Brain Injury Association of Vermont

Professionals

If you are interested in being a presenter at this year's conference or need more information, please contact the Brain Injury Association of Vermont at 1-877-856-1772 or send an email to

Click here to go to our Brain Injury Conference Webpage.

Professionals......Brain Injury Support Group Facilitators Needed!

We are looking for people to facilitate brain injury support groups in Bennington, St Albans, Middlebury and White River Junction. These volunteer positions are a wonderful opportunity to be in an environment of support with individuals whose lives have been affected by brain injury. If you are interested, please contact us for more information.

TBI Provider List / Resource Directory

The Brain Injury Association maintains a list of TBI Providers in order to refer TBI Survivors, their family members, caregivers and professional to professionals who administer care to TBI Survivors. If you are a professional (Primary Care Physician, Neurologist, Neuro-Psychiatrist, Physiatrist, Counselor, Social Worker, Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Language Pathologist, Chiropractor, Opthalmologist, etc.) and you would like to be added to our list, please email your contact information to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Vermont Trainings / Education Courses / Higher Education - Spring 2009

Information provided by Nick Nichols, Vermont Department of Mental Health

Heads Up: Brain Injury in Your Practice - A Tool Kit for Physicians

An estimated 75%-90% of the 1.4 million traumatic brain injury-related deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits that occur each year are concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI).

Many individuals who sustain an MTBI are not hospitalized or receive no medical care at all. An unknown proportion of those who are not hospitalized may experience long-term problems such as persistent headache, pain, fatigue, vision or hearing problems, memory problems, confusion, sleep disturbances, or mood changes. Symptoms of MTBI or concussion may appear mild, but can lead to significant, life-long impairment affecting an individual's ability to function physically, cognitively, and psychologically.

Physicians can play a key role in helping to prevent MTBI or concussion and improve a patient's health outcomes through early diagnosis, management, and appropriate referral.

In response, CDC, in collaboration with an expert work group, has recently updated and revised the "Heads Up: Brain Injury in Your Practice" tool kit. This tool kit is available free-of-charge and contains practical, easy-to-use clinical information and tools.

TBI Certification Resources
The American Academy for the Certification of Brain Injury Specialists (AACBIS) offers a voluntary national certification program for both entry-level staff and experienced professionals working in brain injury services. AACBIS provides staff and professionals the opportunity to learn important information about brain injury, to demonstrate their learning in a written examination, and to earn a nationally recognized credential. http://www.aacbis.net/

Veterans Health Initiative

The Veterans Health Initiative (VHI), an Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards program, offers independent study courses developed to recognize the connection between certain health effects and military service, facilitate better documentation of military medical history and prepare health care providers to better serve their veteran patients.

The VHI independent study courses are accredited and satisfy medical licensure requirements by delivering important education and information in the specified areas. These courses are a ccessible only through the VA Learning Management System (LMS), a web site intended for employees and staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Study Courses: Agent Orange, Caring for War Wounded, Agent Orange, Endemic Infectious Diseases of Southwest Asia, Gulf War, Health Effects from Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Weapons, Hearing Impairment, Military Sexual Trauma, POW, PTSD, Radiation, Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Amputation, Traumatic Brain Injury and Visual Impairment.

Bookstore

The Brain Injury Association of Vermont is a non-profit organization receiving its funding from grants, membership, fundraising events and donations. Through the generosity of many we have been able to raise awareness, increase prevention and develop needed programs that have supported families and survivors. It is our hope that our participation in the Lash & Associates Bookstore Affiliation Program will further these endeavors. When you use the link below and place an order on their website, Lash and Associates will contribute a percentage of the sale to us to support our programs and services for persons with brain injury. Thank You!