In this state of Alabama, look no further than the Alabama Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund if you have acquired traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury and need help. Whether you need attendant care or further rehabilitation, the Alabama Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund is an amazing resource for residents of Alabama with either of these injuries. It provides financial help in a myriad of ways.
The Trust Fund has been in existence since 1993 when legislators voted to fund services for people with brain and spinal cord injuries by DUI fees with the Impaired Driver’s Trust Fund. They collect around $1.5 million each year thanks to a $100 fee that an individual must pay if they get a DUI. With this money, they’re able to provide life-changing services, a registry, and much more. Learn more about the Alabama Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund below.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the trust fund, you must have been admitted into an Alabama hospital with either a severe brain or spinal cord injury. You must also have it documented with the state and be a resident of Alabama as well. For those with traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, they must also request help within two years of their injury.
Services Provided
The research was conducted on individuals with brain injuries in Alabama before the trust fund was passed and they discovered that those who began their rehabilitation right away, as well as had access to other services they needed as soon as they needed them, flourished more post-injury. This research helped this trust fund pass. Currently, the trust fund is managed by the Alabama Dept. of Public Health, which ensures the funds are disbursed properly.
Because helping people with new injuries is so critical, the Alabama Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund also created a registry in 1998 to find and track people with brain and spinal cord injuries to ensure they’re getting the help they need. The registry links together all head and spinal cord trauma reported by hospitals throughout the state. With this registry, they’re able to connect people with injuries to resources as soon as they leave the hospital. This registry also gathers data to implement safety and prevention programs.
In addition to the registry, one of the biggest components of the trust fund is helping individuals pay for attendant care. They help roughly over 1,000 people each year pay for attendant care through their Independent Living Program. They also help pay for home modifications and assist individuals who are ready with returning to work.
A major component of the trust fund is helping individuals regain their independence, helping them sustain their employment, and helping them reach their maximum potential. One of the biggest programs they offer, the Interactive Community Base Model, assists with this. Cognitive remediation, family education, respite care, and recreational supports are also services also provided by the trust fund.
How to Apply
There is typically no application system, as individuals are contacted by the state of Alabama after their injury. If however, you need to contact them, you can call the following number for more information 1-(888)-879-4706. Or you can contact and Maria Crowley who is the TBI/SCI registry coordinator at mcrowley@rehab.state.al.us.
- Learn more: ADRS | Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services
