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National Leaders support broadening scope of federal support for traumatic brain injury programs

Changes to the TBI Act of 2005 will make treatment available to more Americans

National Leaders  support broadening scope of federal support for traumatic brain injury programs

Changes to the TBI Act of 2005 will make treatment available to more Americans

May 29, 2012. SADDLE BROOK, N.J. – National leaders in health policy, advocacy, research, rehabilitation and treatment of traumatic brain injury will hold a news conference at Kessler Institute's Saddle Brook Campus about legislation to better serve the millions of Americans who have sustained traumatic brain injury.  

WHEN:       Wednesday, May 30, 11:30 a.m. 

WHERE:  Kessler Institute For Rehabilitation, 300 Market Street, Saddle Brook, N.J.

WHO:   U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Co-founder and Co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force

Bruce M. Gans, M.D.,  Chief Medical Officer, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation

John DeLuca, PhD, Vice-President for Research, Kessler Foundation     

Neil Jasey, M.D., Director of Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation           

Susan Connors, President and CEO, Brain Injury Association of America

Tom Grady, Director of Advocacy & Public Affairs, Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), co-founder and co-chairman of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, has raised the nation’s awareness of the dangers of traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI was identified as the “signature injury” among soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Rep. Pascrell  has worked to make sure that our soldiers are properly screened and diagnosed for concussions. He continues to fight for TRICARE insurance coverage to pay for cognitive rehabilitation therapy – the most effective treatment for soldiers recovering from TBI. Rep. Pascrell's efforts against the dangers of TBI have expanded to help protect young athletes. On Sept. 30, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed Bill’s Concussion Treatment and Care Tools (ConTACT) Act. The legislation calls for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop guidelines and protocols for the management and treatment of sports-related concussions for the benefit of the nation’s student-athletes.

Bruce M. Gans, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, also serves the National Medical Director for Rehabilitation for Select Medical, Kessler’s parent company.  Internationally recognized for his expertise in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation, Dr. Gans has provided testimony to Congress and other government agencies and has presented at major meetings and conferences.  He has published extensively, including serving as editor of the major textbook, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice (Fifth Edition, 2010) and an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.  Dr. Gans has held more than $10M in research and educational grants from the public and private sectors and has focused his research on pediatric trauma rehabilitation, quantitative assessment of motor performance, rehabilitation engineering, rehabilitation health services delivery, and primary care for the disabled.  Dr. Gans is also a Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey- New Jersey Medical School.

Neil N. Jasey Jr., M.D., Director of Traumatic Brain Injury Services at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, oversees the renowned brain injury rehabilitation program across the hospital's three campuses in West Orange, Saddle Brook and Chester, NJ.  Dr. Jasey also serves as Medical Director of the Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (NNJTBIS), one of only 14 federally designated model systems in the nation for the treatment and research of individuals with brain injury. He helped to create New Jersey's new concussion guidelines for identifying and treating injured student-athletes and serves as the director of the TBI Fellowship Program at Kessler. In addition, Dr. Jasey has presented at the Association of Academic Physiatrists, the American College of Sports Medicine and other national conferences and meetings, and has published several studies and articles in medical journals, such as the Journal of Head Trauma and Rehabilitation, and in textbooks, including Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice.

John DeLuca, PhD, Vice President for Research and Training at Kessler Foundation oversees Kessler Foundation’s renowned rehabilitation research in brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke and spinal cord injury. Dr. DeLuca specializes in disorders of memory and information processing in traumatic brain injury and multiple sclerosis and has authored more than 200 articles, books, and chapters in these areas. His collaborative work in cognitive rehabilitation extends to Italy, Spain and China. He is the editor of five recent books, including the Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. He often presents at national and international conferences and contributes to continuing education for professionals and consumers.

Susan Connors is president and chief executive officer of the Brain Injury Association of America. She was executive director of the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators from 2001 to 2005 and BIAA’s national director of state affairs from 1995 to 2001. During the past 15 years, Ms. Connors has served in advisory capacities and on expert panels for several federal agencies, universities, and nonprofit organizations and has authored numerous publications, position statements and articles. She has a bachelor’s degree in public communication from George Mason University.

Tom Grady has worked in the areas of public policy, human services, and brain injury for the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey since October 2002. Tom’s main areas of expertise are in government relations, legislative development, constituent relations, and communications. He has directed efforts resulting in policies that prevent brain injury and facilitate supports and services needed by people with brain injury. Among his chief accomplishments include securing $3.8 million in State and Federal funding for community-based brain injury services each year since 2005. Previously, Tom served as a legislative aide for two members of the New Jersey State Legislature, and as a grant coordinator/researcher for a private firm as well as for Liberty Science Center.  

CONTACTS:

Paul Brubaker (Rep. Pascrell)

                                973-523-5152/201-704-6981-c

                                

 

                                          Carolann Murphy (Kessler Foundation)

                                          973.324.8382/201.803.0572

                                         

                                         

                                          Gail M. Solomon (Kessler Institute)

                                          973-243-6879/973-567-1327-c

                                         

 

                                          Laurie Kusek (BIAA)

                                          703.584.8628

                                         

                                         

                                          Tom Grady (BIANJ)

                                          732-745-0200