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HEALTH Brain Injury Awareness Month kicks off

The Chronicle - 3/1/2017

March 1 marks the first day of National Brain Injury Awareness Month and the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts invites the public to join the organization in increasing its support and impact.

“There are many ways that the community can join us this month to help us support brain injury survivors and raise awareness,” BIA-MA Executive Director Nicole Godaire said in a news release. “First and foremost, you can call your state representative and ask them to support Cognitive-Rehabilitation.”

Joint House and Senate bills, “An Act Relative to Improving Lives by Insuring Access to Brain Injury Treatment,” were filed. The bills will ensure that commercial health insurance plans include cognitive rehabilitation services for individuals with brain injury (trauma, stroke, tumor, etc.). More information on legislative advocacy can be found at biama.org/advocacy.

The association will support the Brain Injury Association of America on March 22, Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill. It will be a similar networking event to BIA-MA’s Advocacy Day, held in February at the Massachusetts State House, with several brain injury survivors and local representatives in attendance.

“Especially during Brain Injury Awareness Month, we invite the community to become members of our organization, which offers several educational and prevention programs to our members, in addition to special events,” Godaire said. “There are also opportunities for businesses and other organizations to become sponsors and corporate partners.”

More information on membership and sponsors can be found at biama.org/getinvolved.

“The strength of our mission and our organization is dependent upon the community that supports us,” Godaire said. “While we call for our community’s support year-round, this month is especially important as we enhance our call for advocacy and increased awareness of brain injury during Brain Injury Awareness Month. Please join us this month using the hashtag #NotAloneinBrainIinjury on social media and share your stories and information.”

The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts is the first and oldest organization in the state to offer support and resources to brain injury survivors and their families, according to the release. It also oversees prevention programs, educational training and legislative advocacy. On March 30, BIA-MA will host its 36th annual Brain Injury Conference.