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Save the Date
BIAPA 2024 Annual Conference
Creating Roadmaps for Brain Injury Rehabilitation: The Journey from Initial Treatment to Community Inclusion
JUNE 24-25, 2024 Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square Lancaster, PA
Call for Presentations Now Open!
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Wednesday, November 22, 2023 Click here for more information.
Brain Injury Awareness Day in Harrisburg
PA State Capitol played host again to the 4th Annual Brain Injury Awareness Day on October 17, 2023. Although it was a busy day for Legislators, time was still taken to join us in providing Education, Awareness, and Advocacy Efforts for those in PA living with Brain Injury. Approximately 50 members of the Brain Injury Community were in attendance.
The day began with a rally with 6 presentations, including stories from event planners and TBI survivors Melissa Carmen and Kevin McDonald.
Dr. Drew Nagele provided some education and the rationale for our request for new legislation mandating insurance coverage for post-acute neurorehabilitation. Representative Ann Flood told the heart wrenching story of losing her daughter to brain injury.
Representative Tim Briggs announced the need for House Bill 1682, which would require commercial health insurers to include post-acute neurorehabilitation as a covered benefit in their insurance policies. Upon completion of the Rally, there was time for visits to legislators during which legislators were asked to both support HB1682 as well as to join their respective Brain Injury Caucus. Senator Tim Kearney again addressed the crowd during a luncheon before the final event of the day began.
The Panel discussion included very inspirational stories of Shawn Homes, Amy Casserella, both survivors of brain injury, as well as Mary K. Mutschler, a Psychotherapist & Certified Brain Injury Specialist and caregiver to her son who lives with Brain Injury.
We ask all who support the brain injury community to help us advocate for HB1682. Please contact your local PA Representative to ask them to sign on to this bill. If you are unsure of how to find or contact you representative, go to www.legis.state.pa.us or contact the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania for assistance. We need your voice.
Mind Your Brain and Woods System of Care
Traumatic Brain Injury Conference: A Focus on Policy & Advocacy
Penn Medicine and the Mind Your Brain Foundation, sponsor of the annual Mind Your Brain Conference, is excited to join forces with Beechwood NeuroRehab, a premier brain injury provider and part of the Woods System of Care that provides lifelong care to individuals with traumatic brain injury, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and critical mental health needs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, for their first policy and advocacy conference on Saturday, November 4, 2023, 9:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
BIAPA Programs Director Monica Vaccaro will join a panel discussion titled Advocacy 101: Learn about bills that have already been introduced and how you can play a role in shaping future legislation.
BIAPA will also have an exhibit table at the conference.
For more information and to register visit this link
Employment Opportunity: NeuroResource Facilitator
BIAPA, in collaboration with the PA Department of Health, is working to connect individuals with brain injuries to care across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This project aims to connect individuals with treatment, resources, and benefits, as well as to build natural supports in the community. BIAPA is seeking to hire a part-time NeuroResource Facilitator in the Central Pennsylvania Counties to take on this important work.
Click here for more information about the Pennsylvania NeuroResource Facilitation Program (NRFP)
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to Monica Vaccaro at vaccaro@biapa.org
Helmets for the Holidays
The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania is committed to maximizing the quality of life for people with brain injuries and their families. BIAPA also provides valuable initiatives focusing on Education and Brain Injury Prevention throughout the year.
Your gift to Helmets for the Holidays: Give the Gift of Prevention will support our important work, including:
Brain Injury Prevention, such as Brain Safety Fairs with free bicycle helmet fittings
Education programs about the brain and the impact of brain injury
Brain Injury Resource Line, which offers information about resources that may be of help to people with brain injury or their family.
If you’d like to make a gift in honor of a friend, family member or colleague, please note that information on our secure donation form, and we'll send our Helmets for the Holidays bicycling snowman card with a message about your gift to the person you've honored.
Business Gift Program If you’re a business and would like to make a gift in honor of clients or colleagues, please email us at admin@biapa.org or call 833-242-7248. We’ll make it easy for you to manage your holiday gift-giving and to support BIAPA and . Send us a list of your honorees, and we’ll send our Helmets for the Holidays bicycling snowman card with a message that you’ve recognized them with a gift to BIAPA.
Thank you for helping us provide children and families with the knowledge and the helmets that can prevent life-long disability or death.
Best wishes for a safe and healthy holiday season!
BIAPA is once again partnering with Pittsburgh's renowned Sarris Candies to offer friends of BIAPA the opportunity to enjoy Sarris' legendary candy for the holidays and to benefit BIAPA!
Order candy through the BIAPA website, and Sarris will ship directly to you or another address for free, with a $5 packaging fee, and donate 25% of all sales to BIAPA!
October Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania recognizes October as Disability Employment Awareness Month. Established by US Dept of Labor, this month serves to honor and celebrate the invaluable contributions of America's workers with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of fostering inclusive employment policies that champion diversity and provide equal opportunities for all.
For the brain injury community, employment often represents more than just a job; it signifies a pathway to reintegration, independence, and a sense of purpose.
Click here to visit PA Careerlink for assistance in finding employment or to get more information about the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR).
October is Also Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic violence survivors are at risk for brain injuries. Abusers can cause brain injury in many ways, including hitting a head with a hard object, shaking, using a weapon or choking.
If you believe you are experiencing, or are at at risk of, domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Helpline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit the website HERE
ReDiscover U
ReDiscover U is offering some great online learning experiences in the upcoming month! Classes are held on Monday nights at 6 PM ET via Zoom. Use thislinkto join any of the classes at 6 PM on Mondays.
November Meeting Topics
November6 - Share Night
November 13 - Chair Yoga
November 20 - Thanksgiving Trivia Night
November 27 - Zoom 101
Support Group Corner
The BIAPA statewide virtual support group will meet Thursday, November at 5 PM. This tight-knit community consists of survivors, caregivers, family and professionals from across the state of Pennsylvania! Please use this Zoom Link to access the meeting.
BIAPA's next Caregiver Support Group will be held on Wednesday November 8 at 6 PM. This monthly, virtual meeting is open to all caregivers. The meetings are an excellent opportunity for caregivers to meet one another, share experiences and discuss topics of unique relevance to their roles. No pre-registration is required! To join this monthly meeting, use this Zoom Link.
A full list of all of Pennsylvania's Brain Injury Support Groups, along with contact information for each, is on the BIAPA website's Support Group Listing Page. We are in the process of updating this information, and while we have done so for most groups, there are still some that we're trying to reach. If you're aware of groups that are meeting either virtually or in-person and are not on our listing, or if you have any updated details about a group on the list, please contact Melanie Morrison morrison@biapa.org so that we can let others know about them.