Traumatic Brain Injury

Rolling Start is excited to have been awarded a 2 year grant to start up a Traumatic brain injury program in unserved areas of San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono Counties beginning in September 2022. 

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. This happens to about 1.7 million Americans each year. 53,000 deaths, 235,000 trips to the hospital, and 1.1 million trips to the ER each year are because of TBI. Traumatic brain injuries are separate from non-traumatic brain injuries (NTBI), which are caused by internal factors, such as lack of oxygen, exposure to toxins, pressure from a tumor, stroke, near drowning, or an infectious disease.

Common causes of TBI include car accidents, falls, assault, and sports injuries. Traumatic brain injury can be classified as mild (concussion), moderate, or severe, based on the patient’s clinical presentation, and the effects of TBI can be temporary or permanent. Those who survive a TBI can face effects that last a few days, or the rest of their lives. Effects of TBI can include impairments related to thinking or memory, movement, sensation (e.g., vision or hearing), or emotional functioning (e.g., personality changes, depression). These issues not only affect individuals but also can have lasting effects on families and communities.

Referrals to Rolling Start for TBI services will receive the following:

1.  Community Integration – You have the right to live in the setting of your choice:

• We will provide necessary Community Integration Services designed to maintain and/or maximize your independent living;
• We will leverage community resources for housing, transportation, medical care, recovery programs, personal assistant, or education services, and any others needed to support Community Integration.

2.  Employment Support Services:  We will provide you with tools and supports to help you find employment:

• Working Well in the Community (WWC); join this unique Pre-Vocational Support group:
  
  • Co-horts begin Tuesday November 1, 2022 for 7 weeks;
• 1:1 support for resume and job search or volunteer opportunities to help you build job skills;
• We work with Department of Rehabilitation, American Job Centers and others
• Referral to benefits coordination for Ticket to Work program;
• Peer supports

3.  Information and Referral

• Caregiver Supports
  
  • When family or other informal caregivers are involved, we have an amazing partner, Inland Caregiver Resource Center that will work with you and your caregiver
• Working with an Independent Living or Assistive Technology Specialist, we’ll help you identify your options, we’ll help get you connected, we’ll advocate with you.

4.  Public and Professional Education: 

• We will provide educational information on brain injuries for consumers, caregivers, and professionals;
• We will participate in community events and presentations to educate local businesses, students, educators, homeless service providers, mental health service providers, those serving the justice involved, as well as aging and disability service providers to increase their ability to identify, refer, and effectively serve individuals with TBI;
• RSI will engage individuals at local hospitals, nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers who wish to increase their knowledge and understanding of brain injury, and related cognitive, memory, and behavioral issues and available supports for those with TBI and their families

How can we support you? Call us to make a direct referral to RSI’s TBI program:  (760) 949-7626