Traumatic Brain Injury

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The disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV) receives federal funds to provide legally based advocacy services to persons with traumatic brain injury. dLCV is committed to:

  •  advancing independence, choice, and self-determination;
  • protecting legal, human, and civil rights;
  • eliminating abuse, neglect, and discrimination of people with TBI and other disabilities.

Individuals with TBI and their families can request free help to understand government benefits such as Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicaid waivers. Private consultations and training on these topics also help individuals develop self-advocacy skills to access benefits. dLCV has other programs to address a wide range of disability-related concerns (e.g., mental health services, education, employment, supported decision making, long term care, accessibility, and assistive technology).

Call dLCV at 1-800-552-3962 or request help online here.

The rest of this webpage will acquaint you with Key Resources and Services in Virginia designed for individuals with brain injury. Fact Sheets, Training Videos and Audios, Podcasts, Online and National Resources will also educate you on a variety of topics related to brain injury. You will also find key dLCV Publications developed to educate policymakers about the unmet needs of people who live with brain injury in Virginia.

Key Resources and Services in Virginia

The Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV)

BIAV is a non-profit advocacy organization that provides information and support statewide to people with brain injury, family members/caregivers, and professionals. BIAV services include a toll-free help-line; information clearinghouse and resource library; referrals to brain injury-specific and general resources; training and technical assistance to a network of support groups; systems advocacy; educational events; caregiver forum and a recreational camp for adults.

2810 N. Parham Road, Suite 260
Richmond, VA 23294
804-355-5748
800-444-6443
www.biav.net

State Supported Brain Injury Services Providers

An image of a colored map displaying the correct brain injury organization for each region in Virginia. These are also written in text in the drop down below.

In order to view the counties served, services provided, and contact information for each service provider, please click on the organization’s title.

Service Area: Greater Shenandoah Valley counties of Augusta, Bath, Highland, Page, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah; cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro

Services: Adult and pediatric case management, Community Support Services (life skills training), and Support Groups for individuals with brain injury.

Contact: Brain Injury Connections of the Shenandoah Valley, 755 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, MSC 9020, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, by phone 540-568-8923, e-mail info@bicsv.org, or online at http://www.bicsv.org/.

Service Area: Arlington, Alexandria, Caroline, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Fredericksburg, King George, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Warren, Winchester

Services: Adult and pediatric case management, Adapt Clubhouse in Alexandria, day supports in Fredericksburg, supported living, assistive technology, counseling, and vocational services.

Contact: Brain Injury Services, Inc., 8136 Old Keene Mill Road, Suite B102, Springfield, VA 22152, by phone 703-451-8881, e-mail info@braininjurysvcs.org, or online http://www.braininjurysvcs.org.

Service Area: Abingdon, Allegheny, Bedford, Blacksburg, Bland, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buchanon, Campbell, Carroll, Charlotte, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Halifax, Henry, Lee, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Norton, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Roanoke, Russell, Scott, Smith, Tazewell, Wise, Washington, Wythe, Wytheville

Services: Adult and pediatric case management, Community Support Services (life skills training), Community Living Connection (CLiC) – a tele-health program, and PALS (connecting volunteers with brain injury survivors).

Contact: 3904 Franklin Road, Suite B, Roanoke, VA 24014-3039, by phone 866-720-1008, e-mail info@bisolutions.org, or online www.bisolutions.org (effective 8/12/23).

Service Area: Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Gloucester, Goochland, Hampton, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, James City, King and Queen, King William, Mathews, New Kent, Newport News, Petersburg, Poquoson, Powhatan, Prince George, Richmond, Surry, Williamsburg, York

Services: Adult case management, two clubhouse programs – The Mill House in Richmond and Denbigh House in Newport News, Supported Employment Services (SES) and Employee Development Services (EDS).

Contact: Community Brain Injury Services, 9211 Arboretum Parkway, Ste 100, Richmond, VA. 23235 by phone 804-386-0925, e-mail info@communitybraininjury.org, or online at http://www.communitybraininjury.org.

Service Area: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth

Services: Services: Adult case management, Beacon House Clubhouse in Norfolk, Employment Services, and Support Groups (virtual and in-person).

Contact: Eggleston Brain Injury Services, 5145 East Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23502, by phone (757) 937-5674, e-mail jpeed@egglestonservices.org, or online www.egglestonservices.org

Service Area: Accomack and Northampton Counties

Services: Adult case management and operates No Limits day program.

Contact: No Limits Eastern Shore, PO Box 259, 24546 Coastal Boulevard, Tasley VA 23441, by phone (757) 789-3990, e-mail nolimitseasternshore@gmail.com, or online at www.nolimitseasternshore.com.

Service Area: Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, and Orange

Services: Adult case management, residential services, and The BridgeLine ClubHouse in Charlottesville.

Contact: The BridgeLine, 315 Winding River Lane, Suite 201, Charlottesville, VA 22911 or by phone 434-220-4596, e-mail jvann@thebridgeline.org, or online at http://thebridgeline.org

Service Area: Richmond Metropolitan Area

Services: Case management for residents of two community homes for people with brain injury: Independence House and Bliley Manor. Follow-along case management is available to individuals who have moved into more independent residential settings. Case management is also provided to homeless individuals with brain injury who need housing, or those at-risk to assist with trying to maintain their current housing.

Contact: Virginia Supportive Housing, P.O. Box 8585, Richmond, VA 23226, by phone 804-921-3466, e-mail speaco@virginiasupportivehousing.org or online at http://www.virginiasupportivehousing.org.

Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DARS)

The purpose of DARS is to improve the employment, quality of life, security, and independence of Virginians with disabilities, older Virginians, and their families. The DARS Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program helps people with brain injuries and other disabilities get ready for, find, and keep a job. Personalized services include, but are not limited to, vocational counseling, training, and job placement.

Call 1-800-552-5019 to locate the nearest office to you or to learn more here 

DARS also has a division devoted to individuals with brain called Brain Injury Services Coordination Unit (BISCU). BISCU partners with individuals, advocacy groups, state agencies, and other community entities to improve services and resources for Virginians with brain injury. BISCU also works collaboratively with the agency’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program when serving individuals with brain injury who have an employment goal.

BISCU manages over $7.2 million in state contracts, and federal grants involving brain injury services throughout the Commonwealth which includes eight Brain Injury Services (BIS) Programs that offer case management (i.e., linkage to services), clubhouse day programming, and other supports. See State Supported Brain Injury Services Providers above for an up-to-date map of service localities and links to each of the eight programs throughout Virginia.

To learn more about BISCU call 804-662-7615 or visit their website here

Other DARS Programs that can serve individuals who have brain injury:

Call 804-662-7107 or to learn more visit their webpage

Call 804-662-7107 or to learn more visit their webpage

Call 804-662-7078 or to learn more visit their webpage

Other brain injury-focused initiatives in Virginia that operate with DARS/BISCU support:

VBIC was created in 1986 as a statewide, interagency advisory council comprised of individuals with brain injury; family members; healthcare professionals; service providers; state agency representatives; and other ad hoc advisory members. The Council promotes accessible, affordable, and appropriate services for Virginians with brain injury and their families by advising DARS and the stakeholder community of ongoing critical needs.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is committed to improving the treatment and care of Virginians with traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries. Through the establishment of the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Trust Fund, administered by a governor-appointed Advisory Board, funds are available to Virginia-based organizations, institutions and researchers to address the needs of people with acquired neurotrauma. The Advisory Board disburses CNI funds through a grant application process for research proposals and innovative community-based rehabilitation programs.

Department of Education (DOE)

Virginia’s Department of Education is mandated by federal law to educate all children. The Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) guarantees a free appropriate public education to all eligible children with disabilities including those with a brain injury. The following DOE links will help you navigate special education for a student with brain injury.

Since brain injury in children often occurs due to sports, DOE has created rules around how and when to return a child to learn, activities and play. In the Traumatic Brain Injury link above, see the section entitled: VDOE Resources you will see the document explaining these rules: “Guidelines for Policies on Concussion in Students.”

Department of Medical Assistance (DMAS)

DMAS is Virginia’s state Medicaid program. DMAS funds long term services and supports for eligible individuals with brain injury through Medicaid waivers. Waivers provide wraparound services in a person’s own home or community rather than a nursing home or other institutional setting. DMAS also funds case management for eligible individuals with severe TBI.

The CCC Plus waiver provides home and community based care to people who would otherwise need care in a nursing home or specialized medical care facility. You can apply for this Waiver through your local Department of Social Services.

These three DD Waivers provide home and community-based care to people who would otherwise need care in an intermediate care facility. You can find and apply apply for this waiver through your local Community Services Board.

Targeted Case Management is a new service for Medicaid-eligible adults with a severe traumatic brain injury. If you have Medicaid and need intensive help finding and connecting to brain injury services, community supports and government benefits ask your care coordinator for “case management services”. To learn more, here are two information sheets prepared by the Brain Injury Association of Virginia:

Fact sheets, videos and audios, podcasts, and online and national resources

dLCV Resources

  • Accessing Medicaid Waivers: This training is designed for individuals with brain injury and their personal and professional supports. Review the PowerPoint here and the recording here.
  • Podcast Interview with the Brain Injury Association of Virginia: Welcome to this special episode, where we interview Anne McDonnell, the former Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV). dLCV is a huge supporter of BIAV and the work they do across the state for people who have experienced brain injuries.  The mission of the BIAV is to advance education, awareness, support, treatment, and research to improve the quality of life for all people affected by brain injury. They provide outreach and support, education, public awareness, legislative advocacy, and also run Camp Bruce McCoy, a recreational camp in the Chesapeake Bay area. Anne is a wealth of knowledge on brain injuries and we learned so much in this episode. BIAV’s current executive Director is David DeBiasi. View episode transcript here.Organizations Mentioned:
  • Podcast Interview with Chris Miller from the Brain Injury Services Coordination Unit at DARS: Today we got to sit down (virtually) with Chris Miller. Chris is the Director of the Brain Injury Services Coordination Unit (BISC) at the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). She shares with us all the awesome work BISC does. DARS is the lead state agency on brain injury. While they do not provide direct services, they provide funding to all the agencies across the state that do provide direct services. Visit BISC’s website to learn more.  BISC can be reached toll-free at 1-800-552-5019 and they can help get you connected with the right resources. View episode transcript here.Organizations Mentioned:

Online and National Brain Injury Resources

Links and associated content are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily constitute an endorsement or an approval by dLCV of the information, services, opinions, or products of the individuals or organizations.

BrainLine is a national multimedia project offering information and resources about preventing, treating, and living with TBI. BrainLine includes a series of webcasts, an electronic newsletter, and an extensive outreach campaign in partnership with national organizations concerned about traumatic brain injury.

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is the leading national organization serving and representing individuals, families and professionals who are touched by a life-altering, often devastating, traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Everyone is at risk for a traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially children and older adults. CDC’s research and programs work to prevent TBIs and help people recognize, respond, and recover if a TBI occurs. These pages provide basic information, data and statistics, publications, reports, and fact sheets regarding returning to school following a brain injury and much more.

National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) assists state governments in promoting partnerships and building systems to meet the needs of individuals with brain injury and their families.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is a part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It conducts and funds research on brain and nervous system disorders.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Working toward practical solutions that benefit both employer and employee, JAN helps people with disabilities enhance their employability and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace. JAN’s trusted consultants offer one-on-one guidance on workplace accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related legislation, and self-employment and entrepreneurship options for people with disabilities. Assistance is available both over the phone and online.