Legislative and Advocacy Round-up for April 2023

Legislative and Advocacy Round-up

To inform brain injury advocates about

grassroots advocacy and public policy

April 2023

Upcoming Events

May 10
June 3
July 8
August 5
September 9
October 7
November 4
December 2

Brain Injury Resource Center

Whether you have a brain injury or concussion, are a caregiver or a professional, the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey 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

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.

Alliance's Consumer Advocacy Committee Holds Panel Event, Mike-at-the-Mike

Voices Advancing the Brain Injury Community (Voices) champions and publicizes the advocacy, rights, and needs of people who have sustained a brain injury, and their families.

It also holds a panel discussion, Mike-at-the-Mic.

Hosted by Voices member, Mike Greenwald, EdM, a board member of the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, these panel discussions focus on an issue area related to the concerns the brain injury community may have.

Voices implements these panel discussion at Alliance events as well as events hosted by other organizations. For example, Voices, as one of the Alliance's advocacy committees, has worked with Kessler Foundation to hold Mike-at-the-Mic sessions.

Click HERE to access past Mike-at-the-Mic sessions in partnership with Kessler Foundation.

Voices Advancing the Brain Injury Community is always welcoming new members. By joining Voices, the brain injury stakeholder can:

· Make their voice heard

· Define their elected officials and their contact information

· Discuss views on brain injury public policies

· Stay updated on brain injury bills and legislature

· Learn more about the legislative process

· Become a stronger brain injury advocate

To learn more, contact us directly at 732-745-0200 or tgrady@bianj.org. You may also register at https://www.bianj.org/advocacy/

Alliance Annual Seminar is May 8

The seminar, Uncovering the Invisible: Delving into the Silent Epidemic of Brain Injury, is Monday, May 8 at The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park. The keynote address will be delivered by Eve Valera, PhD, who will share her research on brain injury and IPV. There will be no virtual option this year but there will be an independent study option for people that are not able to attend in person. Learn more HERE.

Know Your Rights: VR Services and Tuition

Join the Employment Team at Disability Rights NJ for a new 3-part series created for students with disabilities and their parents. This series will walk you through your rights to vocational rehabilitation services, show you how to apply for benefits, explain the eligibility process, and how to request tuition sponsorship to support your employment goals.

Monday, May 15 - Your Rights to Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Wednesday, May 17 - Applying for Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Friday, May 19 - Requesting Tuition Sponsorship

All webinars will be held via zoom at 3pm.

Learn more HERE.

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

S2789 - Requires certain permit holders to complete practice driving hours to obtain probationary driver’s license.

Senator Vin Gopal

4017 - Establishes minimum NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rate for traumatic brain injury special care nursing facilities; establishes enhanced NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rate for nursing facilities under certain circumstances; makes an appropriation.

Assemblymembers Donald Guardian, Claire Swift

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

S3767 / A5397 - Establishes minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to beneficiary eligible for brain injury services.

A1174 - Requires certain documentation of needs of students with disabilities during school security drills and emergency situations and in school security plans; requires staff training on needs of students with disabilities in emergency planning.

A4017 - Establishes minimum NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rate for traumatic brain injury special care nursing facilities; establishes enhanced NJ FamilyCare reimbursement rate for nursing facilities under certain circumstances; makes an appropriation.

Social Isolation Study

In January 2020, the New Jersey Legislature passed a law that required the Department of Human Services to study social isolation occurring in certain population groups. Human Services was tasked with conducting this survey because the Department provides many services across several divisions that indirectly and sometimes directly reduce social isolation for the priority populations in this study. The Department recently published this report and we wanted to share the results of this study with you and thank many of you for helping to support this work. Click on this link to view a copy of the published report. https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/news/reports/DHS%20Social%20Isolation%20Report.pdf

Join the United States Brain Injury Alliance as an Advocate Member

The United States Brain Injury Alliance (USBIA) invites those with an interest in brain injury to join the Alliance as Advocate Members! Persons with brain injury, family members, caregivers, and medical professionals are all encouraged to join USBIA and be a part of a nation-wide community of advocates seeking to prevent brain injury and improve lives!

Click HERE to fill out the form to join USBIA as an Advocate Member.