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NASHIA

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The National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) will be conducting a free webinar, “Addressing the Intersection of Brain Injury, Aging, and Behavioral Health,” on July 16, 2025, from 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm. Register here.

As the population ages, the overall rate of brain injury in older adults in the US is increasing, and the intersection of brain injury and behavioral health becomes an increasingly critical topic. Brain injury can have long-lasting cognitive, behavioral, and emotional effects for older adults. Certain predisposing factors can make it more likely for an older adult to experience behavioral health challenges after a BI, including sleep problems, anxiety, substance use disorders, low income, negative thinking, and poor social functioning. A brain injury can increase the symptoms of a pre-existing behavioral health disorder. Secondary factors can complicate behavioral health conditions, such as loss of employment, inability to drive, sleep issues, relationship problems, and social isolation.

This webinar will provide an overview on the relationship between aging, brain injury, and behavioral health, highlighting the unique challenges older adults face and the strategies that can improve their quality of life. A brief introduction to the Aging and Behavioral Health Guide will be given, and attendees will learn more about tools and interventions that can support their work. National organizations who conduct work with the Aging Network and Mental Health Systems will provide tips for initiating or improving partnerships within both state aging networks and behavioral health systems.

Attendees do not need to be a member of NASHIA, and the webinar is free of charge (unless applying for a certificate of attendance or social work CEs).

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RCPA received notification today from the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) and the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) that the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act was included in Congress’s proposed year-end package. Key provisions included in this bill include:

Administration for Community Living (ACL)

  • Reauthorizes the State Partnership Program and Protection & Advocacy Program.
  • Allows grants to be used to support systems of care for people of any type of acquired brain injury.
  • Allows a state to request a waiver of the match requirement if they cannot meet the match to carry out the grant purposes. The match decrease can only be for that fiscal year, and states must maintain at least the match that they have had during the previous fiscal year.
  • Requires ACL in awarding State Partnership Program grants to take into consideration populations that may be at higher risk for brain injury.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

  • Reauthorizes the CDC’s TBI Programs, including the National Concussion Surveillance System.
  • Renames the TBI Program to honor Congressman Bill Pascrell.
  • Requires an examination of brain injury as a chronic condition that may impact someone across the lifespan. CDC plans to accomplish this through work with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
  • Requires CDC to review those who may have higher impact of brain injury, including due to their occupation and from interpersonal violence.

RCPA encourages providers, staff, and families to reach out to their members of Congress through email or phone call by COB Thursday, December 19, 2024. The message can be simple. For example:

As a constituent, I encourage you to support the year-end continuing resolution, which includes the TBI Act. The TBI Act is pivotal to create systems of care for people of brain injury. [Feel free to share any personal impact] Thank you for your support of this important bill.

In Pennsylvania, our current state Senators are:
Casey, Robert P., Jr. and
Fetterman, John

Additional information for contacting your Senators can be found here.

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