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Last evening, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) released the following Action Alert regarding a bill that proposes to eliminate brain injury (BI) programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Injury Center. View the Action Alert below:


House Budget Bill Proposes to Eliminate Brain Injury Programs at the CDC Injury Center

Dear Brain Injury Champions and Advocates,

On Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies proposed a budget bill for Fiscal Year 2025 that would eliminate all brain injury programs under the Centers for Disease Control’s Injury Center.

This would be an enormous step backwards. Without these brain injury programs, we’ll have even less accurate data and create a void in public education and outreach.

We need you to help us oppose this proposal and preserve brain injury programming!

ACTION ALERT:

We are asking ALL our advocates to email and call House Appropriations Labor and Health and Human Services Subcommittee members and ask them to save the Injury Center by 9:00 am on Wednesday, July 10.

You can learn more about what’s at stake and find a sample email and phone script by selecting the Take Action Now button below.

Take Action Now

We need all the help we can get. You can help by spreading the word on social media and within your social circles! Action is needed NOW!

The Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) is offering free behavioral health training opportunities. A training session on Co-Occurring Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders for PACHC members will take place on July 25 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, focusing on evidence-based practices and medication-assisted treatment. Registration is free; register here to attend.

Additionally, PACHC is partnering with the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) for a five-part webinar series on Suicide Safer Care July – August 2024, which is aimed at equipping health center staff with strategies to support patients and staff at risk. Sign up for the series at the Webinar Series for Suicide Safer Care for Health Center Staff Registration page or browse ACU’s Suicide Safer Care resources.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) is seeking feedback from organizations operating mobile clinics. They encourage participation in a brief survey, which will take on average 5–7 minutes to complete, to gather insights into how these clinics currently contribute to accessible healthcare statewide. The survey aims to assess the scope of mobile services provided, identify opportunities for collaboration among providers, and explore ways to enhance and expand mobile clinic services. Responses will help shape policies, programs, and partnerships aimed at improving community health care access across Pennsylvania. Access the Mobile Clinic Program Survey here.

Thursday, September 5, 2024
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am CDT;

9:00 am – 10:00 am MDT; 8:00 am – 9:00 am PDT
Register Here

Dr. Jonathan Pool
Speaker Bio:

Dr. Jonathan Pool is a music therapist and researcher at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research located in Cambridge, England. He is a senior arts therapist at Chroma, providing clinical supervision to many therapists across the United Kingdom.

He trained as a music therapist and then as a researcher at Anglia Ruskin University. He was awarded his PhD in 2013 for his research in brief group music therapy for cognitive functional gains and emotional needs of adult brain injury survivors in community neurorehabilitation.

Jonathan’s work includes developing interdisciplinary interventions for people with acquired brain injury and their families. As a researcher, he is dedicated to developing evidence on the use of music and music therapy in assessment and intervention for people affected by neurological impairments and diseases, with a special interest in disorders of consciousness. He is passionate about improving lives and reducing suffering through the use of music.

Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Understand why a music-based assessment is ideal for the assessment of children and young people with Disorders of Consciousness (DoC);
  • Gain knowledge of the development of the MuSICCA – a music-based assessment tool;
  • Learn how the MuSICCA is used to assess consciousness in pediatric DoC;
  • Learn about how the MuSICCA is being tested for validity, reliability, and clinical utility; and
  • Understand how it can support goal setting and planning of care and treatment.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.

Level: Intermediate

Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.

Complimentary webinars are a benefit of membership in IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.

Image by DarkmoonArt_de from Pixabay

Save the date for the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Program’s (DDAP) 2024 Recovery Month kickoff event “Share the Hope: A Recovery Story,” featuring guest speaker DDAP Secretary Latika Davis-Jones. The event will take place from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm on September 12 at Sailors and Soldiers Grove, Capitol Complex, 531 Commonwealth Ave., Harrisburg, PA. More details will be provided soon.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced the opening of nominations for the inaugural SAMHSA Trailblazers in Advancing Recovery (STAR) Awards. These awards aim to recognize individuals, including youth and family members, with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use conditions for their contributions. Additionally, the awards will honor organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to promoting equitable access to wellness and recovery supports. Nominations can be submitted through the official nomination page. This initiative marks a significant step in acknowledging leaders and organizations dedicated to advancing mental health and substance use recovery efforts.