The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #48656

Tracy L. Morgan, BA, Project BRAIN, Tennessee Disability Coalition, 480 Craighead St., Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37204, 615-383-9442, tracy_m@tndisability.org

Despite CDC estimates of 5.3 million Americans living with disabilities from traumatic brain injury (TBI), this population of individuals remains largely misidentified or under-identified. This is especially true when considering children and youth survivors of brain injury. Often referred to as the "silent epidemic," the effects of TBI are not always apparent to the eye. Children are expected to "bounce back" from such injuries; physical recovery is interpreted as a sign that the brain has healed. TBI is also commonly misidentified in children because its effects resemble characteristics of other disabilities. Because of the perceived low incidence of TBI among the school-aged population, training and resources for families and education professionals have been slow to develop. In turn, the identification and development of appropriate supports for children with TBI present a considerable challenge. Project BRAIN of the Tennessee Disability Coalition is a resource and training network for families, healthcare professionals and educators who support students with TBI. This project was developed to address the demonstrated need for more resources and better awareness of TBI-related disabilities, and to promote partnerships among caregivers and service providers who assist young TBI survivors. Project BRAIN follows a "TBI Resource Team" model which provides training and technical assistance to multidisciplinary groups of families and service providers who have agreed to act as local "TBI Consultants" within their communities. Adapted from a model used in other states, Project BRAIN's resource team model emphasizes the importance of coordinating services across personal, medical, social, and educational domains.

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