Brain Injury Association of America

Planning for 2025? We hope you’ll pencil us in for March 3-5 as we host the National Brain Injury Conference and Awareness Day in Washington, D.C.! We’re so excited to be expanding this annual advocacy and awareness event to include a conference geared toward brain injury survivors, caregivers, and loved ones. Learn more and register today: https://bit.ly/3YX66Vu

Meet Renee Johnson, whose journey as a brain injury caregiver advocate began when her son BJ suffered a near-fatal acquired brain injury during his freshman year of college. What began as a simple sinus infection led to subdural empyema, bacterial meningitis, and encephalitis. 32 days after she had dropped her son off at college, he was having emergency brain surgery—and a completely altered life path for both mother and son soon followed. With support from BIAA, Renee found her voice as an advocate. Today, she serves on the North Carolina Brain Injury Advisory Council, leads a Charlotte-based support group for caregivers, and transforms lives through her organization, Triumph Services. BJ and Renee’s story highlights a crucial but often overlooked truth: brain injury doesn't always result from a car accident or a sports injury. As we approach the end of the year, consider donating to help us reach more families navigating brain injury. Read Renee’s full story here: https://bit.ly/49RH6DY #BrainInjuryAwareness #Advocacy #BIAA #CaregiversSupport #ABIAwareness #GivingBack

Happy holidays from the Brain Injury Association of America! We hope that you have a fun and safe holiday season.

"If you've seen one brain injury, you've seen one brain injury." These words from Diane Hernandez, CBIST, capture why specialized training in brain injury care is so crucial. As a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer, Diane brings both expertise and personal understanding to her work—having supported family members through brain injury and experienced a concussion herself. But it's her professional journey that truly showcases why CBIST certification through the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) matters. Starting in public relations before pursuing brain injury rehabilitation in her "second act," Diane's path demonstrates how specialized training can transform a passion for helping others into expert care that changes lives. The complexity of brain injury requires expertise that goes far beyond basic medical knowledge. That's why BIAA's CBIST program represents the gold standard in brain injury education. Your year-end donation can help us train the next generation of brain injury specialists around the United States: https://bit.ly/3ZHBo4j #BrainInjury #BrainInjuryAwareness #BrainInjuryRecovery #BrainInjurySupport #TBI #BIAA #TraumaticBrainInjury #InvisibleDisabilities #DisabilityAwareness #DisabilityAdvocate #BrainInjuryAssociationOfAmerica

Concussion should be taken seriously, and for too long we have lived in a walk-it-off culture. In a recent column, Barry Svrluga reports about how challenging recovering from a brain injury can be compared to something like a pulled hamstring and how attitudes towards concussion are changing among some football players. “What’s been good over the course of the last few years is just how open and honest people are about those symptoms,” Mariota said. “Because early on in my career, you got a concussion, it was kind of like, ‘Shake it off and get back to the next play or the next game.’ That’s been good for us as players, to be honest about how you feel. Because it’s a scary thing.” https://lnkd.in/gA_qi3cb

Interested in earning your Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) certification? Sign up for our live virtual training, taking place February 12, 19, and 26, 2025. This three-day intensive course will equip participants with knowledge to enhance the quality of care for individuals with brain injury, and is ideal for professionals who are working in acute care, post-acute rehabilitation, behavioral health, social work, vocational rehabilitation, or education. Register soon, as space is limited: https://bit.ly/4gmAIap

Last night, the House of Representatives rejected the continuing resolution that would have funded the federal government and its operations through mid-March. This critical legislation included the TBI Reauthorization Act, a bill that supports vital brain injury programs and grants. Congress cannot afford to place the priorities of the brain injury community on the back burner. Allowing these essential programs to go unfunded would have devastating consequences for brain injury survivors and their loved ones. BIAA is asking all of our advocates to email and call your House Representative today to demand the passage of a continuing resolution that reauthorizes and funds national brain injury programs. Contact your rep here: https://bit.ly/3BDmDpN

“You need to dream again.” These words from her father helped brain injury survivor Danielle Brazant rebuild her life after a near-fatal car accident. Now an accomplished author and speaker, Danielle founded the Eastern Iowa Brain Injury Gala to ensure other survivors get the support they need. "Brain injury touches so many people: stroke survivors, military veterans, those who have been involved in accidents, athletes—but often, these groups don't realize their common ground," Danielle says. "I want to be that dot connector and get everybody together so we can raise both publicity and money for this cause.” Help Danielle and the Brain Injury Association of America write the next chapter of support for brain injury survivors. Visit this link to make a tax-deductible donation this holiday season: https://bit.ly/3ZHBo4j

Living with PBA can be difficult. Earlier this month, BIAA’s Director of Consumer Services discussed the condition with a doctor and a patient who each gave their perspectives and tips on how to get a diagnosis and how to live with the condition. If you or someone you know are struggling with PBA, we invite you to watch the recording here: https://bit.ly/4gmYwe9

In some communities, brain injury specialists are not always easy to find – or available. We want to change that. This month, we hope you will join us in our professional ACBIS Community Challenge to enhance your knowledge of brain injury and encourage others in the field to continue their brain injury education. Learn more about the challenge here: https://bit.ly/3ZVYBQh