Idaho State University seeks feedback to improve Traumatic Brain Injury services in Idaho

MERIDIAN-Want to help chart the future of Traumatic Brain Injury services in Idaho? What services and supports do you need? Are they available in your community?

These are a few of the questions a statewide assessment to improve Idaho’s Traumatic Brain Injury services will attempt to answer.

Thanks to a federal grant from the Administration for Community Living, Idaho State University’s Institute of Rural Health is developing a four-year statewide plan to assess Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI needs in Idaho, according to Russell Spearman, the ISU researcher in charge of the grant.

Spearman and his project team are encouraging Idahoans who live with a brain injury or provide care to someone who does to complete an assessment at www.idahotbi.org or goo.gl/D8B5Mk.  

Based on the responses, Spearman, community advocates and brain injury stakeholders—including disability rights and parental groups—will develop strategies to help fund brain injury services in Idaho communities.

“In essence, the responses will help us prioritize where the greatest needs in Idaho are and turn those needs into an action plan for the state,” said Spearman, noting that an estimated 35,000 Idahoans are living with a severe brain injury.  A severe injury is one that can affect various levels of cognitive function. 

Survey responses are anonymous, and the deadline to return them is March 17. Results will be posted on the Idaho TBI website at www.idahotbi.org in the coming months. 

For more information, contact Spearman at the ISU-Meridian Health Science Center, 208-373-1769 or spearuss@isu.edu.