The Brain Injury Services Program works to improve the lives of Iowans living with brain injuries by linking those individuals and their families to needed information, services, and supports as well as training service providers and other professionals on how to best work with people who have sustained a brain injury.
Acquired brain injuries (ABIs) describe all types of brain injuries, which can be caused by conditions such as trauma to the brain, strokes, infections, poisoning or toxic exposures, or lack of oxygen to the brain. Brain Injuries are not hereditary or degenerative.Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are caused by an external force such as hitting your head during a fall or car crash, from a collision with an object or another person during activities such as participating in sports or when assaulted. Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury. Non-traumatic brain injuries are caused by an internal condition, such as lack of oxygen, an infection, or strokes.
Need information or support following a brain injury? The Iowa HHS Brain Injury Services Program contracts with the Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa to provide a free service called NeuroResource Facilitation to provide education, support and advocacy for individuals who need assistance related to brain injury. Talk to their staff by calling 855-444-6443 or emailing info@biaia.org.
Scholarships Available for Iowans to Attend National Brain Injury Conference
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is sponsoring scholarships for individuals who reside or work in Iowa to attend the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) State of the States annual conference. This event will be held virtually on September 7, 2023 (pre-conference), AND as a three-day in-person conference in Bloomington, MN on September 12 -14. Scholarship awards will cover the cost of registration and hotel for up to two individuals (other related expenses are the responsibility of the awardee).
The conference title is Guiding Systems toward Change and will include a variety of topics covering information about brain injury as a chronic condition, pediatric brain injury, supported decision-making, brain injury waiver programs, current research and more. To learn more about NASHIA's conference, please visit https://www.nashia.org/sos2023.
Scholarship announcement and guidance for applying, including timeline
To apply, complete an application at https://forms.gle/py1BCKraqFpEaoRM6
Questions regarding this opportunity can be emailed to brain.injury@idph.iowa.gov
Iowa's Concussion Month to be Recognized in September
Stay tuned for more information.
Screening Tools for Lifetime History of Brain Injury Now Available on Your Life Iowa
Iowa's brain injury screening tools are now available online for providers who wish to screen clients for lifetime history of brain injury! Using a password-protected, fillable format found at Your Life Iowa (YLI), results are instantly emailed to the screener. To register an account, email brain.injury@idph.iowa.gov.
Questions regarding implementing the screening tools can be sent to brain.injury@idph.iowa.gov or by calling Jim Pender at 515-204-7978.