.Gooall@drs.virginia.gov.  For assistance or to submit comments in any other format, contact Patti Goodall at Patti.Goodall@drs.virginia.gov; (804) 662-7615; (800) 552-5019 Toll Free; or (800) 464-9950 TTY.  We encourage all who are interested to participate in the process!

• 2007 Survey for Brain Injury State Action Plan
• Results of 2005 Town Meetings: Final Report (Word Document) (PDF Format)
• PowerPoint Presentation from the 2005 Town Meetings

For further information regarding the programs and services managed by the BI/SCIS Unit, please email Patti.Goodall@drs.virginia.gov or call (804) 662-7615 or (800) 552-5019.

Statistical Information

Virginia Department of Health
Center for Injury & Violence Prevention
http://www.vahealth.org/civp/datacivp.asp.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Virginia 1999-2003
http://www.vahealth.org/civp/TBIreport.pdf (PDF File).

Traumatic Brain Injury National Database Center
http://www.tbindc.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Traumatic Brain Injury: http://www.cdc.gov/node.do?id=0900f3ec8000dbdc&aspectId=A0400020

For additional information on brain injury:

Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA)
http://www.biausa.org

Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV)
http://www.biav.net

National Resource Center for Traumatic Brain Injury
http://www.neuro.pmr.vcu.edu/

Virginia Commonwealth University Traumatic Brain Injury Model System
http://www.tbi.pmr.vcu.edu/