Virginia Traumatic Brain Injury Model System

The goals of this project are to: (1) enroll and follow a diverse group of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the National TBI Model Systems database; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of supplementing TBI rehabilitation care transitions with community health services to improve care partners outcomes; (3) assess the extent to which the racial, ethnic and disability identity of persons with TBI and their discrimination experiences affect disparities in TBI rehabilitation outcomes; and (4) translate research findings into accessible, usable, and relevant dissemination materials. The objectives are to improve TBI rehabilitation transitions and care partners activation and well-being; achieve equity in TBI rehabilitation access and outcomes; and provide persons with TBI and care partners with easier access to information, resources, services, and supports. Project outcomes include advancing knowledge that has real world applicability, improving TBI care and outcomes across a continuum of care, and bettering the lives of all people with TBI and their families. Project outputs include: (1) original research and presentations, (2) a reference guide for delivering community health-driven TBI rehabilitation transition services, (3) disparity risk models for TBI outcomes and a toolkit for delivering culturally-competent TBI rehabilitation care, and (4) consumer-friendly fact sheets on TBI management and a search tool for finding TBI services and resources. Core partners for this center are Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU Center for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering, Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI) and VCUHealth Division of Community Health. Collaborators include Virginia level I trauma centers, Central Virginia Veterans Healthcare System Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, VCUHealth and SAI outpatient rehabilitation centers, and consumer and state TBI groups.