For Immediate Release
BRAIN INJURY ALLIANCE OF COLORADO AWARDED FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT
TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR SURVIVORS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
A brand new model of brain injury case management offered to clients statewide
DENVER – The Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado (BIAC), via a competitive bidding process through the state, has been awarded a five-year, $5.5 million contract to greatly expand services to children and adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
These new services will be made available through a contract with the Colorado Brain Injury Program at the Colorado Department of Human Services. The services are free to anyone with a brain injury living in Colorado. There are no income or insurance eligibility criteria to participate.
Funding for the program comes from surcharges on traffic ticket convictions for speeding, driving while impaired from alcohol and marijuana, and the children’s motorcycle helmet law. The Colorado Brain Injury Program, enacted by the Legislature in 2002, provides statewide case management services to children and adults who have suffered a TBI.
BIAC for over 30 years has been the go-to resource for help and services for survivors of an injury to the brain, their families, and providers. BIAC’s vision is that all persons with a brain injury thrive in their community.
In preparation for its increased role, BIAC hired 15 additional staff members and moved into a larger office at 1325 South Colorado Blvd, Suite B-300, Denver, CO 80222. The new program begins on July 1, 2016.
Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado Contact:
Gavin Attwood, CEO, Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado
303-562-3199
gavin@biacolorado.org
Colorado Brain Injury Program Contact:
Judy Dettmer, Director, Colorado Brain Injury Program
303-866-4085
judy.dettmer@state.co.us
Congratulations, Gavin and Judy!
Will you be posting qualifications and applications for open positions, including peer advocates?
Thank you for your interest. We posted all of our job openings for this in May and completed the hiring in June. Please check back for any future open positions.
This is truly wonderful news for those who have official “TBI,” but it is yet another lapse in services for those people with ABI or anoxic brain injuries, for example, such as my sister who has a severe brain injury from carbon monoxide poisoning. This occurred in a hotel room. It wasn’t her fault. Her husband died laying next to her in the same bed. Her life and her entire families’ lives are forever challenged and very much changed.
Until we are able to include ALL brain injuries of ALL kinds to receive services, the opportunities for fair delivery of services will be dramatically hampered. Those limitations for people with ABI are sad, unjust, and inequitable. Thank you for all the good work you do.
Hi Lyrysa,
Individuals with non traumatic brain injuries, such as your sister, are still eligible to receive case management with us, it will just be phone-based. We are working hard to acquire funding that will help us hire more individuals who can be in-person case managers for non traumatic brain injuries. Please encourage your sister to apply for services with us: https://biacolorado.org/case-management/
Feel free to call us if you have any questions: 303.355.9969
I think this is great! But I’m wondering what types of services you’ll be providing. Connecting people with doctors, therapists, etc.? Educating the public about Brain Injury? Visiting patients who are recently TBI? Educating families of TBI patients, etc.? This brings up hundreds of questions about how you’ll be operating differently. Are you planning brochures of services that will be available? I sent a memo to UCH hospital, where I have most of my doctors, that doctors of all specialties need to be aware that TBI survivors often answer slowly, and may have problems that should be considered during various treatments. I received a nice note back saying that this is an area that they want to improve on, but not now. There is so much education that needs to happen in many areas.
Hi Audrey,
Yes to all of your questions. With respect to clients, we provide individualized case management based on their needs. That may include attending appointments with clients, helping fill out paperwork, finding providers, educating family members, and meeting other needs that may arise.
Regarding educating professionals, every week we are in the community providing outreach to professionals about what we do and how we can help individuals with brain injuries. We also provide trainings to professionals about brain injury – how to identify someone, accommodations they can implement, strategies and tools for their profession. With this new contract we hope to be able to continue to expand and build upon these efforts.
Should you be interested in support, please fill out an application: https://biacolorado.org/case-management/ or feel free to give us a call 303.355.9969
Glad to hear this. I would like to apply for help.
I would like to apply for a position with the Ctbi. Are there any still available?
Thank you for your interest. We posted all of our job openings for this in May and completed the hiring in June. Please check back for any future open positions.