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Campaign

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When it comes to something as serious as concussion — an injury that is estimated to occur every 15 seconds in the United States — the faster you receive a diagnosis, the faster you can get back to the things you love. And yet, over half of people who suspect they have a concussion never get it checked.

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is proud to be the cofounder of Concussion Awareness Now, a coalition of organizations dedicated to changing how society views concussion. It’s not tough to tough it out. And if you hit your head, you should get it checked.

The Concussion Awareness Now coalition includes nearly 20 partners, including organizations that determine guidelines for concussion care, advocate for patients, and work with communities who are vulnerable to concussions. Together, we have decades of experience in the brain injury community and the resources to create a rallying cry for awareness and, ultimately, action. Our goal is to help reshape how society views concussion so that people get the care they need.

Learn more at Concussion Awareness Now and follow the coalition on Facebook and Instagram.

The sustained funding of community-based mental health services, such as community residential programs, family-based support, outpatient care, and crisis intervention, are critical to the wellbeing of our constituents and our communities. Funding levels for county mental health services have direct impacts on whether these important community and family supports will be available. Yet for too many years, state funding for mental health services has lagged far behind its needs. Counties find themselves advocating to prevent funds from being cut instead of achieving the increases that are needed to catch up from years of underfunding.

This year, RCPA and other system stakeholders have teamed with the County Commissioner Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) through the Mental Health Safety Net Coalition. We join this campaign to bring awareness of the critical funding needs of mental health services for vulnerable Pennsylvanians. We ask our members, stakeholders, and partners to join us in this collaborative effort by engaging with your legislators. “County mental health services provide a critical piece to the public safety net for people in need,” notes Richard S. Edley, PhD, President and CEO of RCPA. “The system sustained cuts over a decade ago with little relief since then. It is time to restore those dollars and further enhance the system. Not only will it provide critical funding for the individuals receiving services, but there are positive benefits — both financially and clinically — to the entire community.”

The time to act is now for engaging with your representative, as local communities and providers have come together to sustain the safety net and serve those who need it most. The reality is that the demand for service far outweighs capacity and rate structures to serve this population. CCAP has created the following materials to assist in providing strategic talking points for our outreach:

If you have further thoughts or questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.