BIANJ Named Recipient of Donations at Kessler Institute
Awards Dinner 

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey (BIANJ) would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation, one of the nation's leading rehabilitation hospitals, for selecting our organization to be the 2011 recipient of the donations from their Triumph of the Human Spirits awards dinner.  Donations were in excess of $8,785!

The awards dinner, which was held on December 1, 2011 at the Hanover Marriott in Whippany, NJ, honored members of the hospital's medical, nursing, therapy, and support staff for their exceptional work and dedication to patient care and service; as well as patients for their courage and determination in overcoming daunting medical, physical, cognitive, and psychological challenges resulting from spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, amputation, and neurological disorders.

"We value our partnership with the Kessler Institute and look forward to continued collaboration to further advance issues that help people with brain injuries in New Jersey," says Rita Steindlberger, Senior Director of Operations.  "The awards dinner was wonderful and I was honored to witness first-hand the commitment and positive energy of the Kessler staff, and to hear the inspiring stories of their patients."

Accepting on BIANJ's behalf was Dr. Edward Kim, Board Chairperson.

TBI in the Military Webinar | Wed. January 25, 12 - 1 pm

Click to find out more about this webinars and CCMC CEU information.

January 12, 2012 - Case managers, social workers, rehabilitation providers and other brain-injury professionals are invited to take part in special webinars presented by Bancroft’s clinical experts.

TBI IN THE MILITARY
Wednesday, January 25 | 12-1pm
To register, visit www.bancroft.org

This comprehensive webinar will teach you:

  • The types, frequency and effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) sustained in the military, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan
  • The challenges of identifying TBI in the military population, and the military’s response in diagnosing and treating TBI
  • The signs, symptoms and effects of TBI, post-deployment
  • Resources for veterans with TBI and their families

Instructor:

Cynthia Boyer, PhD, Senior Director of Clinical Services, Bancroft Brain Injury Services

see also:

Upcoming Heads-Up webinars:

  • Feb. 22: Brain Injury Affects the Family Too
  • March 21: Community Re-integration
Watch for more in their monthly Heads-Up series, and visit www.bancroft.org

Citing Player Safety, NBA Institutes New Concussion Policy

Dec 13, 2011 - The National Basketball Association (NBA) has instituted a new concussion policy to determine when players are able to return from brain injuries. Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, one of the world’s leading experts on sports and concussions, will serve as director of the program which will include:

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Dec. 9, 2011 - Summertime and the end-of-year holidays are when most Americans gather to enjoy their free time with friends and family. They are also some of the most deadly times on American roads due to impaired driving. That’s why during the summer and the end of the year, a nationwide campaign comprised of thousands of traffic safety partners, join together to protect citizens from this deadly crime.

Here in New Jersey, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety utilizes the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign to achieve its goal: prevention.

The Goal is Prevention

The key to deterring impaired driving is highly visible enforcement. The research is clear on the affect highly visible enforcement has on deterring impaired driving. Prevention and not arrest is the goal of the campaign. Drivers must perceive that the risk of being caught is too high before their behavior will change. Use the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over message to convince audiences that the chance of being caught is too high to risk. This message works and has influenced many citizens nationwide not to drink and drive.

What is the Life Improvement Following Traumatic Brain Injury Study?

December 09, 2011 - The LIFT (Life Improvement Following Traumatic brain injury) study is investigating whether counseling (specifically, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT) is effective in treating problems such as difficulties with sleep, poor energy, poor concentration, low mood, loss of interest in usual activities, or changes in appetite. Researchers at the University of Washington are studying counseling because, besides treating mood, it has been shown to help all of these symptoms. Also, about one in two people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) report problems like these.

The LIFT study is funded by NIDRR and the NIH.

Thank you for supporting the 2011 Walk for Thought!

Whether you participated by walking, riding, raising funds, volunteering or donating we are extremely grateful for all of your efforts on behalf of the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey and its’ constituents who benefit from our programs and services. Check out the 2011 Walk for Thought photo gallery.

The top fundraisers for the 2011 event are:

  • Billy Snook - Mercer County Park
  • Donna Jones - Saddle River County Park

The top fundraising teams for 2011 are:

  • CHIC - Mercer County Park
  • Support Group Strollers - Saddle River County Park

Part Time - Employment Specialist Needed in Somerville, NJ

November. 30, 2011 - Grant Funded Retail University training program seeks professional with at least 2 years of experience working in a rehabilitative setting with individuals with a brain injury. The ideal candidate will have a working knowledge of compensatory strategies and modifications to address the vocational needs of individuals with a brain injury. Provide on-the-job training and develop workplace strategies to assist work-ready individuals with Brain Injury to prepare for the workforce. Services take place at Retail shop on Main Street in Somerville, NJ. Flexible schedule Monday-Friday within the hours of 9-5 for approximately 15-20 hours weekly. Compensation: $15-$17 per hour depending on experience.

Please apply online at www.alternativesinc.org or send your cover letter and resume to Glori Bine-Callagy at gbine@alternativesinc.org. You can learn more about Bridges to Employment by going to www.bridgestoemployment.com or about It's all good by going to www.itsallgoodsomerville.com.

Living with TBI and Unpredictable Emotional Symptoms Event

November. 29, 2011 - Please register for an upcoming educational program to learn more about unpredictable crying or laughing related to your neurologic injury. Family members and care partners are encouraged to attend.

This free hour-long program, led by a physician and patient, will help you to:

  • Better understand your neurologic disease or injury.
  • Learn about common emotional symptoms, such as involuntary crying or laughing (pseudobulbar affect or PBA), that can occur as a result of your neurologic disease or injury.
  • Meet other patients and share your experience with emotional symptoms related to your neurologic condition and how they impact your life.

View the flyer for this event. For additional information and registration, please visit www. pbaeducation.com or call the toll-free number at 866-275-2525.

Parents wanted for a short-term concussion project in Essex communities. Compensation provided!

November. 21, 2011 - A Concussion Advisory Board comprised of parent liaisons is being organized for the following communities: Bloomfield, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Clifton, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Little Falls, Montclair, North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell and West Orange.

The Board will develop a strategic plan for community education about concussion. One parent liaison is wanted for each community. There will be 4 meetings from now until the spring of 2012.

Each parent liaison will receive a stipend in the amount of $100 at each meeting with an additional $100 stipend upon completion of the campaign in
June 2012.

questions?
Contact Joanna Boyd at 732-745-0200 or jboyd@bianj.org.
Click here for more info

New Certification to Establish Brain Injury Medicine Specialists

November. 18, 2011 - The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) approved the application cosponsored by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) to offer subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine (BIM). “Leaders in BIM have been laying the groundwork for recognition for the last ten years,” said Karen J Kowalske, MD, a director of the ABPMR and chair of the BIM Committee. In addition to the recognition of the subspecialty by the ABMS, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) will be working to establish the requirements for fellowship training in BIM.

“The new subspecialty was created because of the increased diagnosis and treatment options for patients with brain injuries and the growing need to monitor, assess, and advance new technologies for patients,” said Anthony M Tarvestad, JD, ABPMR Executive Director. “With this new certification, BIM specialists will lead the way in providing optimal, advanced, and cost-effective care for patients with brain injuries.”
Click here to find out more.

Heads Up to Clinicians: Addressing Concussion in Sports among Kids and Teens

Free Online Training for Health Care Professionals

October. 13, 2011 - "Heads Up to Clinicians: Addressing Concussion in Sports among Kids and Teens" is a FREE, online course, developed by CDC through support from the CDC Foundation and the National Football League, available to health care professionals. It features interviews with leading experts, dynamic graphics, and case studies and provides an overview of what you, as a health care professional, need to know about concussion among young athletes. Check out this interactive training.

Parents of Children & Adolescents with Brain Injury Survey

The goal of the Children & Adolescents Committee is to improve services and supports for children and adolescents with brain injury in New Jersey.  We need your help to accomplish our goal and acknowledge that you as parents or guardians are most knowledgeable about the issues faced by families raising children and adolescents with brain injury.  

Please take a few minutes to complete a survey to insure that your needs and issues are considered as the Committee develops programs and resources to help address your needs. Click here to get started now.

Thanks, and we're looking forward to hearing your feedback.

TREK and Friends Halloween Party!

Friends and Guests Are Welcome. Award for Best Costume!

October. 1, 2011 - On Saturday, October 22nd from 6-9pm the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey will hold it's
"TREK and Friends Halloween Party" at the Camp Oakhurst Theater (111 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst NJ 07755). Friends and guests are welcome to join us and there will be an award for BEST COSTUME! Check out the flyer for directions. Please RSVP to Stacy Lyons ASAP @ slyons@bianj.org or (973) 509-9633.

To find out more about the Alliance’s week-long residential camp program, better known as "Camp TREK", please visit www.bianj.org/trek

...and HAVE a HAPPY and SAFE HALLOWEEN!

Walk for Thought

Help Us Reach Our Goal Today!

The rain held off, there was some sun, and about five hundred participants joined the Walk for Thought on Saturday October 1 to contribute to a very successful event. Thank you to all participants, donors, and volunteers for your contributions.

Fundraising continues online (or by mail) until October 31st when the top individual fundraisers and top fundraising teams are determined. So you still have time to win that trophy! Check out some pictures from this year's Walk for Thought!

Click the logo to find out more or DONATE NOW!

Compass Program to present Training on the Educational Needs of Students with Brain Injury

Click to find out more.

Sep. 16, 2011 - Experts in the field of brain injury will discuss intellectual, cognitive, sensory, communication and psychosocial difficulties associated with brain injury in school aged children and youth. Participants will learn about comprehensive assessment, and evidence-based special educational services, supports and accommodations that students with brain injury often require as they re-enter school. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for this event. Visit their website at GarfieldParkAcademy.org for more information. For registration call 856-346-0005.

  • What: Understanding the Needs of Students with Brain Injury
  • When: Friday, October 14, 2011 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  • Where: CNNH, 250 Haddonfield-Berlin Road, Gibbsboro, NJ
  • Who: Dale Starcher, Ph.D., Clinical Director, Garfield Park Academy & George Neimann, Ph.D.,
    Director of Clinical Development, CNNH

You are invited to participate in Bancroft’s Heads-Up Brain Injury Seminar Series!

Click to find out more about these special webinars. CEU information is included.

Sep. 15, 2011 - Case managers, social workers, therapists and other brain-injury professionals are invited to participate in special webinars presented by Bancroft’s clinical experts. Please join them for the first two webinars in their new series – a heads-up on the latest issues and best practices in brain-injury rehab. Download the mailer here. CEU information is included.

The first two webinars include:

TRENDS IN COGNITIVE REHABILITATION
Wednesday, October 19 | 12-1pm
EXERCISE AND EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN
Wednesday, November 16 | 12-1pm

What you will learn in Trends in Cognitive Rehabilitation

  • How cognitive rehabilitation can help survivors of brain injury
  • The scientific basis for cognitive rehabilitation
  • Various treatment approaches used in cognitive rehabilitation
  • The evidence supporting cognitive rehabilitation’s effectiveness

What you will learn in Exercise and Effects on the Brain

  • Health benefits of exercise; definitions and review of physical rehabilitation, TBI and ABI
  • Strength training, balance training, pain management, range of motion; factors influencing progress: motivation, impulsivity, safety awareness
  • Neuroplasticity: review of research

Instructors

Mary Brownsberger, PsyD, ABPP | Cynthia Boyer, PhD | Karen Lindgren, PhD

Now Accepting Applications for the 2nd Annual U Got Brains Champion School Program!

Click to find out more about this project

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey is excited to announce our 2nd Annual U Got Brains Champion School Program for the 2011-2012 school year. Last year, 19 high schools throughout the state developed teen driving safety programs in a fun, interactive and competitive contest, where 2 grand prize winners were awarded driving simulators for their schools. All participating students and schools walked away with prizes, while helping to keep new drivers safe. Check out last years projects.

What is the U Got Brains Champion Schools Project?

It is an opportunity for students and staff of New Jersey high schools to develop campaigns to address teen driving safety. This program is sponsored by the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey and funded by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (NJDHTS).

Each school will develop its own project based on a topic the school chooses pertaining to teen driving safety. We are looking for creative and cutting edge projects that will raise awareness and make an impact on new drivers. You can utilize social media, videos, blogs, traditional media or other means to help spread your message.

Some ideas include sending messages via social media, text messaging, Facebook, blogging, morning school announcements, developing safe driving slogans for t-shirts for classmates to wear, bracelets, making videos and posting on Youtube, etc. Your imagination is the only limit! Contact us for additional suggestions and ideas.

Apply Today!

Applications are still being accepted.

Free Readers & Books for Qualifying Individuals with
Brain Injury

This is a pdf of the Victor Reader Stream Device with all of it's features.

Aug. 17, 2011- The New Jersey State Library – Talking Book & Braille Center (TBBC) has received a grant to provide “Talking Book Readers” to people with brain injury who have difficulty reading as a result of their brain injury. The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey has partnered with the library to identify people who would benefit and assist with the application process.

The Victor Stream reader allows a person to download books, newspapers, and magazines directly to the reader. The reader plays aloud the book and can be customized to the needs of the person in terms of volume, speed, and tone. The readers and books are free to qualifying individuals.

In order to qualify, the person must have a diagnosis of acquired brain injury and be unable to read because of (1) blindness or visual impairment; or (2) physical disability that prevents the ability to hold or turn pages of a book; or (3) reading disability that resulted from the brain injury.

If you are interested in learning more about the reader or would like to apply for a reader, please contact the Alliance’s Helpline at (800) 669-4323. The Helpline staff will assist in the completion of the application.

See also: NJSL Talking Book & Braille Center Virtual Book Club