Brain Injury Association Of Michigan Incorporated

TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY BRAIN INJURY.

EDUCATION: MANY ANNUAL PROGRAMS TYPICALLY PROVIDED BY THE BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN (BIAMI) WERE EITHER CANCELLED OR HELD ON A VIRTUAL BASIS DUE TO THE CONTINUING COVID PANDEMIC. OUR ANNUAL TWO-DAY FALL CONFERENCE WAS HELD VIRTUALLY FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR AND DREW OVER 300 PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF BRAIN INJURY, WITH SEPARATE TRACKS FOR SURVIVORS AND ATTORNEYS. THE BIAMI AGAIN HAD TO ALSO CANCEL ITS IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS OF ITS "UNMASKING BRAIN INJURY" PROJECT DURING BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH (MARCH), AND INSTEAD PIVOTED TOWARDS WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS TO POST INFORMATION AND MESSAGING IN SUPPORT OF THE THEME, "MORE THAN MY BRAIN INJURY"THE ASSOCIATION ALSO RECEIVED A COVID VACCINATION GRANT FROM THE MICHIGAN DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DESIGNED TO REACH AND EDUCATE THE UNDERSERVED AND DISABLED POPULATIONS IN MICHIGAN ON THE IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF VACCINATIONS, AND TO HELP REMOVE BARRIERS TO VACCINATION ACCESS.

SUPPORT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A BRAIN INJURY 1) IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, BIAMI CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP AS ONE OF THE NATIONAL BRAIN INJURY INFORMATION CENTERS (NBIIC) IN 2021. A SINGLE NATION-WIDE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ROUTES CALLS MADE IN MICHIGAN DIRECTLY TO BIAMI STAFF. BIAMI STAFF ALSO SERVES AS A REGIONAL HUB FOR THIS SYSTEM DURING TIMES WHEN NATIONAL STAFF IS UNABLE TO HANDLE CALLS. 2) SUPPORT PROGRAMS INCLUDE 15 CHAPTERS AND SUPPORT GROUPS THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN THAT TYPICALLY MEET MONTHLY. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE CONTINUING EFFECTS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, THESE CHAPTERS AND SUPPORT GROUPS COULD NOT MEET IN PERSON. WHILE SOME MET VIRTUALLY, OTHERS COULD NOT AS TECHNOLOGY PROVED TO BE AN INSURMOUNTABLE CHALLENGE FOR MANY. TO COMBAT THIS ISOLATION, STAFF PLACED CALLS TO HUNDREDS OF SURVIVOR MEMBERS TO CHECK ON THEIR STATUS AND OFFER ASSISTANCE. IN ADDITION, STAFF RESPONDED TO OVER 1,300 CALLS ON THE TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE LINE REQUIRING OVER 1,000 HOURS OF SUPPORT. INDIVIDUALIZED PACKETS OF INFORMATION WERE SENT TO ASSIST FAMILIES AND PERSONS WITH BRAIN INJURIES. 3) THE SURVIVORS' COMMITTEE MET VIRTUALLY TO ASSIST IN PLANNING AND PARTICIPATING IN MONTHLY ONLINE SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING MONTHLY BIAMI BINGO AND BIAMI TRIVIA AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS ON PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR DAILY LIVING. 4) DURING 2021, OUR PROGRAM OUTREACH COORDINATOR FIELDED OVER 150 INFORMATION AND REFERRAL CALLS, WHILE ALSO SOLIDIFYING STRONG AND COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER DISABILITY/ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING DISABILITY RIGHTS MICHIGAN, MPHI, MI DISABILITY NETWORK, MI DISABILITY AND RESOURCE CENTER, AND MI DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY COUNCIL. 5) PUBLIC POLICY: IN COOPERATION WITH THE MICHIGAN BRAIN INJURY PROVIDER COUNCIL, THE CITIZENS ACTION GROUP, WE CAN'T WAIT, AND THE COALITION PROTECTING AUTO NO FAULT, THE BIAMI PARTICIPATED IN AN AGGRESSIVE AND DEDICATED EFFORT TO EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE STATE LEGISLATORS TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC FLAWS IN THE NEW MICHIGAN NO-FAULT LAW THAT, IF LEFT AS IS, WOULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES ON PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS.

PREVENTION: DUE TO THE CONTINUING COVID PANDEMIC, BIAMI'S PLANNED PARTICIPATION IN NUMEROUS EVENTS PROMOTING CONCUSSION PREVENTION SUCH AS PONTIAC FITFEST, FAMILY FUN DAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HEALTHY WAYNE COALITION AND THE HURON VALLEY WELLNESS EXPO DID NOT MATERIALIZE AS THESE EVENTS WERE CANCELLED. INSTEAD, THE ASSOCIATION UTILIZED SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGING AND WEBSITE BANNERS AS PART OF THE NATIONAL BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH ACTIVITIES IN MARCH. THIS WAS ALSO TO BE OUR SIXTH YEAR OF DISTRIBUTING BICYCLE HELMETS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SINAS, DRAMIS LAW FIRM IN GRAND RAPIDS, LANSING AND TRAVERSE CITY, HOWEVER, THESE EVENTS WERE CANCELLED AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.