Patrick Administration Receives $1 Million Grant to Support Expanded Services for People with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Outreach efforts will focus on veterans and Latino communities

BOSTON — The Patrick Administration today announced that the Statewide Head Injury Program of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) has received a $1 million competitive federal grant to strengthen services for individuals who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The four-year grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration, will provide the Commonwealth with $250,000 per year to support enhanced services and supports to Latino communities and to veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We are seeing growing numbers of veterans and Latinos with brain injuries in Massachusetts, in part because of improved diagnosis and reporting,” said MRC Commissioner Charles Carr. “With these new federal resources, we will be able to work with our community partners to develop a proactive strategy for identifying and serving those in need and providing them with a pathway to recovery.”

The Statewide Head Injury Program identifies and develops resources and services for people who have sustained an externally caused traumatic brain injury. The program has helped create a network of community-based services and supports to assist individuals in maintaining or increasing their level of independence at home, work and in their communities. In 2008, the program served over 1,100 individuals.

In recent years, the Commonwealth has made specialized efforts to reach affected veterans, but challenges still remain in identifying returning veterans who have suffered a traumatic brain injury – particularly women and veterans of color. Strategies are expected to include the development of posters and materials that raise awareness of TBI among returning veterans and stronger collaborations with diverse houses of worship, veterans’ centers, shelters, libraries and schools.

This new federal grant will also allow Massachusetts to pilot an integrated case management model in partnership with the Massachusetts National Guard and Reserve. The funding will also support development of a New England Consortium that will work collaboratively to improve systems of care for affected returning veterans.

“With TBI being one of the hidden wounds of war, it is important that we educate our veterans about the symptoms and effects of brain injury, while offering comprehensive and effective screening and treatment,” said Secretary of Veterans’ Services Thomas G. Kelley. “Working with the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, other state agencies, and the private sector, we hope to identify and treat veterans who may have been exposed to head or brain trauma. Massachusetts will continue to lead the country in offering the most comprehensive benefits and services to our veterans.”

The Statewide Head Injury Program has also made significant efforts to promote the availability of culturally competent services and has been particularly successful in its outreach efforts to Massachusetts’ Asian communities. With this funding from the federal government, the Commonwealth will focus on improving services to Latino communities.

The number of Massachusetts Latino residents who have suffered a brain injury has more than doubled since 1996, and the population has the highest incidence of TBI of all communities of color. This grant establishes a formal collaboration between the MRC and the Latino Health Institute (LHI), which has worked to address health concerns impacting Latino communities, strengthen families and develop community resources. LHI has offices in Boston, Brockton and Lowell, and serves more than 25,000 Latino families and individuals each year. As part of this new grant, the state will also partner with LHI in the Springfield area to strengthen services in Western Massachusetts.

Depending on the extent of damage to the brain, symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can be mild, moderate or severe, and include trouble with reasoning and problem solving, hearing loss, inability to concentrate, ringing in the ears, memory problems, difficulty finding words and making decisions, personality changes, headaches, seizures, and behavioral or mood changes. These residual symptoms can be of varying severity.

For more information about services and supports, individuals with brain injuries and their families are encouraged to contact the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission’s Statewide Head Injury Program at (617) 204-3852.

About the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC)

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission assists individuals with disabilities to live and work independently. The MRC is responsible for Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Community Services, and eligibility determination for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefits programs for Massachusetts citizens with disabilities. The MRC serves people with all types of disabilities except those who are blind, who are served through the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. To learn more about MRC, please visit www.mass.gov/mrc.

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