Project BRAIN Currents
VOLUME XV, ISSUE I WINTER 2015
Chilly New Year Edition
Helpful Online Training for Families and Educators
The Center on Brain Injury Research and Training (CBIRT), is at the forefront of
educating those who have students and/or loved ones with brain injury. Their name
may sound familiar as their extensive website has been featured in past Project BRAIN
materials over the years and CBIRT has contributed to the resources PB has created
since 2000. We especially like the fact that their research-based suggestions are not
intended only for professionals, but that they know that parents need great online
resources, too.
In addition to the awesome (free) educational products http://cbirt.org/products/
already available on their site, CBIRT has recently added training modules for 12
different subjects including Behavior, Concussion and Early Childhood TBI.
http://cbirt.org/tbi-education/about-tbi/
(Image of snowman)
Subjects for families are included among the sections of each module, but you will also
find links to more items geared for families and service providers along the top menu.
The concussion section of CBIRT’s website for parents is loaded with different types of
questions one might ask if their child is involved in sports or if there is a possible
concussion.
(Image of frosty leaves)
Examples of Concussion Q & A:
Q: Is there any way to prevent concussions? Do helmets and mouth guards help?
Nothing can prevent a concussion. Helmets were designed to guard against
catastrophic brain injuries, not concussions. Mouth guards, although very good at
protecting the mouth and teeth, do not lower the risk of concussions. - See more at:
http://cbirt.org/concussion-faq/#Q3
Q: My child sustained a concussion. Should I take him/her to see a doctor?
All athletes who sustain a concussion need to be evaluated by a health care
professional who is familiar with sports concussions. You should call your child’s
physician and explain what has happened and follow your physician’s instructions. If
your child is vomiting, has a severe headache, or is having difficulty staying awake or
answering simple questions, s/he should be taken to the emergency department
immediately. - See more at: http://cbirt.org/concussion-faq/#Q3
Welcoming our West TN Brain Injury Transition Liaison
Jenni Prince is the new Brain Injury Transition Liaison for West TN at Le Bonheur
Children’s Hospital in Memphis.
(Image of young woman smiling)
Jenni graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Master’s in Recreational
Therapy and Bachelor’s in Business Administration. During her time at UT, she was a
part of Camp Koinonia – a student-led camp for children ages 7-21 with multiple
disabilities. There she learned she had a strong passion for working with people of all
ages with special needs.
She has worked alongside many children, adults, and elderly with brain injuries at these
camps and in various roles. She is excited to continue making a difference in their lives
through the liaison position. Jenni moved to Memphis from Nashville to be closer to her
fiancé and spends her time planning a wedding, baking, and traveling to new (and old)
places with her best friends.
Children’s Safety Network
Innovative Practices in Traumatic Brain Injury Prevention
Each year, more than one million youth ages 0 through 19 sustain a non-fatal traumatic
brain injury (TBI) (NEISS; NEISS –AIP 2007-2009). With the passage of legislation in
all states and the District of Columbia to prevent and manage youth sports concussions,
awareness of TBI is on the rise.
Recognizing the need to improve the continuum of care and prevention and the
complexity of the causes and consequences of TBI, the Children’s Safety Network (CSN)
and the TBI Technical Assistance Center organized a year-long Community of Practice
(Co-Op) to:
1. Increase collaboration among state Injury and Violence Prevention programs, state
Maternal and Child Health programs, and others working on TBI prevention
2. Promote best practices in the prevention, assessment, and management of TBI
View the publication to see what the state co-ops accomplished:
#http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/publications/innovative-practices-traumaticbrain-injury-prevention
Winter Webinars
Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey archives all of their amazing free training for
everyone at http://www.bianj.org/webinars
You can get a hot cup of something yummy and curl up with a good webinar any time
you want. The latest ones:
Return to Learn: Concussion Management Teams—designed for school personnel,
physicians, and parents to help them learn how to develop a Concussion Management
Team to assist students get back to their lives following a concussion diagnosis.
(Image of a person’s hands holding a mug of hot chocolate)
Introduction to Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income—designed
for nurses, parents, caregivers, or anyone who has sustained a brain injury.
Cool news to Share on Medical Home Summit
The Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (TNAAP) is hosting a
Medical Home Implementation Transition Summit at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville
on April 24, 2015.
The summit topics will include: adolescent transition and transition of adolescents with
special health-care needs, operational guidance on transition implementation in the
medical home and Tennessee specific transition resources pertaining to guardian-ship,
insurance, SSI, and resources for independent living for transitioning children and youth
with special healthcare needs.
To view the agenda and to register: http://www.tennesseemedicalhome.com/tnaap/
Introduction to Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income—designed
for nurses, parents, caregivers, or anyone who has sustained a brain injury.
(Image of 2015 – Happy New Year)
2015 Training Events Calendar
Jan 27-29
Partners in Educ. Statewide Conf (SPED), Nashville
Feb 4
Disability Day on the Hill, Legislative Plaza, Downtown, Nashville
www.tndisability.org
March 17
Brain Injury Assoc. TN Conf., Nashville
March 17
TBI Advisory Council at BIAT Conf., Nashville
April 3
Intermountain Brain Injury Conf., Johnson City
April 10-11
Acute and Emergency Care Pediatrics Conf., Memphis
April 15
Chatt. Area Brain Injury Assoc. Conf., Chattanooga
April 18
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic Sports Medicine Day, Knoxville
April 24
TN American Academy of Pediatrics (TNAAP ) Transition Summit (Medical
Home), Nashville
May 7
Kick4Cause Kick Ball Event, Nashville
May 14
Star of Life Awards (TN Emer. Serv. Children), Nashville
May 20-21
TN Disability Megaconference, Nashville
Tennessee Disability Coalition
Project BRAIN is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant No.
H21MCO26923, Traumatic Brain Injury Implementation Partnership Grants for
$241,630, and in part by TN Departments of Health and Education. This information or
content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the
official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or
the U.S. Government. Image of geese flying in a “V” formation – logo of TN Disability
Coalition.
Image of snowman.
Project BRAIN
955 Woodland Street
Nashville, TN 37206
For more information:
Wanda Baker, BASW, CBIS
West TN Resource Specialist / Trainer
901-813-8595
wanda_b@tndisability.org
Paula Denslow, CBIS
Director & Middle TN
Resource Specialist / Trainer
615-585-2998
paula_d@tndisability.org
Jennifer Rayman, Ed.S, CRC, CBIS
Curriculum Coordinator / Trainer
865-951-2282
jennifer_j@tndisability.org