RAINBOW A QUARTERLY NEWS MAGAZINE for Acquired Brain InjuryVISIONS Professionals, Survivors and Families www.rainbowrehab.com RAINBOW REHABILITATION CENTERS, INC. Volume IV No. 2 March is Brain Injury Awareness Month 2007 Spring TBI & Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Dual-Diagnosis & Treatment Interview with Military TBI & PTSD Survivor Charlie Morris Mark Evans & Vicky Scott, NP on Rainbow’s NeuroRehab Campus Helmet Technology Advances–Part 1 | 2007 TBI Conference Dates March2007 is brain injuryAwareness month. What’s News in the Industry which severely shake the brain within the skull, have become the signature injury of Raising Awareness the War in Iraq. These blasts often cause By Bill Buccalo, President devastating brain injuries, and patients may have long-term cognitive, psychological and medical consequences. The most severely injured service members will arch is Brain Injury Awareness York Times article, Dr. Bennet Omalu, a require extensive rehabilitation and lifelong Month. Raising public awareness University of Pittsburgh neuropathologist, personal and clinical support. of the “silent epidemic” of brain injury recently examined the brain tissue of We are concerned about whether the is important in the fight to decrease the former NFL player Andre Waters. Mr. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can Malarming number of injuries sustained each Waters (44 years old) had committed fully address the needs of our service year; to increase the access to services suicide in November subsequent to men and women on a variety of fronts. for those who have sustained an injury, as a period of depression. The doctor During a September 2006 hearing of the well as to create a more compassionate concluded that Mr. Waters’ brain tissue House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee and understanding community in which had degenerated into that of an 85 year old on Health, a statement for the record survivors live. Many people in the industry man. He believes this was due in part, to indicated that the 20-year healthcare cost have stated that we should not focus sustaining successive concussions while estimate for TBI could exceed $14 billion. awareness on just one month, rather we playing football. The League states they are Additionally, although the VA has an should be working to raise awareness beginning a study of their retired players to established network of TBI Lead Centers every day. Over the past few years, there look at general issues related to concussion. around the country (currently there are has been more discussion in the media However, we believe the League as well four locations), partnerships with private regarding brain injury than I can ever as colleges and high schools all need to providers will likely become necessary recall. take more proactive steps to deal with in order to adequately address needs of Leading up to this year’s Super Bowl, concussions and the issues surrounding veteran TBI survivors. Clinical services there was a great deal of discussion and return to play (see RainbowVisions Fall should be delivered in the communities media attention surrounding the NFL’s 2006 issue at www.rainbowrehab.com for where they live. In addition, there have handling of concussions and return to play extensive information on concussion related been news media accounts and reports by policies. Multiple concussions sustained topics.) veterans with TBI who claim that the VA’s by Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben In this issue of RainbowVisions, the brain injury care is not up to par, requiring Roethlisberger as well as the recent news focus is on war related brain injuries. Of them to seek out rehabilitation services in stories on the death of former player Andre particular interest are our veterans returning the private sector. Waters have spurred the discussion. It was from war. More than 2,700 American We need to meet these challenges by nice to see Mitch Albom and his colleagues men and women have died and nearly ensuring a robust VA healthcare system spend significant airtime in the hour prior 20,000 more have been wounded since as well as an unprecedented level of to kickoff confronting the issues. fighting began in 2001. Traumatic brain interagency cooperation so that together According to a January 18th New injuries (TBIs) resulting from bomb blasts, Continued on page 3 1 RAINBOWVISIONS www.rainbowrehab.com SPR IN G 2 0 0 7 Survivors and Families. Injury Professionals, GAZINE for Acquired Brain VISIONSC. IV No. 2 A RS, IN Volume RAINBOWA QUARTERLY NEWS M RAINBOW REHABILITATION CENTE ab.com www.rainbowreh Table of On the March is Brain Injury Awareness Month tress Disorder TBI & Post Traumatic S Treatment Clinical article on Dual-Diagnosis & Spring 2007 Charlie Morris Contents Interview w/ Military TBI & PTSD Survivor & Vicky Scott, NP on Rainbow’s NeuroRehab Campus Cover Mark Evans | 2007 TBI Conference Dates Helmet Technology Advances–Part 1 Photo by Fred J. Pushies of U.S. INDUSTRY NEWS Military members of the Central What’s News in the Industry – Brain Injury Awareness 1 Command area of operations using ground mobility vehicles BIAA Media Release on Cognitive Therapy 3 (GMVs). RainbowVisions ABI Clinical News – Treatment of Dual Diagnosis TBI & PTSD 5 thanks Mr. Pushies (Author & Technology Corner – Helmet Technology Advances (Part I )–Military 11 photographer of The Complete Behavior Analysis – An Implicit Technology for Generalization, Part II 17 Book of U.S. Special Operations Forces for contributing several of his photographs for this Industry Conference & Event Calendar 25 publication. Pictured below: Fred Pushies in front of an MH-53 Pave Low with the Air Force Special Operations Command. TBI SURVIVOR STORIES Survivor Corner – An interview with US Navy Veteran Charlie Morris 7 INSIDE RAINBOW NeuroRehab Campus Interviews with Mark Evans, Program Director & Vicky Scott, Nurse Practitioner 15 Notable Changes – NeuroRehab Campus newly hired professionals 19 Rainbow Satisfaction Survey – 2006 results 21 Rainbow Visions editor & designer – Kimberly Paetzold TBI Child Focus Series – When Children are Injured / Part 4 27 Assistant editor – Mary Mitchell The Last Word – Rainbow’s Valued Leadership 29 Staff photographer – Heidi Reyst Employee of the Season – Fall 2006 30 E-mail : [email protected] A Specialty Transportation Company We offer personalized, attentive and expert transportation services for individuals with special needs throughout Southeastern Michigan. call: 1.800.306.6406 Getting around just got easier! RAINBOWVISIONS 2 Raising Awareness by Bill Buccalo, President Continued from page 1 word. I would like to take a moment to each and every quarter. And lastly, thank thank all of the clients and family members you to all the Rainbow employees and the who have been brave and shared their extended network for all of the work and we are focused on meeting the specialized stories over the years. I would like to thank dedication you show to all of our clients. needs of our returning soldiers. all of the contributors of articles and all of Keep raising the awareness. As an organization, Rainbow employees those who have subjected themselves to work to be advocates for those living with interviews and photographs to help spread If you have any questions or comments, the affects of brain injury and to increase the word, to educate and help others. I feel free to contact me at: the level of community awareness every would like to thank Kimberly Paetzold, our [email protected] day. Our RainbowVisions News Magazine RainbowVisions Editor, for her outstanding has been one outlet for us to spread the work in putting this magazine together The Brain injury Association of America BIAA (BIAA) has published a position paper (11/2006) regarding their view on the Media Release treatment of cognitive dysfunction. The on Cognitive Therapy paper discusses research evidence of cognitive therapy and brings to light the burden on caregivers/survivors because of Lack of Funding for Rehabilitation coverage limitations. Following is the Media January 8, 2007 Media Release Release (January 8, 2007). Copies of the position paper can be obtained by visiting Access to cognitive rehabilitation is a way organization and daily activities such as the BIAA web site at www.biausa.org of helping brain-injured patients regain calendars, pagers, alarms or PDAs. function in areas that are essential for a “The benefits of cognitive rehabilitation MEDIA RELEASE McLean, Virginia, January return to independence and a reasonable have been discussed in more than 700 8, 2007 – The Brain Injury Association of quality of life. published research studies and are evident America (BIAA) today released a position “Cognitive rehabilitation can help in positron emission tomography (PET) statement that calls on lawmakers and people regain their independence, but scans and other neuroimaging techniques,” private sector payers to eliminate barriers many insurance companies deny coverage said Dr. Douglas I. Katz, Brain Injury to access and delivery of cognitive claims and public health agencies limit the Programs Medical Director at Braintree rehabilitation treatment for patients with scope, duration and timing of treatment,” Rehabilitation Hospital in Braintree, acquired brain injuries. said Susan Connors, BIAA President and MA, and first author of the BIAA’s Cognitive Rehabilitation: The Evidence, CEO. “Patients with brain injury and family position statement. “Numerous scientific Funding and Case for Advocacy, addresses caregivers suffer