For residents of New Mexico who've suffered a brain injury or contusion, the Brain Injury Services Fund (BISF) is the go-to program for short- term financial support. Residents only have 90 days to take advantage of the financial supports this trust fund provides. A wide variety of essential programs to help New Mexico residents with a TBI be as independent as possible are provided.
An Overview of BISF
Founded over 40 years ago in 1978, the Brain Injury Services Fund Program is one of the first in the country. It is also partially funded by traffic violation fines. A $5 fee is added to every traffic violation to help fund it. And all types of acquired TBIs are considered, such as strokes, aneurysms, brain tumors/infections, Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma, or exposure to chemical/toxic substances.
Although the fund stipulates no funding continues after 90 days, applicants can reapply up to three more times, making the maximum anyone can receive services from the BISF for 12 months/one year.
Services Offered
All services approved by this trust fund must involve some kind of crisis need, for example if a service or Medical Equipment was denied by their insurance provider. One of the most important services the BISF provides is service coordination. Everyone approved by this trust fund will be paired with a service coordinator who assesses each applicant's needs.
Officially called Home and Community Based Services, or each HCBS, this covers home health care, homemaker services and respite care, as well as transportation to appointments, special equipment, durable medical supplies, life skills coaching, and communication and assistive devices. All types of therapies, outpatient mental health, doctors visits and medications are also covered if needed.
Eligibility and Applying
Although applicants can either be on Medicaid or some kind of health insurance or none at all, the services they are asking for must have been denied by their insurance provider. Applicants must also have a diagnosis for a brain injury from a MD (medical doctor) or psychologist. And a crisis must be currently underway, ie, dire financial need. And lastly, applicants cannot live in any kind of institution to be deemed eligible for this fund. They must be in a home environment.
If you have any questions in how to apply, you will need to contact the region coordinator that represents your area in New Mexico. There is the Metro region, Northeast region, Northwest region, Southeast region, and Southwest regions. You will need to send your complete application to the correct region as well. You can also call the NM Brain Injury Resource Center at 1-844-3NM-BIRC for questions regarding your region. To see contacts for these regions, click here.
To apply for the BISF, you can fill out the online form here.
- Learn more: https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/LookingForAssistance/brain-injury.aspx
