Legislative and Advocacy Round-up for February 2022

Legislative and Advocacy Round-up

February 2022

Upcoming Events

3/5/22: Virtual Meeting
4/2/22: Virtual Meeting
5/7/22: Virtual Meeting
6/4/22: Virtual Meeting

Brain Injury Resource Center

Whether you have a brain injury or concussion, are a caregiver or a professional, BIANJ has resources available for you. If you’re in need of further assistance, please contact the Helpline at 1-800-669-4323, or info@bianj.org.

Visit the Resource Library

Brain Injury Support Groups

Brain injury support groups allow people with brain injuries and their family members to meet others in similar situations. They gain valuable emotional support, form friendships, obtain information, and discuss a variety of brain injury topics.

Find a Support Group

CARES Program

The BIANJ CARES (Care, Assistance, Resources, Education and Support) Program supports individuals and families impacted by brain injury through care management. This program focuses on assessing current needs and developing a plan to help individuals achieve greatest potential and improve quality of life.

More about CARES

You're Invited to Join BIANJ's Advocacy Committee

The Voices Advancing the Brain Injury Community (formerly known as the Council for the Head Injury Community) champions and publicizes the advocacy, rights, and needs of people who have sustained a brain injury, and their families.

Make your voice heard

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month!

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and is a platform to raise awareness of brain injury and its impacts among elected officals and the general public. There are to be two events involving elected officials in this regard. You are invited to attend them. Information for both is as follows:

Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey to Hold Virtual Brain Injury Awareness Day

To kickoff Brain Injury Awareness Month, the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey will be holding its 3rd annual Virtual Brain Injury Awareness Day starting at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 9, 2022. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of brain injury, to explain how the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey serves residents of the State, and to facilitate dialogue between elected officials and/or staff with people impacted by, or with an interest in, brain injury. To register for the event and receive your unique access link, please click HERE.

Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to Hold Briefing on Brain Injury

The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force co-chairs Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. and Don Bacon, along with the United States Brain Injury Alliance, National Association of State Head Injury Administrators, and Brain Injury Association of America, invite you to join us at a virtual Brain Injury Awareness Day briefing on the importance and value of advocacy. The event is to occur on the afternoon of March 16. Attendance is free, but registration is required. To register, please click HERE.

Ask for advocacy coaching HERE.

Funding from the Administration on Community Living to be

Focus of Alliance's Brain Injury Awareness Day

This year, we will have staff on-hand to discuss funding from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services The goals of the funding are to:

· Increase collaboration and coordination of state level activities across systems … to drive the improvement of TBI services and supports.

· Increase TBI surveillance and other data collection to identify needs and consumer access barriers.

· Create a greater understanding of state demographics, resources, and program impact among consumers and stakeholders.

· Create an improved, coordinated public investment in effective, high quality, equitable, evidence-based services and supports … to increase access to needed services and supports for all, especially underserved communities.

We will also be showing a video that provides an overview of brain injury, the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, and about the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Fund.

Administration on Community Living to also hold stakeholder day

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) in observance of Brain Injury Awareness Month will be holding a virtual TBI Stakeholder Day on March 8, 2022, 12:00 – 4:30 PM ET. Learn more and register by clicking HERE.

Learn about protecting yourself and your family with New Jersey auto insurance

Steven Benvenisti (pictured right), BIANJ Board President, and partner at the Personal Injury Law Firm of Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., will be presenting a webinar, “Protecting Yourself and Your Family with NJ Auto Insurance” on Thursday, March 10, 12:00-1:00. It is essential to understand your car insurance to protect you and your family. This webinar will guide you to the right choices when renewing your car insurance policy. Register HERE.

Legislation that Advanced

Legislation listed below has advanced in the New Jersey State Legislature. Please contact Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs if you would like more information about these bills at tgrady@bianj.org and/or whether you would like to contact your elected representatives to express your views on these bills.

Assembly Bill No. 655: Exempts discharge of student loan debt of certain veterans through the federal Total and Permanent Disability discharge process from taxation under the gross income tax.

Assembly Bill No. 1112: Requires DHS and other appropriate State agencies to disseminate information on transportation options for persons with developmental disabilities.

Assembly Bill No. 1477: Increases allowance paid to war veterans with certain service-connected disabilities.

Assembly Bill No. 1693: Creates resume bank for certain persons with disabilities.

Assembly Bill No. 2043: “New Jersey Disability Savings Act.”

Thank You!

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey supports a broad range of legislation that relates to brain injury. We appreciate those members of the State Legislature who support bills by registering as a cosponsor of or introducing legislation. We would like to publicly thank the following member(s) for sponsoring the following bills:

Senate Bill No. 1254: Creates new motor vehicle offense of engaging in a pattern of aggressive driving.

* Senators: Jon Bramnick, Patrick Diegnan

Senate Bill No. 1492: "Penny's Law"; requires DEP to develop beach accessibility guidelines for persons with disabilities.

* Senators: Vin Gopal, Teresa Ruiz

Also, thank you to the New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus for holding a roundtable discussion recapping year 2021 and raising awareness of the resources offered by supporting agencies, including the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey. You may access the recording and required passcode by clicking HERE.

Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey www.bianj.org