Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) March 12, 2014
During a press conference this afternoon, Susan H. Connors, President and CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), endorsed the National Brain Injury Surveillance System Act of 2014. Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Tom Rooney (R-Penn.) introduced the legislation today, which is Brain Injury Awareness Day.
When enacted, the legislation will direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect national data on traumatic brain injuries (TBI) across the lifespans of people with brain injuries. It will also collect additional data on individuals at the time of the injury, such as the severity of the injury, previous history of brain injury, co-occurring issues such as substance abuse or PTSD, and pre-existing conditions like ADHD or learning disabilities.
“When an individual sustains a brain injury it is not an event, it is the start of a lifelong disability,” said Connors. “An individual with a brain injury needs the appropriate access to care immediately after their injury and continued therapy so they may be active in their communities and return to work.”
“Comprehensive data will drive the development of systems of care that are needed to meet this growing public health problem, as well as guide prevention efforts and support research activities, that I hope will someday lead to a cure.” Connors said in closing. “BIAA thanks Congressman Pascrell and Congressman Rooney for introducing the National Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance System Act of 2014 today.”
Brain Injury Awareness Day is and annual event held in cooperation with the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, which is co-chaired by Pascrell and Rooney. The event provides an opportunity for people with brain injuries, their families, and caregivers to come to Washington to meet with their legislators to discuss the impact brain injuries have had on their lives, and to advocate for funding for TBI programs and research.
Each year, 2.4 million Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and one million more suffer a stroke or other acquired brain injury. These injuries result in costs to society of $76 billion each year. Brain injuries do not discriminate; they can occur anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. They occur with no warning, and in the blink of an eye a brain injury changes the way we think, talk, move, and feel.
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Informational materials to help raise awareness of TBI can be downloaded from the BIAA website at http://www.biausa.org/TBIawareness.
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is the country’s oldest and largest nationwide brain injury advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance brain injury prevention, research, treatment, and education, and to improve the quality of life for all individuals impacted by brain injury. Through advocacy, we bring help, hope, and healing to millions of individuals living with brain injury, their families, and the professionals who serve them.