Advocacy
The Brain Injury Assocation of Massachusetts (BIA-MA) advocates for supports and services for the brain injury community (MRC SHIP budget), safety laws for the public (concussions, seat belts, helmets, distracted driving, hands free cell phone), and legislative bills affecting commercial insurance coverage (Cog-Rehab Bill). Our legislative efforts are enhanced by the hard work of individuals across the state.
BIA-MA currently has 4 major advocacy efforts, click for more information:
- Cognitive Rehabilitation (An Act Improving Lives by Ensuring Access to BI Treatment)
- Brain Injury Commission Resolve
- FY'19 Ask for Statewide Head Injury budget
- Federal Initiatives
3rd Annual Advocacy Day at the State House - February 8, 2018
On Thursday, February 8, 2018, Senate President Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester) and Representative Kimberly Ferguson (R-Holden) sponsored the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA) Third Annual Advocacy Day at the State House. Over one hundred survivors, family members and professionals attended along with numerous state representatives and senators.
Executive Director Nicole Godaire opened the ceremony with informing attendees the exciting news on two our legislative initiatives. On February 7th, the two committees (Financial Services and Public Health) reported the Cognitive Rehabilitation bill (S.502/H.2166) and Resolve to Reestablish the Brain Injury Commission (S.1168/H.1956) favorably out of the respective committees. Read More.
Mass Health Policy Forum - December 10, 2015
A Massachusetts Health Policy Forum on “Severe Brain Injury in Massachusetts: Assessing the Continuum of Care”, sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts and Supportive Living, Inc., was held at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston on December 10th, 2015. This forum examined the treatment and service disparities for survivors of severe brain injury in light of coverage expansions and health care system and financing changes under state and national reform.
Acquired brain injury is a major public health problem in 
Massachusetts, yet many patients with brain injury are not receiving services after initial treatment that are known to be effective, such as post-acute rehabilitation, case management and brain injury specific community programming. While good emergency care saves lives after a severe brain injury, access to rehabilitation in the chronic phase of severe brain injury is limited in Massachusetts, despite evidence that access at this critical phase improves outcomes.
A report and issue brief, prepared by Laura Lorenz, PhD, MEd and Gabrielle Katz, MPP candidate, was released at this forum and outlines recommendations to improve access across the continuum of care. Research was brought forward to quantify the problems, costs, and the potential consequences to both the brain injury survivors and the state as a whole. In addition the forum explored potential options and action steps to reduce disparities and move towards a more equitable distribution of critical resources.
Click here to view the Mass Health Forum Video
Brain Injury Commission Report
The Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Commission was established in an outside section of the FY’ 11 Budget. Beginning in January of 2011, the Brain Injury Commission met monthly to address serious gaps in services for individuals living with brain injury in Massachusetts. In December of 2011, the Commission issued a report overviewing its major findings and gaps in services.
Click here to view the Brain Injury Commission Report
Epidemiology Report
One of the priorities of the Brain Injury Commission was to complete an epidemiological study of ABI in Massachusetts. The findings of the proposed study were judged to be critical to informing the development of long-term community-based support services for both adults and children living with acquired brain injury. Critical gaps in services for survivors of brain injury in Massachusetts were identified in this study.
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services requested that the Department of Public Health, design and complete an epidemiological study of the ABI population in Massachusetts, including an estimate of the magnitude of the population; affected age groups; region of residence; and other pertinent descriptive information for the major subcategories of ABI, including traumatic, neoplastic, infectious, vascular and metabolic causes of brain injury.
Click here to view the Epidemiology Report.
BIA-MA's Legislative Successes:
- FY ’19---an additional $750,000 for the Statewide Head Injury Program (SHIP), line item #4120-6000.
- Active in obtaining an extra $1 million for MRC, line item # 4120-6000 in FY ’16, to fund a pilot community center to be located in Worcester.
- Re-established the Brain Injury Commission.
- Hutchinson vs Patrick Class Action Settlement.
- Supported passage of Shaken Baby Syndrome Law.
- Instrumental in passage of secondary Seat Belt Law.
- Established HITS, financed by surcharges on drunk driving and speeding.
- Leading in establishment of the Statewide Head Injury Program (SHIP), which funds community-based and other support services for persons with traumatic brain injury.
For more information about Advocacy at BIA-MA, contact Kelly Buttiglieri at 508-475-0032 or kbuttiglieri@biama.org