10 states now have TBI trust funds
Federal government also provides resources
Ten states now have traumatic brain injury (TBI) trusts designed to fill gaps in services and benefits provided by other funding sources available to survivors and their families. In some states, the trust fund provides services and grants to both TBI and spinal cord injury survivors. The state office that administers the trusts — and the services provided by them — varies greatly from state to state and ranges from funding home modifications to providing grants to recreational day programs. All 10 state trusts are funded by additional surcharges on traffic violations and/or drunk driving convictions.
However, the trust funds are not a panacea for the many unmet needs of TBI survivors. In addition, it’s important for case managers to help their clients explore all other funding options first. "The state trust funds are payers of last resort," notes Charlie D. Priest, executive director of the Alabama Head Injury Foundation in Birmingham, which spearheaded the effort that established Alabama’s brain injury trust fund in 1992. "The trust funds do not supplant other funding sources. They’re not going to pay for something that a federal program or an insurance company is available to pay. The intent of the trust funds is to fill gaps in service to citizens of the state with TBI."
The funding packages for individuals with disabilities are increasingly diverse, and brain injury trusts are just one source case managers need to make clients aware of, agrees LuRae Ahrendt, RN, CRRN, CCM, a nurse consultant with Ahrendt Rehabilitation in Norcross, GA. "Private insurance remains the primary source for people through acute care and rehabilitation. Other sources include Medicaid and Medicare. It’s when traditional funding sources fail to fill a need that grants and trusts assist survivors. The trusts have added another level for providing services."
In alphabetical order, states that currently have trust funds for TBI survivors are Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Texas.
If you are unfamiliar with the TBI trust fund administrator for your state, your state chapter of the Alexandria, VA-based Brain Injury Associa tion (BIA) is a good place to start. The state chapters of the BIA have strong alliances and, in most cases, also have contractual arrangements to provide trust fund services in their states. For a complete listing of state chapters of the Brain Injury Association with contact information, visit the BIA Web site at www.biausa.org or call (703) 236-6000.
Tech Act offers another option
In addition to state-funded trust funds, the federal government provides support services through the Assisted Technology Act of 1998, or Tech Act. There are 56 programs funded by the Tech Act, and they are located in all 50 states, as well as every U.S. commonwealth and territory. Tech Act programs provide consultation and technical assistance to schools and businesses to help them accommodate disabled individuals.
Some state Tech Act projects provide low-interest loans to help individuals purchase assistive technology; others lend individuals equipment while they wait for an equipment delivery or their own equipment is being serviced. "Thirty-three states have financial loan programs to allow individuals who are either not eligible for other programs or simply don’t want to go through the hassle of applying for equipment through another agency," explains Nel Bailey, MS, director of the Technical Assistance Project for the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Tech nol ogy Society of North America (RESNA) in Arlington, VA, which has a federal contract to help the state programs implement their Tech Act projects. "The loan process is overseen by a consumer board, which screens individuals and makes loan recommendations.
"The state projects also have lending closets. They allow individuals to borrow equipment for a short term. In addition to helping out when equipment is being serviced, it’s also a way for individuals to test a piece of equipment to see if it suits their needs," Bailey explains.
Tech Act projects also advise schools about assistive technology issues for students with disabilities and provide training for teachers. "We try to let teachers know what is available and how to get funding for assistive technology," says Bailey.
Unfortunately, the office responsible for running the state Tech Act project is different for each of the 56 projects, often making it difficult for case managers to locate the Tech Act project in their clients’ home states. "Some programs are housed in the state department of vocational rehabilitation, some are located in the state depart ment of education, and some are housed in universities," she notes. "The easiest way for a case manager to find the right Tech Act project is to call RESNA or visit our Web site."
[For more on the Tech Act, or to locate a specific state project, contact RESNA, 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 154, Arlington, VA 22209-1903. Telephone: (703) 524-6686. Fax: (703) 524-6630. E-mail: [email protected]. Web site: www. resna.org.]
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