2008 Seminar Series
This year, we are planning to hold regional seminars in Lubbock, Houston, and Tyler. The goals for these seminars will be to provide a high quality educational program that provides content of interest to survivors and family members as well as rehabilitation professionals. The reasoning for moving towards providing regional seminars is to try to improve access for our membership, since we recognize that travel to a single location may be difficult for some. We also hope that these seminars will provide additional funding to support the programs of BIATX, as holding day-long seminars in multiple sites may be conducted at a lower cost.
Confirmed sites and dates:
September 6, 2008 Houston, TX (Schedule)
Foundation Surgical Hospital
5420 W. Loop South
Suite 3210 Bellaire, TX 77401
Topics of discussion will include:
- Brain Injury and Depression
- HB 1919: Brain Injury, Insurance and Rehabilitation
- Neuroanatomy of Behavior After Brain Injury
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and TBI
- Interventions to Improve Social Communication After TBI
- How to be an Effective Consumer of Neuropsychology Services
Speakers from across the state will include noted experts from such organizations as Baylor College of Medicine, CORE Healthcare, Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation and ResCare Premier.
September 13, 2008 Lubbock, TX (Schedule)
Knipling Education Conference Center (Covenant Medical Center)
21st Street and Louisville Avenue
Lubbock, Texas 79410
Topics of discussion will include:
- Medications and Behavior in TBI
- HB 1919: Brain Injury, Insurance and Rehabilitation
- Neuroanatomy of Behavior After Brain Injury
- Family and Community Reintegration After TBI
- Closed Head Injury
- How to be an Effective Consumer of Neuropsychology Services
- Managing Spasticity
- Neuropsychological Strategies in Post Acute Brain Injury Rehabilitation
- Social Security Work Incentives
Speakers from across the state will include noted experts from such organizations as West Texas A&M University, CORE Healthcare, Transitional Learning Center, Imagine Enterprises and ResCare Premier.
October 25, 2008 Tyler, TX
If you plan on presenting or attending any of the seminars, please fill out and return the following forms:
Vested Interest Declaration Form
Forms for the Tyler seminar are due by September 19th.
Have You Been Denied Insurance Coverage for Brain Injury Rehabilitation? We Want to Hear Your Story
The Brain Injury Association of Texas is seeking out individuals with brain injury who have been denied cognitive rehabilitation benefits through their insurer on health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2008. In some cases this may be a violation of HB 1919 which was passed in the last Texas legislative session. Please call 800-392-0040 or email at info@biatx.org.
June 26, 2008
Registration for the 4th annual Walk For Thought has begun! This year's event will take place on November 8th at West Campus Field on the Texas State University campus in San Marcos, TX. Please visit Walk for Thought and sign up today! See you there!
Summer E-Newsletter
Peace of Mind 5K Update
AUSTIN, Texas (June 17, 2008) – The Peace of Mind 5K, the first-ever rally/walk/run in the nation saluting Americans with combat-related traumatic brain injuries, raised more than $46,000 in sponsorships, registrations and donations, organizers announced. Nearly 1,000 people attended the rally and run.
"The Peace of Mind 5K was a tremendous success. We're very pleased with the show of support for American heroes who have borne the battle and are coping with combat-related brain injuries," says Austin neurologist Dr. R.W. Van Boven, chairman of the Peace of Mind 5K. "The money raised through the Peace of Mind 5K will help scores of men and women with traumatic brain injury. Just as importantly, the Peace of Mind 5K raised awareness about TBI."
Proceeds from the Peace of Mind 5K will benefit the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Centers, the Helping a Hero Organization, the Brain Injury Association of Texas and Easter Seals Central Texas.
"For a first-year 5K, the turnout for the Peace of Mind 5K was phenomenal," says Paul Carrozza, owner of RunTex and co-chairman of the Peace of Mind 5K. "The Central Texas community really demonstrated its appreciation for the many servicemembers who have come home from war with traumatic brain injury."
Dignitaries on hand for the Peace of Mind 5K were Gov. Rick Perry; Brigadier General (Dr.) Loree Sutton, Chief of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury; Major General Charles G. Rodriguez, Adjutant General of Texas; and David Prior, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas System.
Highlights included musician Paula Nelson, daughter of music legend Willie Nelson, leading the crowd in singing the national anthem; a flyover of three Apache attack helicopters from the 1-149th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, stationed at Ellington Field in Houston; a presentation by the First Cavalry Division's Horse Cavalry Detachment from Fort Hood; and remarks by several brain-injured heroes and their families.
Sponsors of the Peace of Mind 5K included Goodrich Corp., EADS North America, Posit Science Corp., RunTex and CBS 42 KEYE.
To donate to the Peace of Mind 5K or to purchase photos from the event, visit www.runtex.com.
Thank you for all your support in making this event a great moment for our heroes and our community.
Kind regards,
Robert Van Boven
Media coverage:
Runners race for Peace of Mind (News 8 Austin)
Traumatic Brain Injury Affects Many Iraqi War Veterans (KEYE 42)
Peace of Mind 5K to Salute Brain-Injured American Heroes (Forbes.com)
Peace of Mind 5K run and rally slideshow (Statesman.com)
Photo Gallery (Brett Buchanan Photography)
A Message From the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
April 28, 2008
"The Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) thanks the Brain Injury Association of Texas (BIATX) again for providing quality information and referral services to our consumers in the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services program (CRS). With the assistance of BIATX and our many providers around the State, the CRS program has already served 622 consumers and expects to serve more by August 31, 2008-the end of the fiscal year.
We expect to be able to reduce the waiting list in the CRS program with the $9.6 million that will be available to serve consumers starting September 1, 2008.
Historically, 5% to 8% of the consumers in the CRS program are veterans. While we require all consumers to use other available resources first, veterans have the same opportunity to receive CRS as other Texans.
CRS Eligibility Criteria
The consumer must have a traumatic brain injury and/or spinal cord injury that results in a substantial impediment to functioning independently in the home and in the community in terms of mobility, self-care and/or communication; and
- be at least 16 years old when services on the individualized written rehabilitation program (IWRP) are completed;
- be a citizen or immigrant alien of the United States;
- be a resident of Texas for at least six months, or have a family member living in the state for at least six months who is, or will become, the consumer's primary caregiver;
- be willing to accept treatment.
Consumers may want to discuss the eligibility criteria with their DARS counselors. Some other eligibility criteria may also need to be met.
The CRS counselor must reasonably expect that having received CRS program core services the consumer will be able to function more independently in the home and the community.
As we move forward, in order to provide the most timely services, we hope we can enlist your support in ensuring referrals early in the recovery process. If you know of people, veterans and others, who are recovering from traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury, please refer them to the CRS program or DARS."
For more information about the CRS program please call 800-628-5115, or visit the DARS website at http://www.dars.state.tx.us/drs/index.shtml.
Austin Man Competes in Triathlon to Finish Race His Father Never Began Update
June 17, 2008
On May 10th, Jason Ledlie completed his first rookie triathlon. Through his efforts and those of his teamates, Team Glutes Engage, he was able to raise and donate $1,035 for BIATX and the National Stroke Association. Thanks, Jason! And keep up the good work!
For more information, please visit Jason's site at www.ledlie.net
5/1/08 10:00