Legislative and Advocacy Round-up for November 2022

Legislative and Advocacy Round-up

To inform brain injury advocates about

grassroots advocacy and public policy

November 2022

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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

Support Coordination

The Alliance is an approved Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) /Medicaid-approved Support Coordination agency. Support Coordinators provide care management services to adults 21 + who are eligible for DDD services. Individuals and their families are assisted in identifying services and developing individualized plans based on a person’s needs.

End of the Year Message

Tom Grady

Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs

As 2022 winds down and 2023 approaches, many make resolutions to change something, do something, improve something etc. As Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs, I'd like to hear what you want the Advocacy and Public Affairs Division to change, do, or improve.

Here are some questions that may get you started thinking about what you'd like the Division to change, do, or improve:

Do you have any suggestions for improving our Voices Advancing the Brain Injury Community advocacy group?
Which areas of public policy should the Alliance be focused on?
Is there a specific issue you want to Alliance to focus on?
The Voices Advancing the Brain Injury Community holds panel discussions, Mike-at-the-Mic. Is there a topic(s) you want us to focus on in 2023?
The Alliance needs to hold two (2) public policy webinars. Do you have a topic(s) for a webinar?
Do you have any suggestions for this electronic newsletter, Legislative & Advocacy Round-up?

Conversely, I'd like to encourage you to get engaged in the Division. The following are some ideas as to how you can do this

Do you know any government officials? The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey aims to build connections with government officials of all levels of government regardless of political affiliation. Your connections can be useful to fulfilling the mission and vision of the Alliance.
Each March, we have a Brain Injury Awareness Day. May you be interested in participating in this?
The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force chairmen hold a fair in March of each year. Are you interested in participating in this?
You may be interested in registering for Voices Advancing the Brain Injury Community. Through Voices, you can serve the brain injury community and the brain injury community can serve you.
The Voices Facebook page can be helpful to you. This page provides information on events, resources, and services that can benefit those in the brain injury community.
May you want to be a panel member on an Mike-at-the-Mic session.

These are ideas for your consideration and is not an exhaustive list. We are always open to new ideas as to how we may serve the brain injury community.

Please send your ideas, suggestions, and thoughts to me at tgrady@bianj.org or by telephone at 732.745.0200.

Bucco Bill to Aid Veterans with Service-Related

Brain Injury Clears Committee

Military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or traumatic brain injury (TBI) would benefit from Senator Anthony M. Bucco's legislation that was advanced by the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Bucco's bill, S-1871, would increase the services available to qualifying veterans, requiring the Adjutant General of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to develop a program to help vets access evaluation and treatment for potentially devastating brain conditions related to military service.

"We have never seen so many veterans return home with such severe combat-related conditions," said Bucco. "Some help is currently available, but it is clear our state must do more for the men and women who are struggling with often invisible injuries. This bill will make it easier and more convenient for our wounded warriors to access everything from transportation, to help with endless paperwork filings, guidance, and counseling."

Currently, DMVA offers some assistance to those with service-related PTSD. Bucco's bill would expand those offerings for the estimated 20 percent of veterans with the condition.

It will also prompt substantial upgrades to the benefits for those coping with total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis.

"Estimates for veterans with PTSD are as high as 20 percent," said Bucco. "That's one out of every five returning soldiers. It will never be acceptable to look at what the state is doing for these men and women and say, 'that's good enough.' We must continue to look for ways to do more to help those who volunteered to serve our nation as they battle to re-establish some form of normalcy in their lives. We owe them no less."

Specifically, this bill requires the Adjutant General of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to develop, in coordination with appropriate departments and agencies, a program to assist veterans in accessing evaluation and treatment for a post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis related to military service. The program may include offering support and guidance, transportation, assistance filing disability compensation claims, assistance updating discharge status, health care and other services or programs available at the local, State and federal level for obtaining and addressing a post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis. Under the bill, “veteran” means a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States or a Reserve component thereof, including the New Jersey National Guard.

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 or the United States Congress 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:

In the State Legislature

* A2188 - Establishes public awareness campaign concerning Period of PURPLE Crying program and shaken baby syndrome.

Assemblywoman DeAnne DeFuccio

* A4746 - Requires availability of accessible mail-in ballot for voters with disabilities.

Assemblywoman Angela McKnight

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.

In the State Legislature

* A2242 - Requires DOT, NJT, and DHS to study and implement transportation mobility and accessibility improvements for persons with autism and developmental disabilities.

* S1871 - Requires Adjutant General of DMVA create program for veterans to receive evaluation and treatment for PTSD, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury.

* S3302 - Requires availability of accessible mail-in ballot for voters with disabilities.

Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey www.bianj.org