Meeting Minutes Details

Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund

Meeting Minutes
June 1, 2007

Members Present
Terry Glenn Department of Corrections, Richmond
Doug Harris, J.D. State Health Commissioner Designee, Richmond
Gregory Helm, M.D., Ph.D. University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville
Teresa Poole Lakeview Neurocare, Roanoke
David Reid, Psy.D., Chair Comprehensive Health Systems, Fishersville
Jim Rothrock Department of Rehabilitative Services, Richmond
(Ex-officio)

Members Absent

Staff
Kristie Chamberlain Department of Rehabilitative Services, CNI Program Administrator
Patti Goodall Department of Rehabilitative Services, Manager, BI/SCI Services


Guests
Michael Zuckerman Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing (WAS)
Eric Messick Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC)
Jamie Bitz Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC)
Juan Carlos Arango, Ph.D. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Kelli Williams Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Vanessa Rakestraw Department of Rehabilitative Services


The Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Advisory Board met for a regular quarterly business meeting at 8004 Franklin Farms Drive in Richmond, Virginia. Dr. David Reid, Chair, convened the meeting at 10:09 a.m.

Public Comment Period

A public comment period was held. Juan Carlos Arango, Ph.D. and Kelli Williams, Research Fellow from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) provided information to the Board on a multidisciplinary conference on cultural / ethnic issues affecting the treatment, care, and access to services for individuals with TBI. The conference would be the first of its kind in the nation to feature leading experts from across the country to present data, share strategies, and promote translational research. VCU is looking for donations upwards of $50,000 to plan and organize a conference of this magnitude. VCU asked CNI to contribute to the conference with a stipend to support it. 70% of the speakers will be from VCU so VCU will be contributing in-kind with speakers. The conference will happen within the next year, by the end of calendar ’08.

The Board discussed its interest in funding such a conference because it is cutting edge research. Dr. Arango and Ms. Williams were asked about other supporters of the conference, financial and otherwise. Commissioner Rothrock requested that it be put on the agenda at the September 21 Board meeting. The Board asked Dr. Arango and Ms. Williams to come back in September and give a status report of financial donations and other progress made to date. Commissioner Rothrock offer some support – though he could not commit to how much and what kind – from the Department of Rehabilitative Services. In the meantime, Dr. Arango and Ms. Williams will meet with Patti Goodall of DRS Brain Injury & Spinal Cord Injury Services to discuss possible co-presenters and how to make the conference more relevant for DRS Counselors direct service providers. The CNI Board will review its ability to support the conference again in September.

Introductions of Guests:

Eric Messick and Jamie Bitz from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) attended the meeting to observe the workings of the CNI Advisory Board workings and the award process for new grants. Mr. Messick and Mr. Bitz are a part of a three-person study team assigned to review access to brain injury services in the Commonwealth, per Item 21F, 2006 Appropriation Act:
“F. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commissioner (JLARC) shall report on access to brain injury services in the Commonwealth. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the causes and prevalence of brain injuries, the array of community-based medical and/or rehabilitative services available in Virginia for treating individuals with brain injuries, the extent to which private insurance pays for brain injury services, and how other states have addressed the needs of individuals with brain injuries for community services. The report shall also examine funding provided through the Department of Rehabilitative Services to provide a continuum of community-based brain injury services across the Commonwealth, including how efficiently and effectively funding is allocated and expended to meet service needs. JLARC shall submit a final report by October 1, 2007.”

Approval of December 8, 2006 Minutes

Commissioner Rothrock made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 8, 2006 meeting; Terry Glenn seconded; motion passed unanimously.

Approval of June 1, 2007 Agenda

Gregory Helm, MD, Ph.D. made a motion to approve the agenda of the June 1, 2007 meeting; Doug Harris seconded; motion passed unanimously.
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Presentation from Michael Zuckerman, Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing-CNI Grant 07-061

Michael Zuckerman, Executive Director of Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing (WAS), presented on the status of the WAS CNI Grant (#07-061), as they wrap up year 1 (July 1, 2006-June 30, 2007) of their grant award. WAS provides specialized “adaptive” ski lessons to people with virtually any level of injury. WAS trains mentors in adaptive skiing who in turn work with individuals with disabilities who want to learn adaptive skiing. Mr. Zuckerman showed a video of one of the participants in the program who was learning to ski using adaptive equipment. Mr. Zuckerman requested an additional $5,800 for Year Two (original amount awarded $17,765) and $11,600 for Year Three (original amount awarded $22,165) due to unanticipated costs associated with the national disabled sports mentor training (Hartford Ski Spectacular) held in Breckenridge, Colorado in December each year. In addition, they requested a change in scope of services to send two additional participants and their caregivers to the national disabled sports training.

Commissioner Rothrock made a motion to accept the proposal for additional funds ($5800) as suggested by Mr. Zuckerman for year two. Doug Harris seconded, the motion passed unanimously. The board will request that Mr. Zuckerman come back and update the Board on Year Two, prior to requesting additional funds for Year Three.

CNI Trust Fund Regulations

Pursuant to Executive Order 36(2006), the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) conducted a periodic review inviting public comment on the following regulation: “22VAC 30-50 Policies and Procedures for Administering the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund”. As part of the review, the Department will consider whether this existing regulation is essential to protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public while administering the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund to improve the treatment and care of persons with traumatic spinal cord injuries and brain injuries. Public comment ended April 30, 2007.
Staff to the Board reviewed the regulations with the assistance of DRS Policy Analyst, Vanessa Rakestraw, and proposed changes to the Board. Board member Doug Harris, J.D., who had worked on establishing the initial written regulations for the Board, agreed with the proposed changes.

Doug Harris made motion to present the Board’s recommended changes of the CNI Regulations, 22VAC 30-50, to the Commissioner of the Department of Rehabilitative Services, asking him to<