Meeting Minutes Details
Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative
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Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund
Meeting Minutes
June 13, 2008-DRAFT
Members Present
Doug Harris, J.D. State Health Commissioner Designee, Richmond
Teresa Poole Lakeview Blue Ridge, Blacksburg
David Reid, Psy.D., Chair Augusta Psychological Associates, Waynesboro
Jim Rothrock Department of Rehabilitative Services, Richmond
(Ex-officio)
Members Absent
Richard Bendall, Jr., M.D. Monelison Family Physician, Lynchburg
Gregory Helm, M.D., Ph.D. University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville
Terry Glenn Department of Corrections, Richmond
Staff
Kristie Chamberlain Department of Rehabilitative Services, CNI Program Administrator
Guests
Karen Backus Department of Rehabilitative Services
Gail Brothwell Program Recovery
Karen Brown Brain Injury Services, Inc.
Mary-Margaret Cash Department of Rehabilitative Services
Page Melton Caregiver, Richmond, VA
Anne McDonnell Brain Injury Association of Virginia
Bill Rhodenheiser Department of Rehabilitative Services
Barbara Seymour Department of Medical Assistance Services
Michael Zuckerman Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing
Kristin Beale Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing
Rhonda Beale Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing
Shayna Heeter Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing
Cendy Heeter Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing
The Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Advisory Board met for a regular quarterly business meeting in Conference Room 101 at the DRS Central Office, 8004 Franklin Farms Drive in Richmond, Virginia 23229. David Reid, Psy.D., Chair, convened the meeting at 10:21 a.m. with introductions of meeting guests and board members.
Public Comment Period
A public comment period was held. Anne McDonnell, Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia, offered public comment to the CNI Advisory Board. Ms. McDonnell distributed copies of a letter being mailed to Captain Janie Martin-Heppell the Program Officer who is in charge of writing the guidance required for the HRSA Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act Implementation Grants of which DRS and BIAV have been recipients since 2002. Ms. McDonnell notified the Board of changes to the requirements for cash match for the 2009 Traumatic Brain Injury Act Awards. The block grant may become more competitive thereby decreasing the number of grants awarded, however, the dollar amount awarded per grant will increase. The increase in funding will also come with requirements for a 50% match from the state ($125,000). Relaxed guidelines will allow states to tap into non-government entities for match. Ms. McDonnell expressed concern over meeting the $125,000 match requirement and noted a few of the positive accomplishments the grant has allowed to occur in the Commonwealth.
Approval of March 14, 2008 Minutes
Teresa Poole made a motion to approve the minutes; motion passed unanimously.
Approval of June 13, 2008 Agenda
Commissioner Rothrock made a motion to adopt the agenda as distributed; the motion passed unanimously.
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Presentation from Michael Zuckerman, Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing (WAS)
Michael Zuckerman, Executive Director of Wintergreen Adapative Skiing (WAS), two of the participants in the WAS CNI grant funded peer mentorship program and their caregivers presented to the Board on the status of their grant in the second year of funding. Additionally, Michael Zuckerman requested $8,300 in April, 2008 via a letter to the Board in additional funding for the third and final year of the grant to cover funding costs of the group’s trip to the Hartford Ski Spectacular in Breckenridge, Colorado. During the actual presentation, Mr. Zuckerman increased his request to $13,800 (up $5,800) due to the unforeseen continual rising fuel costs which will directly impact airline and transportation costs for all eleven individuals attending (participants, mentors and their caregivers). When the grant was initially awarded, they had not factored in the cost for caregivers to attend the conference with participants or mentors and requested additional funds from the Board at the close of year one to cover the expenses for years two and three. At the time, the Board only approved additional funds for year two asking Mr. Zuckerman to return to the Board with an update on the grant at the close of year two. At that time if WAS felt like they needed additional funds at the close of year two before year three began, they could make a formal request to the Board. The Board thanked Michael Zuckerman and the group for their time.
Presentation from Karen Brown, Executive Director of Brain Injury Services (BIS) Inc. and Gail Brothwell, Program Director for Project “Program Recovery”
Karen Brown, Executive Director of Brain Injury Services (BIS) Inc. and Gail Brothwell, the Program Director for the Program Recovery program funded through the CNI Trust Fund provided a grant update to the Advisory Board on the status of their grant initiatives. The grant was funded to develop a collaborative model with INOVA Health Systems in Northern Virginia to work with a wing of young adults with brain injuries currently residing in an INOVA nursing home. The goal is to get them back out into the community into a lesser restrictive setting while increasing the quality of their lives. Karen Brown and Gail Brothwell discussed many successes and obstacles they are encountering, but remain optimistic that the program model will be successful in time.
Neurobehavioral Services Educational Presentation
At the request of the CNI Advisory Board, Barbara Seymour, Health Care Compliance Specialist from the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) provided an informational presentation to the Advisory Board on neurobehavioral services in Virginia. Ms. Seymour concentrated on the neurobehavioral needs in Virginia, current capacity in the Commonwealth to accommodate individuals who should be in a neurobehavioral facility and the forecast for the future of neurobehavioral services in Virginia. DMAS is researching the best avenue to pursue a brain injury waiver to accommodate the neurobehavioral needs of survivors of brain injury and their families within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Comments from the Commissioner of DRS
Commissioner Rothrock gave a brief update:
• Secretary Tavenner shared with agency heads recently that the Governor has a list of priority items that he will review in the next eighteen months. One of those items is the brain injury waiver.
• Michelle Whitt, Executive Director of Crossroads to Brain Injury Services (a case management provider), has approached the Commissioner for funding to research outcome measures (working with James Madison University Speech Pathology Department as the researchers) on brain injury services. They will be on the agenda for the fall CNI Advisory Board meeting to come and talk with the Board about their proposal and outcome measures within brain injury programs.
Dr. Reid asked the Commissioner for an update on the Department of Veterans initiative mentioned at the March meeting that will respond to the needs of returning veterans who have problems with post-traumatic stress disorder, brain injury, mental health issues including depression and substance abuse. The Commissioner informed the Board that he is sitting on the review panel for the Executive Director position overseeing the new initiative. By fall of 2008 the Department of Veterans hopes to have 3-4 regional coordinators who will be charged with working with the Afghanistan/Iraq veterans, and their families on brain injury, post traumatic s
