Meeting Minutes Details
Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative
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Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund
Meeting Minutes
December 5, 2008-DRAFT
Members Present
Terry Glenn VA Department of Corrections, Richmond
Gregory Helm, M.D., Ph.D. University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville
Page Melton Caregiver, Richmond
Teresa Poole Lakeview Blue Ridge, Blacksburg
David Reid, Psy.D., Chair Augusta Psychological Associates, Waynesboro
Jim Rothrock (Ex-officio) VA Department of Rehabilitative Services, Richmond
(Commissioner Rothrock participated via speaker phone)
Members Absent
Doug Harris, J.D. VA Department of Health (Commissioner’s Designee), Richmond
Staff
Kristie Chamberlain VA Department of Rehabilitative Services, CNI Program Staff
Patti Goodall VA Department of Rehabilitative Services, CNI Program Staff
Guests
Christine Baggini, MSW Brain Injury Association of Virginia
Helen Butler, RN Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia
Molly Dellinger-Way Virginia Commonwealth University—The Partnership
Tera Yoder, Ph.D. Virginia Commonwealth University-The Partnership
The Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Trust Fund Advisory Board met for a regular quarterly business meeting in Conference Room 101 at the DRS Central Office, 8004 Franklin Farms Drive in Richmond. David Reid, Psy.D., Chair, convened the meeting at 10:08 a.m..
Public Comment Period
A public comment period was held at 10:09 a.m. No public comments were made. A second public comment period was offered later in the meeting due to a late guest arrival. Ms. Helen Butler, RN from Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia commented that she had no formal public comment.
Approval of September 26, 2008 Minutes
Minutes were approved unanimously with no changes.
Approval of December 5, 2008 Agenda
The meeting agenda was approved by the Board with following changes:
• Dr. Reid requested the addition of Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing to the agenda
Presentation from VCU, CNI Grant #07-059 “Enhancing the Lives of Individuals with Brain Injury through Positive Behavior Supports”
Tera Yoder, Ph.D. and Molly Dellinger-Wray of Virginia Commonwealth University presented an update on their CNI Grant of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS). They reported that twenty-one (21) individuals have completed the foundational one-year training and mentoring required to become endorsed as a “PBS Facilitator.” Of the twenty-one individuals, seven have achieved endorsement in Positive Behavior Support. Tera and Molly indicated they would like to apply for a no-cost extension at the end of their three-year grant period, due to delays in getting the remaining fourteen individuals to sit before the PBS Endorsement Board to complete the process. They acknowledged that one thing they have learned is that their expectation for 100% achievement of endorsement is not realistic. They will also need the additional time to complete the research component of the grant which is based on consumer participation.
Presentation from Brain Injury Association of Virginia #04-059 “Research on the Effectiveness of Outreach & Information/Referral Approaches for Individuals with Brain Injury”
Christine Baggini of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia updated the Board on its grant to research effective methods of outreach to individuals who have sustained a brain injury and who were reported by Virginia hospitals to a central registry. Christine told the Board that hospitals were pleased that there would be continued outreach to newly injured individuals, particularly those with most severe disabilities, following the elimination of DRS’ registry (the Virginia Department of Health’s Virginia Statewide Trauma Registry is required by law to share with DRS information on patients treated for brain injury and spinal cord injury for research and outreach purposes). Christine reported that the “return rate” – that is, the response to outreach letters sent out on either BIAV letterhead or on DRS letterhead – appeared to be similar. The best return rate was based on a follow-up contact (in addition to initial outreach letter). Follow-up contact included another outreach letter or a follow-up personal contact via telephone. Adequate data has not yet been collected to draw substantive conclusions on the best method of reaching out to injured individuals. BIAV had also surveyed how other states conducted outreach, prior to designing their study.
Comments from the Commissioner of DRS
Commissioner Rothrock, who joined the meeting via speaker phone, stated that Virginia is experiencing a range of $2.5 -$3.5 billion dollar budget deficit and that state agencies will be asked to submit additional budget reductions State Fiscal Year 2010 in the coming month. He noted that staff should inform grantees not to delay in submitting invoices, so that there will be a steady cash flow out of the Fund. Though technically all funds are obligated with current grant awards, there is the illusion of a cash balance when grantees do not submit for reimbursement in a timely manner.
At the September 26 Board meeting, Dr. Reid had asked that discussion regarding a request from the Department of Juvenile Justice’s for CNI funds be tabled until December meeting. The Office of Public Safety was directed in a FY ’09 budget amendment to respond to a request to study the incidence of brain injury among juvenile and adult offenders, and to submit a report outlining a plan of action by November 1. The report submitted by Department of Public Safety admitted that this was an area of importance to be studied; however, they did not currently have the resources or expertise to carry out such a study. DRS, as the lead agency for brain injury, had been in discussion with Department of Juvenile Justice and offered to provide assistance, as feasible. One option offered was to use CNI Trust Fund grant money to subsidize a study looking at the incidence of brain injury among juvenile offenders and to offer training on effective strategies and treatment approaches. The next grant funding cycle for “community based” grants would not be until January 2009, when a Request For Proposal would be issued by DRS. However, in light of DRS’ application for a four-year federal grant through the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act, it was proposed that CNI funds for the study could be used as “state cash match” which is required for the federal grant application. The TBI Act grant application was due December 1st, prior to the Board meeting on December 4th. Therefore, Commissioner Rothrock used his authority (via budget amendment in the Code of Virginia, to “reallocate…funds for research.”) to include a three-year CNI-funded study as part of the DRS federal grant application (juvenile offenders with brain injury was listed as one of the targeted groups for the federal grant). A primary purpose of the study is to identify juveniles with brain injury and provide training to juvenile justice staff, with the goal of reducing recidivism. It is hoped that this type of intervention will prevent juveniles from progressing into the adult correctional system. Since the grant application was due prior to CNI Trust Fund Advisory Board meeting, Commissioner Rothrock was seeking endorsement of this action by the Board, which was provided by all members present. It was also stated that the study should go forward, whether or not federal grant funding is awarded to DRS, as this is a critical area of study for the brain injury community in<
