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TBI Act Appropriations

Overview

The Traumatic Brain Injury Act (Public Law 110-206), as amended in 2008, is the only Federal law that specifically addresses the issues faced by at least 5.3 million American children and adults who live with a permanent disability as a result of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

$30 Million is needed FY’09 to continue the programs of the TBI Act

• $15 million to the HRSA Federal TBI State Grant Program to support States, Territories, and the District of Columbia in their continuing efforts to better serve individuals with traumatic brain injury and their families. This amount would also continue technical assistance through the NASHIA TBI Technical Assistance and provide for overall administration support and assistance to carry out the Federal agenda for TBI -- a very modest program for high expectations!
• $6 million to HRSA for the Federal PATBI Grant Program to support Protection and Advocacy Systems to provide information and referral; and self-advocacy services to individuals with traumatic brain injury.
• $9 million to CDC to obtain information from States, through State grants, to determine incidence, costs, causes and other data necessary for prevention, developing service delivery and linking individuals to services. The Federal funding is also needed to support public education and prevention programs.

Background:

On February 4, 2008, President Bush submitted his budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2009 for funding Federal government. Slated for elimination is the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Federal TBI Program, which awards grants to States, Territories and the District of Columbia (State Grant Program) and to state Protection and Advocacy Systems (PATBI Grant Program) for purposes of improving service delivery and access to the multiple systems often needed by individuals with traumatic brain injury to return to home, school, work and community. The program is authorized by the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act of 1996, as amended. The TBI Act is the only Federal law that authorizes these specific programs addressing the unique needs of individuals with TBI and their families.

TBI Act Programs

In addition to the State and P&A TBI Grant Programs, the HRSA Federal TBI Program also contracts with NASHA to administer the Technical Assistance Center (TAC) to assist States and provide expertise necessary for improving such services as rehabilitation, community and family support, education, employment and long-term care services. In addition the TBI Act of 1996 (PL 104-166), as amended in 2008 (Public Law 110-206), authorizes funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for prevention, education and surveillance initiatives and to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for research to reduce the ameliorating effects of TBI.

It is imperative that HRSA funding be increased -- not eliminated -- so as to sustain the substantial gains that have been made and to further expand to address the vast needs of individuals with TBI and their families. NASHIA and stakeholders are recommending $30 Million to continue all TBI Act programs. Specifically, NASHIA recommends:

See the Institute of Medicine’s 2006 Evaluating the HRSA Traumatic Brain Injury Program report for an external assessment of the Program. You may View excerpts. You may also View the four-page Report Brief [PDF 1,056 KB].

Program Results and Successes

Since 1997, 48 States, two Territories and the District of Columbia have received time-limited grants. States have created advisory councils, designated lead agencies, conducted needs assessments and developed State action plans for improving services across multiple systems. Through these efforts, States have identified gaps in service delivery and have been able to leverage other State and Federal funding to assist with implementation and administering services addressing a variety of critical needs.

While HSRA has not awarded grants for direct care services, States have used this funding to leverage and maximize other Federal and State funding and programs to expand service capacity. The success has been the results of the States to expand services to include information and referral services, service coordination, rehabilitation, education, family supports and other services necessary for individuals with traumatic brain injury to return to work, school and home -- thereby avoiding unnecessary institutionalization.

States have expanded services to children, victims of domestic violence, individuals who are homeless, persons with co-concurring conditions and other unserved populations, including returning troops with TBI. However, without continued and expanded funding, these efforts cannot be sustained.

Fact Sheets

Talking Points FY2009 TBI Appropriations [PDF 33 KB]

Federal TBI Act Programs: FY 2009 Appropriations [PDF 35 KB]

Talking Points: FY 2008 Appropriations for TBI Programs [PDF 50 KB]

CCD’s FY 2008 Appropriations Recommendations [PDF 374 KB]

Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Program [PDF KB]

Soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) [PDF 46 KB]

Letters to Congress

Sign-on letter to the House Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations [PDF 28 kb] sent April 17, 2008 from NASHIA and other organizations urging $30 million for the TBI Act programs and funding for the NIDRR Model Systems in the  FY 2009 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill.

Sign-on letter to the Senate Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations [PDF 28 kb] sent April 17, 2008 from NASHIA and other organizations urging $30 million for the TBI Act programs and funding for the NIDRR Model Systems in the  FY 2009 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill.

Sign-on letter to the House Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations [PDF 105 KB] sent October 4, 2007 from the Coalition for American Trauma Care (plus NASHIA and other organizations) urging a vote in favor of the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill.

Sign-on letter to the Senate Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations [PDF 105 KB] sent October 4, 2007 from the Coalition for American Trauma Care (plus NASHIA and other organizations) urging a vote in favor of the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill.

Sign-on blast fax (repeat of June 28, 2007 fax with more signers)
to all members of the House [PDF 104 KB] sent July 10, 2007 from the Coalition for Health Funding (plus NASHIA and over 1,000 other organizations) urging a vote in favor of the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill when the it debated on the House floor.

Sign-on blast fax to all members of the House [PDF 99 KB] sent June 28, 2007 from the Coalition for Health Funding (plus NASHIA and close to 1,000 other organizations) urging a vote in favor of the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill when the it is debated on the House floor.

Sign-on Letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Labor-HHS-Education [PDF 49 KB] sent June 20, 2007 from the Coalition
for Health Funding (plus NASHIA and other organizations) urging a vote
in favor of the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education
Appropriations Bill when the it is debated on the House floor.

Sign-on Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor—HHS—Education [PDF 85 KB] sent May 31, 2007 from NASHIA and other organizations urging a restoration and an increase funding for TBI Programs in FY 2008.

Sign-on Letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor—HHS—Education [PDF 85 KB] sent May 31, 2007 from NASHIA and other organizations urging a restoration and an increase funding for TBI Programs in FY 2008.

Letter to House Appropriators [PDF 1 MB] sent March 16, 2007 sent from the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force urging a restoration and an increase funding for TBI Programs in FY 2008.

Letter to the House Appropriations Committee [PDF 175 KB] sent September 20, 2006 from the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force urging support for $19 million for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC)

Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies [PDF 61 KB] sent July 12, 2006 from NASHIA recommending a 2007 appropriations of $30 million for TBI Programs.

Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies [PDF 26 KB] sent July 14, 2006 from NASHIA and other organizations urging the subcommittee to restore and increase 2007 funding for TBI Programs.

Letter to the House Appropriations Committee [PDF 86 KB] sent June 12, 2006 from NASHIA recommending an appropriations of $30 million for the TBI Act.

Letter to the House Appropriations Committee [PDF 132 KB] sent June 12, 2006 from NASHIA and other organizations recommending an appropriations of $30 million for the TBI Act.

Letters to House Appropriations Committee [PDF 93KB] and Senate Appropriations Committee [PDF 85KB]sent October 18, 2004, by NASHIA, Brain Injury Association of America and National Protection and Advocacy Systems recommending the House funding level for CDC for FY 2005.

Congressional Testimony

NASHIA FY 2009 Appropriations Testimony, US Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, et.al [PDF 36 kb]

NASHIA FY 2005 Appropriations Testimony, US House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, et.al [Word 54KB]

NASHIA Congressional Briefing Testimony, March 17, 2005 [Word 46KB]