One of the newest brain injury trust funds in the country is the Nebraska Brain Injury Trust Fund. Officially passed by lawmakers in 2019, the money in this fund will go towards helping people with brain injuries in Nebraska in many different ways. Beginning in the fiscal year 2020-21, Nebraska will transfer $500,000 annually to this newly formed brain injury trust fund.
And since this fund is new, with funds only being added to it beginning in 2020-21, it is hopeful that the funds administered to the brain injury community in a couple of years. The funds will not be available until that time. To learn more about the Nebraska Brain Injury Trust Fund, including how it plans to help the brain injury community, and other resources to consider in the interim, see below.
While specifics of the eligibility for the Nebraska Brain Injury Trust Fund had not been fully released, it is assumed that applicants will need to be a resident of Nebraska and have an acquired traumatic brain injury. When applying, you'll likely have to submit medical files showing you have a traumatic brain injury, as well as a medical doctor’s signature. Applicants will need to be medically stable as well in order to receive any of the services received from the trust fund.
The Nebraska Brain Injury Trust Fund is funded by the Nebraska Health Care cash Fund. This money will first go towards providing activities that promote bring injury awareness to the public, as well as promoting brain injury prevention methods.
A portion of the fund will support research in the field of brain injury, such as treated methods and rehab ideas. And a large amount of the trust fund money each year will go towards hiring people to provide information to individuals with brain injuries about the services that are available to them. This is called resource facilitation. It is often that the families of people who’ve suffered brain injuries need assistance with information, support, and resources specific to brain injury.
Improving the care of people with brain injuries will also be targeted by the Brain Injury Trust Fund. They will monitor quality improvement processes by collecting data and evaluating the needs of individuals with brain injuries and their families in the state. And lastly, a portion of the fund will be used to secure and develop community-based services that are aimed to help individuals with brain injuries. This includes things like support groups.
For over 10 years, the Brain Injury Association of Nebraska has been the go-to organization for people with brain injuries in the state. They provide information on resources available to people with brain injuries, providing resource facilitation as well as offering a brain injury prevention program that is used in schools, hospitals, and other places throughout the state.
The association also offers education, such as brain injury awareness and training to high-risk populations. They will also help keep people with brain injuries informed of important issues that may affect them, such as law changes. And they offer facilitated brain injury peer support groups that meet throughout Nebraska. To contact the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska, click here https://biane.org/about/contact.html.
It is an exciting time for people with brain injuries and Nebraska. Very soon the Nebraska Brain Injury Trust Fund will be allocating resources to people in the community. In the meantime, don't hesitate to contact the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska for any assistance you may need. They are connected to a great national organization that is dedicated to brain injury issues, the Brain Injury Alliance of America.
- Learn more: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=71-3705